Buddy Hayden

I'm sure this has been discussed before, albeit some time ago !?
sometimes we head out on a ride with a purpose .. be it training for competition , or commuting to get from one place to another , .. or do any of you guys head out for the sole(soul) purpose of clearing the mind ?, being able to answer our demons inside with a "soul" ride .. that is riding with no set plans or route or time restrictions , just out riding and letting all the troubles and crap life can bring on disappear with the clear headedness that a soul ride can provide ??

-Buddy.

lotek 

Don't know about anyone else, but I do that.
Last week we had a series of layoffs here at work,
and while I didn't get layed off when I got home I
took myself out for a long ride just to clear my head
and blow off some of the tension.
I find that riding is rather mindless and produces
a zen like state (well maybe mindless is the wrong term).
Its kind of like Transcendental Meditation, very eastern
where you empty you head of all thoughts.
I always feel better after riding or anything else
that helps turn off the noise.

Marty

Rotifer

Nice to hear that from someone else. I've used this term to try and explain my attachment to cycling. Unfortunately, non-cyclists (there must me some catchy name for them) just don't get it.

MikeR

When I'm in a bad mood my wife tells me to go for a ride.
She says that when I come back I'm much easier to get along with.

I guess that's proof that a ride recharges my spirit as well as my body.

webist

I have a requirement to do a minimum of 30 minutes of exercise in the HR Zone per day. Generally I try to do at least 10 miles per day on the bike. Every other day I also hit the weight machine using the treadmill for a warmup and cool down.

Since I have a job, I often run out of time when riding. Sometimes I accommodate this by riding a second time after work or in the evening.

In virtually every case, I start out with no clear idea of the type or length of my ride. This is particularly true of weekend rides. After 15 to 20 minutes in the saddle, I get in the groove and decide what the day's ride will be. Repeat the hills and grades. Ride for a full hour. Do intervals. Spin for an hour. Ride somewhere new. Try for a high average speed. Or, just get the heart rate up a bit and tour. Maybe I'll decide to go see someone or head for a coffee shop several miles away. Usually the only thing I know when I start out is that I am going to spend at least 30 minutes in the aerobic zone.

Virtually every ride I take is a pleasure ride. Yet, many seem to be training rides even though there is nothing in particular for which I am training. I find I continue to get smaller and stronger and my blood sugar is under tight control. I look and feel better. My success pleases only me.

I intend neither to catch nor drop anyone. Nor is there any podium stuff in my forseeable future. During 2003 I intend to ride 100 miles in a single day. Maybe I'll do it with a friend. Perhaps I'll be alone. It is possible, I suppose that it will be an organized century ride. Could be I'll decide to do my normal 10 mile ride 10 times.

I really enjoy riding my bicycles even when it hurts or is uncomfortable, I usually end a ride feeling as though, "I could've done a couple more miles."

dirtbikedude

Soul mountain biking, soul surfing. I do both. I ride my bike when I need to get some serious aggresion out by means of riding faster then I normaly would through rough tech sections and drops that need an aggresive attitude. I use the surfing to just stay in touch with nature, to feel one with her and to relax. Riding the smooth flow of a nice, sweet set of waves and listening to them is very relaxing even in big surf.
Slainte :cool:

lotek 

uhm, I can think of a few but I'd probably start a 9 page
flame war

Marty

1oldRoadie

When i ride alone I can get all the voice in my head to start talking in harmony again....I enjoy the peace. This world is too busy of place anymore.

Maelstrom 

No the type of riding I do doesn't allow for me to step away and think. I must focus constantly. In a way I sppose this does help clear things out for me. But I never head out with that puspose. Mine is for raw fun. I used to use the gym for what you describe. I would throw on headphones, go to the gym and destroy my body and ignore all of the chatter rats.

velocipedio

I rarely head out for the sole purpose of clearing my mind, but I do find that cycling always relaxes me and makes me feel better. A couple of days ago, I was stressed to within an millimetre of having my neighbours on television talking about how I "always seemed so normal." I had planned a ride that day, and when I went out -- offroad with our 'cross bikes -- with my GF, I immediately started to feel better. By the time the ride was done, I felt great!

