Enjoy the ride!

Thank you to everyone who proposed wording for Sandy's bench and to those who suggested ways to think about it.

While I was pondering the messages I received, I heard Sandy's voice say, "Enjoy the ride!"

It wasn't just on her bike that Sandy appreciated the
world around her. This photo was taken in Sevilla in
1999, because Sandy loved the morning glory. Our
friend was astonished in 2001 when we toured Notre
Dame in Paris and Sandy was mostly interested in the
flowers and landscaping outside the cathedral.

It felt right. She loved actually being on her bike, feeling the wind on her face, using her body to propel herself through space. She was fully present when she cycled, noticing changes in neighborhood gardens, fellow cyclists, and especially dogs along the route. Though she wasn't wild about trudging up hills, especially with cancer and chemo fatigue, she confessed to me that she did enjoy them when she rode alone and didn't feel the need to keep up with anyone else. So in late 2010, when she was still able to ride significant distances, we began splitting up as we started the ascent home. I'd ride on ahead and know that she'd have a better time on her own. Usually, she rolled up to the door before I'd even gotten my bike inside, but she was grinning instead of complaining.

I'm not always so present. Riding with Sandy often brought me back to the sensual aspects of the ride itself, but when I ride alone, I frequently tick off the miles, pushing myself to get to an endpoint. Last spring, I was talking about a ride I'd just finished alone, home from some appointment or other, and she looked at me kind of funny and said, "Are you enjoying your rides?" I realized I hadn't been.

After "Enjoy the ride," more words formed spontaneously in my head, and this is what I think I'll have put on the plaque, assuming there's room for it:

A destination is just an excuse for the journey. Remember to enjoy the ride!

Just having those sentences floating around in my head the past couple of weeks has led me to experience my rides more fully, and I know that's a message Sandy would happily pass on to strangers and friends alike.