One of the things I enjoy most about cycling is the pace.
Unlike travelling by car, bicycle touring allows you to experience the world around you. You feel the wind on your face, smell the changing scents of the countryside, and hear the sounds of nature that are often missed when travelling at higher speeds.
This week I filmed part of my ride through the countryside. When I played the video back, I realized it had been recorded in fast motion. Watching it felt more like driving a car than cycling a bicycle! While it doesn’t fully capture the experience of being there, it does provide a quick glimpse of the scenery I enjoyed along the route.
Video: Cycling through the countryside
Later, I stopped to take in the surroundings and record the sounds of nature. As I stood quietly, I heard deer moving through the bush and birds singing from the trees.
I also noticed signs posted by a local landowner asking people to stay off the property. While some may see these signs as restrictive, they also help protect wildlife habitat by reducing disturbance. Sometimes the best thing we can do for nature is simply give it the space to thrive.
Moments like these are one of the reasons I love cycling adventures. Travelling at a slower pace allows you to notice details that would otherwise pass by unnoticed and reminds you that nature is constantly at work around us.
Video: Sounds of the bush and wildlife
Have you ever noticed how much more you see and hear when you slow down and travel by bicycle? Leave a comment below. Love to hear from you.
Over the last few weeks, I’ve noticed here in Illinois more and more cyclists rolling down the roads with panniers hanging off their bikes.
Are they preparing for RAGBRAI, July 18-25?
Or are they simply answering the call of summer?
Either way, it brings a smile to my face.
The weather has certainly been calling me. Today I headed out for a ride near Knoxville, Illinois, enjoying quiet roads, green fields, and the simple pleasure of turning the pedals.
There is something special about seeing loaded bicycles. They represent adventure, independence, and the promise that there is always another road to explore.
Perhaps those riders are training for the week-long journey across Iowa. Perhaps they’re just escaping for the day. Either way, they’re living life from the saddle instead of watching it pass by.
I’ve included a short video from today’s ride, along with the route map for this year’s RAGBRAI. Maybe it will inspire you to dust off your bike and answer the call yourself.
Summer doesn’t last forever.
See you out on the road.
You may even what to put on one of those cycling T-shirts in my TikTok shop.
This simple riser adjustment has been with me for some years now. The beaty is it can be modified with just one Allen wrench which is in you saddle bag already.
There is a fin line with your body weight on your hands or bottom. Then there is the age that catches everybody. Then the lower you are the less wind resistance.
This has been a game changer to add to my dynamo hub. Very simple no complicated connections. I have been using it now for about 6 years. Anything that uses a USB can be plugged in.
This book brings those elements together into one powerful story. I’ve shared two videos to mark this milestone:
One showing the book now officially published on Amazon KDP.
Another announcing that Run Away to Africa is now available for sale.
These videos capture the moment this travel memoir became real.
Book Launch Videos:
Announcement book is published.
Announcement book is for sale.
Enjoy the book. Was a long time in editing and feel it is ready. This opens up the way for me to start books on my other adventures. I have an idea that I could venture into the motivational book market.
Was thinking of the tour I did with my dad. It has been 4 years and 8 months from his passing. I will advise to take trips like this with your loved ones.
There’s a lot of talk these days about meditation, mindfulness, and finding peace.
For some, that means sitting still in a quiet room. For me, it’s something very different.
It’s getting on a bike and riding.
The Ride That Clears More Than the Road
I’ve found that the longer the ride, the quieter my mind becomes.
Out on the road, away from the noise of work and daily life, something shifts. The constant pressure, the decisions, the stress—they start to fade. What replaces them isn’t emptiness, but clarity.
What started as just a ride has turned into something more. Something I didn’t expect.
A form of meditation.
Pushing Beyond What I Thought Was Possible
One of the biggest surprises has been discovering that my physical limits weren’t where I thought they were.
There have been moments on long rides where everything in me said to stop. Legs burning. Mind doubting. Comfort zone long gone.
But pushing through those moments changed something.
It showed me that most limits aren’t real—they’re just lines we draw for ourselves.
And once you step past them, even just a little, it opens the door to a different way of thinking:
I can do more. I can handle more. I’m capable of more than I thought.
Time Alone Builds Strength
There’s something powerful about being alone with your thoughts for hours at a time.
No distractions. No noise. Just you and the road.
That time has helped me work through things I didn’t even realize were weighing on me. It’s where problems get sorted out, ideas come together, and perspective returns.
It’s also where a quiet kind of confidence starts to build.
Not loud. Not showy. Just steady.
When Everything Comes Back Into Perspective
Life has a way of piling things on—work stress, daily challenges, responsibilities.
But I’ve noticed something.
No matter how heavy things feel, when I go for a ride, it changes.
Somewhere along the road, things begin to make sense again. Problems don’t always disappear, but they shrink. They become manageable.
You realize what matters—and what doesn’t.
Losing Yourself to Find Yourself
There’s also something about being out in the world—seeing the landscape, the open space, the movement—that takes your focus off yourself.
And strangely, that’s where you find something deeper.
When you stop thinking so much about yourself, you start seeing things more clearly.
You gain perspective.
My Version of Meditation
I wouldn’t have called it meditation at first.
But that’s exactly what it is.
Not sitting still—but moving forward. Not silence—but rhythm. Not escape—but clarity.
It’s where I find peace. It’s where I reset. It’s where I remember what I’m capable of.
Final Thought
You don’t have to follow someone else’s version of meditation.
Sometimes, it’s not about sitting still at all.
Sometimes, it’s about getting out, pushing yourself, and giving your mind the space it needs to breathe.
For me, that space is found on two wheels.
🚴♂️ Live the Mindset
If this resonates with you, I’ve created designs inspired by this exact mindset—pushing limits, hard work, and finding freedom in the process.
👉 Check out my gear on TikTok 👉 Follow the journey at Longdaysafaris.com
Long day safaris 