Road stories - You'll find your rhythm

This post was inspired by a photo I saw on a blog. It talked about being 'in the zone' and how rare that was. As in, once in a lifetime rare.

I'm not sure I agree completely, but it's close. So I wanted to talk about finding your unique rhythm.

Most longer trips start and end very differently. You start out chomping at the bit, pushing hard to get the turns in or perhaps even feeling slightly out of sorts. The bike hasn't been this loaded down in a year, your running higher tire pressures or shock settings, the balance is different, response not the same.



As you can see, that doesn't look like it would move around all that well, does it?

Then, as you get into the trip, you'll adapt. "You don't break the bike in, the bike breaks you in." Pretty sure I got that from Jerry. Sorry buddy, there'll be no royalties :)

Eventually, everything is in it's place, you know where things are and that works for you. Same bike, same amount of stuff, same settings. But now it feels right.



Doesn't really look any different, except for perhaps the laundry bag, does it? But the combination of bike and rider has very much changed.

For me, this period of adjustment takes days. But eventually, you feel right on the bike. Sometimes, you only feel right on the bike and can't wait to get on it in the mornings. I'm not sure I can properly explain this phenomenon. I know I tried in 2008 (Trip report titled "Home is where the bike is").

And then, if you're lucky, things slow down. Not necessarily you and the bike, but things around you. Traffic becomes more entertainment than annoyance. You know what drivers around you are going to do, you find the gaps and don't have to slice through as flow through.

Same thing with the corners. They flow and you are making the bike dance. The best part is that you're not trying. It's effortless.

I can often remember in detail when this happened.

So, I just erased an entire paragraph, because I realized that no matter what I do, I won't be able to describe it. What I wrote sounded like boasting instead of describing what it's like. Maybe it can't be described.

You just have to experience it and it's probably different for you than me.