Tailwind

 I head over the bridge at Thunderbolt and across to the beautiful wide open expanses of marsh leading towards Wilmington Island. I usually try to ride earlier in the day when it tend to be cooler and less windy, but I worked all weekend, so I'm taking this chance to put in some miles after work. Sometimes I have be willing to be flexible and to make my own opportunities. I have ridden over the Thunderbolt bridge many times, but today it seems like I'll never reach the top. I'm spinning away at the cranks in low gear, as I creep slowly up the incline. When the hill seems too big, just gear way down and keep grinding away.  Even after I crest the top, I have to keep pumping away at the pedals before I finally pick up some speed. Normally I would take advantage of the downhill to shift into a high gear, pedal hard, and speed down the other side, but by now I'm just happy to by pedaling easier. I remind myself, it's OK to coast when I get the chance. As I head down the road into the wind, I'm not "admiring the beauty" very much. I'm down on the drops of the handlebars, trying to remember to keep my head down, and elbows tucked in close, trying to keep my usual pace, but feeling like I'm still pedaling uphill. Thoughts that come to me are things like, "who am I kidding", "Man, I'm too old for this" "what was I thinking". I wonder once if I can even finish the ride, my legs are feeling pretty tired. I don't like to slow down too much, once I do, I feel like just giving up, turning around and riding home. Momentum is half the battle. Or worse yet, pulling over and calling Michael to come get me. I haven't done that yet, and today is no exception, I make it on to Whitemarsh Island, and the welcome shelter of the tree lined Johnny Mercer Blvd. I cross the Turner's Creek bridge, in a slightly better mood. I stop for about a minute to wolf down a half a Clif bar, and gulp the second half of my first water bottle, then back on the road. As I turn onto Hwy 80 near Bull River, I think to myself, "heading home" There's a decent bike lane till Whitemarsh Island and it's a nice break from having to stay so aware of the traffic behind me. The wind is behind me now, pushing me along. I begin working up through the gears and feel like a new man, passing my usual pace by several miles an hour. I need to be more like this wind, the tailwind, that makes things easier for the people around me. How can I do that? Be the tailwind. When am I a headwind? A force that has to be worked against, a hindrance. I need to be more like this wind, the tailwind. Over the bridge to Whitemarsh. Me and the bike are eating up the road, now one last bridge, I climb over it like it's nothing. Then a mile or two more and I'm home.