The Benefits of Cycling

I biked around Samal Island today. I crossed the channel on a ferry boat. It took me almost seven hours to pedal along rough coastal roads and mountain trails. It was a very beautiful but exhausting ride.

Why do I bike?

1. It is gives me much pleasure -- I feel so relaxed and high that it has become addictive
2. It lowers my blood pressure - I have hypertension (160/95) but after even an hour of biking my bp goes down to 140/80 and after six hours it dips to 130/70. If I don't bike I have to take Versant XR to keep my blood pressure down. Better bike than take those pills.
3. It makes me feel young -- I am 51 years old but when I bike I feel like a kid
4. It answers my craving for adventure
5. It draws attention to my peace and life advocacy - When I bike for peace I get a lot of media acoverage -- my message of life and peace is carried by TV, newspapers and radio.
6. It is ecologically friendly - it doesn't pollute the environment
7. It is the fastest mode of transportation in the city -- what with all the traffic
8. It allows me to meditate on the move (Zen on Wheels)

Here's a prayer I wrote for cyclists;

Cyclists' Prayer

As we bike through the city streets, highways and mountain trails
protect us Lord from
spills and crashes
trucks & cars whose drivers do not recognize our right to use the road
dogs who like to bite our shapely legs
potholes, cracks and sharp objects that flatten our tires
thieves who covet our bikes
rains and thunder
and all kinds of nasty accidents.
Give us the energy and strength
to wake up in the morning and go for a ride
to keep us from bonking
to climb hills and mountains
to reach our destination.
Grant us the courage
to descend rapidly down the hills
to ride through the rain
to join and finish races even if we know we will never win.
May we experience the joy and ecstasy
as we are moved by the beauty of nature
as the sun and the wind caress our face
as we feel one with the bike and road and forget about the time
as we get in touch with the child within us
as we enjoy each other's company
as we feel we could bike forever.
May we continue biking even as we grow old & up to the day we die.
And may you allow us to continue biking in heaven, forever and ever.

Amen!