The Ride

I usually know when I need to do "the ride". It doesn't include a fast pace line of riders or an organized ride. It's just me and the road. I call this my therapy ride. I'm out there relying on just my endurance and my thoughts, oh and some itunes never hurts either. My friends that I usually ride with never question me when I say, "I just need to do "the ride". It's a respected term that they also know to well.
I'm not really sure that much gets accomplished on these rides, in the sense of solving the things going on at hand, but it gives me the chance to breath the fresh air and ponder whats in my mind.   Many times that's just enough, other times I will throw in a big hill or two or three to make me realize that there are bigger things out there that are more difficult than that I'm feeling at the moment.  Everything is relative, but the challenge is always welcomed.
I'm not sure where I picked up the phrase, 'It is what it is", or aka IIWIS, but usually that is what I usually realize after "the ride".  Even though I'm sure that's what the outcome of my thoughts will be after a 70 or 80 mile bike ride is, I still feel the need to do it anyway, because when the ride is done, my mind seems a little clearer and my senses are more in tuned.  Oh yea, and my legs are sore. When the day is done, I usually think back and realize that tomorrow is just a few hours away and who knows, I may just feel the need to do "the ride" again, just for clarity.