One-time-chance

Our 2001 group arrived at John O'Groats

Does life involve mainly hurrying?
Shortage of time have you worrying?
Slow down, take a look.
See that route you took!
Soak up your scene; ditch the scurrying.

What are you rushing past?

I bicycled in the British Isles
Twice in the early 2000's.
In 2001, it was the
Official End-To-End route,
Lands End in England to
John O'Groats in Scotland.
876 miles

Trip had eight riders,
All from the 1999 "Southern Tier" group.

Organized by Bethany.
If "A" describes a personality,
She was a AAA.

Bethany opened the trip to all
Who had ridden together in 1999.
Criteria was that you could ride 16mph.

Out on a morning ride in MN,
Dreaming about this exotic foreign trip,
I glanced down and saw my speedometer
Registering 16 mph.

I sent B a check for the trip cost.
Rode daily for six weeks.
Sixteen mph never again
Registered on my speedometer.

How much could that matter?
Well, it did.
With an ambitious itinerary and
Finite timeline,
Speed could make it happen.

Bethany and her sidekick
Rode that rapid speed.
The rest strung along,
Covering miles at each person's mph.

I was doing my best
Bringing up the rear.
Some other bicyclist always kept me
Visible as they glanced back in their mirror.

We made our way over the length of the route.
For me, the biggest focus became
Fast riding, as much as I was able.

Lots of local scenes and scenery,
Blurred past as I biked in haste.
I was trying to hurry every mile.

Our last day's destination was John O'Goats.
About an hour into that ride,
I realized Samantha was riding
Much slower than any other time on the trip.

"Sam, are you okay? Are you hurting?"

"Not hurting,” Sam replied.
“I'm just slowing down to really see.
I know I won't get to make this trip again.
This is my one-time-chance here.
I want to slow-down and marvel at where we are."

That was about twenty-five years ago.
I still think of Samantha's
True observation.
This was a one-time-chance.

It fits so many spots in life.
One-time visit with that person.
One-time in that place.
Slow down, take it in.

Even one-time—slow down—
To connect,
To notice,
To appreciate.

That's the off-bike message for me.
Take time to notice, love, marvel, appreciate.

Isn't that what the time is about?

Hugs,
Lin