We all face sources of stress. Jobs. Relationships. Family. Finances. Neighbors. Life isn’t always a stroll in the park, but perhaps we can extract a lesson from my bike trips. The pic above came from the ride from SoCal to Alaska in August 2019 with Rich. The stretch of road between Kitwanga Junction and Stewart BC, right next to Hyder, Alaska, held chances to spot grizzlies and moose and deer and glaciers. But no one mentioned it ranks among the most impressive roads I’ve ridden.
The pic shows clouds swirling down the canyons and up the mountains, as a glacier slowly crawls to a lake. A cold frigid one the color of glacier melt. A bit earlier, the two-lane road and a river covered the bottom of the canyon, as hundreds of torrents of water tumbled down the near cliffs on both sides. A holy cathedral.
A recent study confirms that riding decreases stress, “Researchers discovered stress levels decrease by 28 percent during the motorcycle ride. Not only that, but the 22-minute motorcycle ride increased heartbeats by 11 percent, adrenaline by 27 percent, and it increased alertness.” If that seems sketchy, here’s the link: https://www.healthy-holistic-living.com/study-shows-motorcycle-riding-relieves-stress-increases-focus/?fbclid=IwAR3kbSsnNbJs5UjWYtN25iOXRK_XuV4Kqj4-xkVbLWymVe3HNBA9j9UbpJA
But why does wind therapy work? Bikers merely say it washes away worries and stress. I can buy that, but let me add one more factor. Humility. Riding through massive mountains and forests amid glaciers and lakes and rivers reveals the majesty of a creator, one who appreciates beauty, whose power and love transcend any I’ve experienced. The distance in type and power between God and me causes the humility.
Realize this decreased stress doesn’t eliminate the issues, but I know I’m not alone. Knowing he loves and cares makes me feel like the smallest kid on the block—with a BIG big brother.
I know many of you don’t ride, have no interest and never will. But think about the concept of wind therapy, maybe just with a walk in a neighborhood park. Even more significantly, where do you find your serenity, that double shot of God’s love and majesty? We’ll each do that differently, but let’s get out in God’s world and see him in a manner we just don’t get as much of in man-made city scenes.