Tiny Rides

What is a Tiny Ride?

It would be nice if every ride could be a grand adventure. Days or weeks exploring, unfettered by the weight of duty and the responsibility of maintaining a life. But ask yourself, how many of your rides fit into that specific category of two-wheeled activity?

A lucid look in the mirror draws a confession — only a small fraction of my rides are grand adventures. Most of them are tiny rides, rides that are part utility and part therapy. They don’t appear special in any way. Experience reveals they in fact have a powerful influence on the quality of my life. Those low miles, short time in the saddle rides are the medicine that keeps me smiling, pulls me out of bed in the morning, and have me muttering, “What a wonderful life.”

The utility aspects of tiny rides are easy to comprehend — errands, transportation, an alternative to the cage. But what exactly comprises the therapeutic aspect of a tiny ride?

Focus and Attention

Attention to the road sweeps away the chaos that accumulates in my head. A cacophony of “should dos” and “must dos” blend into an impossible mountain of tasks that can make life seem an endless road of soul crushing activity. A tiny ride can silence those voices and allow my spirit to grow lighter for a moment. Long enough to recharge my emotional batteries and clearly see the options I have to live and act differently. Awareness, understanding, and ultimately courage to take action.

Physical and Visual Stimulus

It’s remarkable how rich the world is with sights, fragrances, sounds, vibrations, and the feeling of the wind on my chest. Mostly hidden when driving a car. On two-wheels there is a direct physicality of effort that rejuvenates my spirit, generates energy, and startles me awake in a world to which I can easily grow weary.

A tiny ride can work minor miracles through both physical and visual stimulation. The world isn’t just what I read or am told. It’s a personal creation constructed through direct experience. And generally, that experience is positive and true unlike so much of what blares away hoping to feed anxiety, fear, and outrage.

A tiny ride reminds me to look at my own life and how I am doing despite all the noise.

The Final Assessment

Riding alone provides space for thought. And sitting alone, off the bike, creates even more space to consider what’s happening in the moment right in front of me. In those quiet moments I often recognize problems that almost seem hidden and gain the insight, willingness, and courage to deal with them. Those tiny rides edge me towards a better and more peaceful existence.

Amazing what a few moments with hot tea and a cookie can create. And the same with a tiny ride. The machine doesn’t matter as much as the intent and commitment. Making the effort to embark on those low mileage, short term rides pays dividends beyond what I expect or deserve. There’s a sense of gratitude for the opportunity to transform myself merely by spending a short time on a scooter or motorcycle.

I want to go for a ride.