Raiyn

How about velo-challenged?

hillyman

Meditation is concentrating on the here and now.To live in this moment.To be totally focused on riding and nothing else but riding.Close to walking meditation.Maybe cycling meditation?

willic

As I have mentioned before on other threads, I am a long term sufferer of a mental depression illness.

The best cure for me if i am in one of my "black dog" phases is to get on the bike and ride, much better than all the pill popping doctors prescribe.

A couple of hours on the bike and i come back invigorated, with a total mood shift.

RiPHRaPH

i just plain train for life. life in itself can be as crushing as any full-contact sport.

i've always been a guy that can perform better when everything is in its place.

if you're not improving then you're getting worse, right?

Bikes-N-Drums

The first thing I noticed about commuting on a bike was an attitude change. Instead of wanting to strangle every other driver, I was at peace, at one with the world - and the force was with me. The next thing I noticed about attitude was after I had my first accident this year and had to take some time off the bike. I was perturbed and in a general malaise due to the anxiety created by being off the bike. The final thing I noticed was that no matter how tired I was, or stressed or pissed or whatever negative feeling I was experiencing - well, those went away after a few miles on the bike.

Yusuf

I just have to ride, every day, somewhere, anywhere. I'm a bike addict. I ride to work every day of course, but my hours are a split shift, early hours and late hours. In between, my time's my own and I bike out anywhere the fancy takes me. If the weathers really bad, I bike home and tweak the machine( second addiction).
Biking and tweaking. Tweaking and biking. What a life. I love it.

Pete Clark

I'll try to put this philosophical response in the simplest terms possible:

I LOVE TO RIDE MY BIKE!!!

Uh, sorry...back to your regularly scheduled programming...

filark

I had knee surgery 4 months ago and am using cycling to rehab my knee. I've been riding 3 months and have fallen in love with it. I've noticed the change in my mind and heart when I ride. My wife says, "you're riding again." Or sometimes she has that resigned look on her face. But, I've developed several friendships while riding or because of it.
I had to wait several months for the dr's to come to the opinion zi needed surgery. So I packed on the pounds, literally. Since beginning to ride, I haven't lost a lot of weight, but, I am really noticing a change in the way my clothes are fiting. So I guess that is another reason to ride.
I want to be around when my daughter gets married.
Guess the basic reason is: I love to ride now!!
Keith

ngateguy

When I commute I usually am thinking about the day so I guess not then. But when I do my recreational spins I tend to get spiritual on the scenery. Now the night my grandfather died I rode over 30 miles in the rain, he was the most important person in my life and when he was gone I turned to my bike as a copping agent and it worked.

for all you zen cyclists check out this site

https://home.earthlink.net/~cpetersky/Welcome.htm

filark

ngateguy,
I agree with you. My grandfather was the closest person to me as well. I unfortunately turned to other stimulants to try to drown out the pain. When I need some time alone, I turn to my bike. It seems it is the only quality self time I get these days.
I float for several medical clinics, so my schedule changes sometimes a couple of times a day.
Have a great day
Filark

Rotifer

Cool site, he the man!

wabbit

There definitely is something Zen about cycling. Yesterday I was feeling kind of bleah and down in the dumps and I didn't even feel motivated to go for a ride, but I did and sure enough, I felt much better after. It wasn't a very long ride since it was kind of late in the day, but it really helped. It's the repetition of the pedaling, seeing familiar sights, even waving at other cyclists. It just cheers you up. I think I even went on a bike ride last Sept 11. It was a beautiful sunny day and I really needed to get the hell out on the road and away from the tv. Going to the gym helps too, during the winter when I can't ride, but cycling is much better.