.
| Frosty's 2013 Continental By Frosty Wooldridge |
| Each summer, I enjoy
clearing my head, flexing my muscles and traveling somewhere in the world
on my expedition touring bicycle named “Condor.” Pedaling allows me
to gather my spiritual energy, stretch my body toward incredible heights,
physical well-being and a chance to refresh my mind. Additionally,
I love camping by a lake, stream, ocean or somewhere out in the vast expanses
of any desert. I love pedaling the long tracks of land through deserts,
seacoasts and heavily wooded areas like in the New England states.
Of course the Outback, Amazon, Asia, Europe and even snow drifts of Antarctica
have seen my tire tracks.
(Frosty Wooldridge on his bike Condor somewhere on the road of adventure.) I
love climbing mountain passes from 3,000 feet to 16,000 feet in the Andes
or Himalaya. I can’t begin to explain the incredible rush of joy
that transforms my mind and body at the summit of such passes. Along
the way, I share the world with critters like kangaroos, golden eagles,
hawks, deer, elk, buffalo and endless fields of flowers. Emerson
once said, “God laughs in flowers.” I agree.
Jack
London said, “I would rather be ashes than dust. I would rather my spark
burn out in a brilliant blaze than be stifled by dry rot. I would
rather be a superb meteor; every atom in magnificent glow—than a sleepy,
comfortable planet. The proper function of a man or women is to
live, not merely exist. I shall use my time.”
My
bicycle carries me to distant peaks, amazing countries and different cultures.
Having ridden across six continents, from the Arctic to Antarctica in
my lifetime, I can attest to a dynamic world, incredible people everywhere
on the planet and stunning experiences with scenery and wild life.
Mike
Dooley said, “Invariably, when big dreams come true, and I mean BIG, there
is a total metamorphosis of one’s life. Their thoughts change, their words
change, decisions are made differently, gratitude is tossed about like
rice at a wedding, priorities are rearranged, and optimism soars.
Yes, they are almost annoying. You could have guessed all that.
Would you have guessed that these changes, invariably, come before, not
after, their dream’s manifestation?”
So,
this magnificent summer, I will pedal Condor from the border of Mexico
near El Paso, Texas all the way to Canada’s border north of Eureka, Montana
on Route 93. At some point, I will write about it on my adventure
website: www.
For
each of us living in the United States of America, we may enjoy our own
path to, as Thomas Jefferson said, “Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.”
While
strangers come up to me saying, “Man, how do you do that? Isn’t
that a lot of work to haul that loaded bike down the highway and up mountain
passes?”
I
respond, “It’s a lot of ‘hard play’.” Sure, I push my body to the
limits. My muscles each night after a long day in the saddle let
me know that I’m alive. I feel exhausted, cleansed with lots of
sweat, toned as blood rushes to every cell in my skin and calmed by the
day’s miracles. A shower feels like a miracle from heaven.
(Yes, I carry a shower bag!)
Henry
David Thoreau also said, “If you advance confidently in the direction
of your dreams, and endeavor to live the life which you have imagined,
you will meet with success unexpected in common hours. You will pass through
an invisible boundary; new universal and liberal laws will begin to establish
themselves; and you will live with a license of a higher order of beings.”
At
night, I pitch my tent under the stars by a popping campfire. I cook up
dinner along with a hot chocolate. While I sip my drink, I stare
at the starlit sky or listen for a Great Horned Owl. Seldom am I
disappointed. Of course, remarks by my cycle mates make for campfire
laughter and memorable moments. Life glows when shared with a friend.
Robert
Service said it this way:
The
summer no sweeter than ever,
The
sunshiny woods all athrill;
The
grayling aleap in the river,
The
bighorn asleep on the hill.
The
strong life that never knows harness;
The
wild where the caribou call;
The
freshness, the freedom, the farness---
Oh
God! How I’m stuck on it all.
On
June
6, 2013, I will touch the Mexican border, take a few pictures,
and begin this 2,500 miles, 10 crossings of Continental Divide passes,
150,000 vertical feet of climbing, guzzling endless gallons of water,
inhaling food like a Kansas combine and, if you see me out there with
my three flags flying from my back rack, you will see a big smile plastered
on my face from ear to ear. Stop and share a word and a cold lemonade
with me!
As
Goethe said, “Plunge boldly into the thick of life, and seize it where
you will; it is always interesting.”
What
about you? What dreams will you pursue this summer of 2013?
Whether a weekend, week or month—go out into the world and explore.
Discover your own creative energy, enthusiasm and joy for a life well
lived.
I’ll
be back in my writing chair by the 1st of
August to bring you more commentaries on America and her many challenges.
Love and light, Frosty Wooldridge, six continent world bicycle traveler
and nine times across the USA. And, as you read this travel note,
I’m probably sweating up a very steep mountain pass in New Mexico headed
into the Rock Mountains. www.
|
| Donate
to Rense.com Support Free And Honest Journalism At Rense.com |
Subscribe
To RenseRadio! Enormous Online Archives, MP3s, Streaming Audio Files, Highest Quality Live Programs |
