Missing Miya

It's been over two weeks since I rode my bicycle. (Unless you count that brief afternoon ride with my niece, when we sped through every puddle in the neighborhood and came home dripping and cold, but smiling.) I've traded my trusty steed for cars and greyhound buses... and the transition is a little rough.

I've left Florida now for a new kind of adventure. Im heading north to visit family and friends, some of whom I haven't seen in years, and some that I met just months ago. I will be visiting about 15 people in three weeks, and so far it's been a whirlwind of cramped bus rides, good hugs, and friendly faces.

Thanksgiving was spent with Jessica and Joey in their homes in Charlotte, North Carolina. It was good to be there with them, as they navigate the jungle of non-cycling life. It used to be something so familiar, but a lot can change in 3 months. Instead of pitching the tent anywhere flat enough, an apartment and roommates must be found. The full-time job of getting up and pedalling each morning is replaced by the specter of unemployment. The big question seems to be "what now?".

I thought I had a pretty good idea of what to expect at the end of an intensive trip like this one. I anticipated the discomfort in automobiles, the relief of having made it safely to Florida, the glow of accomplishing a dream, the extra energy I feel now that I don't ride 60 miles each day... but what I didn't realize was that I would feel a sense of loss. The trip is over, and it feels like a friend moved away. I made room in my life for this bike tour, and now that it's ended it leaves a big, lonely gap.

But I don't mean to sound so sad. My travels continue, by combustion engine this time, and there are so many wonderful people to visit! There will be many more bike trips in the future, and meanwhile I have a home to return to in Forest Grove, complete with boyfriend, friends, and school to keep me busy. I believe that having this stability waiting for me after the adventure puts me in a better position to handle the post-trip blues.