A classic Pavlovian response!

In my cycling "career" I've had a few very often repeated routes. One of them, a loop around a big airfield features excellent road surface and minimal traffic. I can ride and concentrate on whatever aspect of my technique I'm working on or just zone out. I have ridden this loop so many times I have it memorized.

The ritual part of this is I use the memory of that course like counting sheep. When I'm stressed and wake up in the wee hours I start riding that course in my head. If I lose my place because I let the worry creep back into my thoughts I start over. Never fails to put me back to sleep.