Country Views: Headwinds - Three Kinds

Escape Route: Bike Trail to NW Passage Route

Sunday May 3rd. The weather was just about perfect. Very little wind, abundant Sunshine, little humidity. No one was waiting on me to do anything. Mrs. Guitar Ted was going to a movie, then to do some minor shopping. My daughter was at work. I had all afternoon to myself. Even Mrs. Guitar Ted said I should go out and ride. 

But I didn't. 

Monday was a busy morning with afternoon work and so I did not get out to ride until Tuesday. It looked perfect out, but it was only in the 50's and there was a breeze from the Northwest. I didn't let the wind stop me. I decided on doing the "Northwest Passage" route to minimize having to deal with the headwind. 

I took out the pink Black Mountain Cycles MCD. It was cool enough I could wear my long sleeved wool jersey, Twin Six wind vest, and wool socks. No gloves! My hands stay pretty warm. I had a bandana on the noggin underneath the Bontrager Circuit helmet. 

South Riverside Trail

The Cedar River at Downtown Cedar Falls

While the Northwest Passage route keeps me out of dealing with the physical headwinds, for the most part, there are other headwinds I'm dealing with. Headwinds which have been with me since last Summer. 

It is why I did not ride on the perfect day on Sunday. It is why I don't ride on other days. It is why I cannot get out of my chair sometimes. Or maybe it is why I have no motivation some days. Those headwinds, the mental and spiritual ones, have been pretty hard on me. There Is no "Northwest Passage" around that. 

 

These two dogs wanted to come out and play, if it weren't for that dratted invisible fence!

The mental headwinds are a bit easier to handle. The thoughts which I'd rather not think about raise their ugly little heads every day. I pray. I find distraction. It doesn't always work, but most of the time, it is okay. 

"I wish I didn't know now what I didn't know then"

"Against The Wind" Bob Seger

  

The spiritual headwinds, now those are devastating. When you feel empty. When that big hole looms larger and larger. 

I had an echo-cardiogram done recently at the request of my family practice doctor. He thought he heard something odd last time I saw him several months ago. The tests didn't show any abnormalities. I guess modern technology still can't detect a broken heart. 

A farmer and his rig appear as a smudge of dirt in the middle of this field.

The Northwest wind wasn't too bad on this ride. Maybe it was more West than North. I seemed to have an easy time going East on this ride. I had to put a little more pressure on the right side of the handle bar going South, so I'd say the wind was more West. 

The other headwinds don't respond to pressure. You cannot "pedal harder". You cannot handle it better by doing this or that all the time. Sometimes you just have to ask Jesus to hold your hand while you go right through the center of the windstorm. It isn't easy or fun. 

Sunday I went for a walk. It was good. It wasn't easy, but it was good. I didn't worry about missing a "perfect day"on my bicycle, because my day was far from "perfect"

  I rode a little over two hours on Tuesday. I had a moment or two during the ride which was tough. Different winds were dealt with. It'll be a long time before I have any sort of tailwinds, if ever. I understand this. 

I'll just keep moving forward.....