Martin's Ride: Day 2
Day / Date: Wednesday, June 30th
Miles Ridden: 50 Miles
From: Greensboro, North Carolina
Riders: Martin Smith, Brian Russo, Martin's Ride Intern
Brian's Daily Journal
Martin and I biked out to Statesville at 5:30 AM on a Church Road. The sun was still asleep the riding effortless. Martin quickly showed me the ropes, instructing on shifting gears and riding straight; an important skill to letting cars know you don't plan on veering into the middle of traffic. The air was cool and the streets deserted. The sky ahead melted into the pavement. My fogged up riding glasses turned the surroundings into a wispy haze.
A baby cow poked its head out from a fence, shuddering on its bony legs. Even the cow was surprised that it could walk this early in the morning! Farm country is as idyllic as it looks in pictures, with a noticeable detraction of animal smells. Tall armies of corn lined the road in massive, perfectly spaced rows, just waiting to be cut down by a thresher.
After riding through a couple of hairy turns, the number of cars on the road noticeably increased. It was fun to hear the roar of a car or truck engine approaching from behind speculating what type of vehicle would speed past. Peddling fiercely, we climbed to the top of a hill and zoomed down over a bridge spanning a lake at thirty miles from where we started.
Then my bike began making a thumping noise. I gently descended to a grassy area. Inspecting the damage I saw a large nail pressing tire to rim. I thought it would be an easily replaceable flat. I would be on the road in no time. It was shocking to see a nail so completely through the tire on Jeremy's bicycle. This was the worst part. I had been riding Jeremy’s bike. The day was over for me. Later, we found out that the nail had pierced all the way through the rim. Luckily, Jeremy was able to pick up a spare tire at First Flight Cycles in Statesville. Martin rode solo the rest of the way and ended before the heat became overwhelming. We called it a day around 12:30 PM, hooked up the RV and headed for our first RV campground.
Day 2 was over.
Here are some random thoughts I had sitting in the RV that evening.
Martin’s Ride is about discovering passion and what really drives us to fulfillment. I did some research on the subject. I was intrigued to find Western scientists believe Denmark knows the secret to happiness. Sweden has more blonde beauties per capita, Italy and France have far better cuisine, and most of the free world can boast of better weather. But over the last 30 years, the citizens of Denmark have scored higher than any other Western country on measures of life satisfaction, and scientists think they know why.
In the Dec. 23 issue of the medical journal BMJ, researchers review six possible explanations, and conclude that the country's secret is a culture of low expectations. "It's a David and Goliath thing," said lead author, Kaare Christensen, a professor of epidemiology at the University of Southern Denmark in Odense. "If you're a big guy, you expect to be on the top all the time and you're disappointed when things don't go well," Christensen said. "But when you're down at the bottom like us, you hang on, you don't expect much. Once in a while you win, and it's that much better." Researchers arrived at their findings by a process of elimination and humor.
Blonds may have more fun, they argue, but Sweden has a higher prevalence of them. As for climate, Danes "bask in a somewhat colder and cloudier version of the balmy English weather." They also eat fatty foods, drink a lot are are genetically not significantly different from their gloomier Scandinavian neighbors. On surveys, Danes continually report lower expectations for the year to come compared to most other nations. And "year after year, they are pleasantly surprised to find that not everything is getting rotten in the state of Denmark," the paper concludes.
Does the United States needs need to reevaluate its ideology on expectations? The Buddhists have known the secret behind expectancy for thousands of years. In the book Daily Zen, Chogyam Trungpa lists several daily actions in his own life that return him to a state of awareness helping him to be mindful. When walking up stairs he imagines himself ascending steps of enlightenment. Cinching his belt reminds him of securing his discipline. Washing his hands reminds him of cleansing his body and mind. I enjoy new levels of contentedness by setting simple expectancies that are easily to fulfill in the course of a day. Waking up is the first item on a spiritual checklist reminding me to be grateful for the opportunity of experiencing this present day. Waiting for the day when all of my dreams will be magically fulfilled seems pale in comparison. I try to get lost in little things like a nice landscape or a warm breeze. Many times during the day, I expect to open my cellphone and see “Breathe in,” on the screen. I read this spiritual cell phone message and I remember to ground myself in the present moment. My major daily requirement is to see people whom I love. When I see them, I have the opportunity to brighten their day. I also expect opportunities to practice kindness, patience and celebration of life, whether it is through writing poetry, jogging or eating. Understanding but not dwelling on the possibility each day could be my last makes annoying moments insignificant and little things more beautiful. As Deshimaru says, concentrate upon and consecrate yourself wholly to each day as though a fire were raging in your hair.
Brian