The days had been promising. Warm weather, clear skies, and salt in the air inviting you to jump in. That almost seemed to be at the corner a couple of days ago. The past two mornings have taught me a valuable lesson. Winter is very much alive. During these times, I enjoy myself, I really do. Parties, celebration, no school, no schedule, just enjoying the holidays. But biking outside is gone, at least for me because I don’t have the balls to do that during winter.
Summer is what you want, but spring is just as good. I wake up early over break, weather or not I have work, because days just become so huge, a lot more happens in it. Good ass breakfast, first thing. We talking eggs, toast, whatever floats your boat. Get outside and feel the sunshine cover your body. It starts to sizzle a bit, no smoke yet though. The air so pure, every breath reaches every inch of my lungs, digging deeper and deeper. Second thing is music. Headphones are a must. If there is anything that I would classify as weird that I do, is I obsess over having headphones on me. “What about the battery on your player…?” you say. Who gives a shit, that’s what I say. I’d rather my iPod be dead than to not have headphones to have it play right in my ear. Activities like biking need music, and you aren’t going to hear your phone’s speaker whizzing down the road.
I must admit, I have run into some close calls when it comes to biking. Most of them where nothing more than people passing me, and me not noticing them until the came behind me because I could hear them. But just a few times has it been to the extent that it leaves my heart pounding. For those times I actually regret not paying full attention. Anyways, if you stay off roads, at least busy ones, music is the best part of the ride. Rode up to Manchester By The Sea, taking pit stops at every beach I could on the way to take a quick dip and cool off. The Sun was doing damage. Salt is in the air, and people are walking to the beach, unloading the car, heading their way over to the sand. The King blasts in my ear, and if there is any time you should listen to Elvis Presley, it is when you are biking on a hot summer’s day trying to find a spot to go swimming.
Shit can, and will happen, like the time I headed out from work and biked to campus. Ten seconds into my ride, the skies open up and start drenching everything in sight. The thing I was most concerned with was my phone short circuiting my head because of the headphones. I could not open my eyes, the rain was too heavy. Yet, I kept pedaling, and that is because The Lizard King was shattering my eardrums. “Riders On The Storm” will send shivers down anyone. I guarantee it.
The blur of greens and blues as you go down the street, or beach, or woods, or fields, or campus, or accidental time you got to the highway and had to turn back. The Sun beating down bare skin, with only a button down shirt flapping in the wind , holding on only by the backpack on my back...
...Hair flying in the wind, sunglasses barely holding on. Tunes played by gods like The Grateful Dead, Jimi Hendrix, The Animals, Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Rare Earth… there are too many to count. Old ones, new ones, all of them filling your ears as your heart is racing faster and faster...
...I sit down, I stand up, I don’t use the handlebar, I try and get as low as possible. I jam. Air Guitar extraordinaire. Drums, bass, the whole shebang. If I’m out on the road it’s pretty fine, but it’s when I forget I am at the gym...
...Open my eyes and I can’t tell if there are looks or there aren’t, but music is pretty loud so I get back into my trance. I just keep pedaling and pedaling; music starts to blend in with everything around...
I guess I am weird, but biking around town, or the forest, the beach, or even if you are at the gym on a spin bike. But there are moments I feel like I am there. Seeing them live before me. Losing my shit as I dance to the beat. That is how close they sound when my heart is pumping, or I am just gliding downhill enjoying the breeze, but they are there man. ~ ad astra ultraque
