That magical feeling of flight

I read an interview a few years back with Robin Williams and the interviewer asked him, "What is it about bicycle riding you love so much?"

Williams replied with, "It's the closest you can get to flying."

The other day I felt that exact feeling on a ride and I am not so sure I can do the feeling any justice with words.

I had decided to go put in an extended ride of 80 miles, had the route pretty well decided, legs were feeling good, mind was in the right place and the tunes were carefully selected to provide further motivation.

I got a couple miles down the Hanford Highway and the headwind was doing it's thing once again. I gear down and get into my mental zone and for the next 20 miles I cruised right into a steady battle and winning with good time. Finally I get to the gate at the end of the highway (badge only entrance). At that point the options are to turn around and go back or take a left turn onto the "Hanford High Line" or Highway 10 as the state calls it.

I stop at that point and take stock of my options, have a swallow of water and decide to go left to make my way to Benton City. As I began down that 7 mile stretch I kept spinning to the next gear until I realized there was no more gear to shift to. Sure enough the wind was now coming from slightly behind me and slightly to the side but helping me along in just the right way.

I didn't want to put too much thought into exactly what I was feeling and focused simply on my cadence, but the smile on my face had to have been the widest I have smiled in some time. I cranked out mile after mile with no idea of what my speed was, only that I was making some pretty serious (for me) time.

When I reached the intersection to join the highway to Benton City I had to stop and think about what had just happened and how I wanted that feeling again every time I rode. It was as if I had just gotten validation of some kind for the hard work I was putting in on the bike day after day and had finally achieved lift off. The rest of the day I could have endured gale force headwinds and I would have had that same goofy smile while doing it.

I have no doubt that years from now when someone asks me about why I ride I will go back to this day and my endless pursuit of achieving that feeling once again because it was indeed as close to flying as I have ever felt under my own power.