Biking and World Travels

I just saw an amazing documentary the other night at the Newport Beach Film Festival. "Free Wheels East" is about two cousins who decided to bike on all seven continents. They decided to save a lot of money, quit their job, and bike their way through the world. The movie made me want to stop everything, and do what I've dreamed about. How many people can claim they biked in Antarctica?

They never knew where the next day would take them, but they always continued forward. I admire that. I wish I was brave enough to just do something without worrying about the future. I wish I could seize the moment.

The documentary made me miss my bike. How I mourned for my bike. How I loved my bike.

This morning I found a little surprise in my garage. My dad had picked me up a used bike, and it was sitting right where my old bike used to be. It is shiner, prettier, and much newer than my old bike. I think I may have screamed and ran out of the house (with the bike, of course) to ride it around the neighborhood. It was pure, unadulterated joy.

For that moment I felt spoiled. My parents never tell me on a regular basis that the love me. I know they do, but we just aren't mussy people (actually, I am the only mussy one in the family). I felt loved when I rode that bike. My wants didn't go unheard, and that my dad cared enough to do this for me. I know it's just a bike, and that it's not a big deal to a lot of people, but to me... it's the whole world.

It made me laugh how things worked out. I had just watched a documentary about biking and a bit later, I was given a bike. I can't wait to take it on a joy ride. :)