Paul Barnard

On your longer solo rides where there is little to no traffic? I know many of you listen to music. I do too at times. Sometimes I do my best thinking with silence. Because I type slowly with two fingers and have a distinct disconnect between my brain and my fingertips, it rarely shows in my writings here, but one of my few gifts in life is that I write with a certain literary bent.

I did a 40 mile ride down a remote MUP atop the Mississippi River Levee Sunday. I occupied my time by mentally penning poetic about the sights I saw along the way. The words I put together were powerful and passionate and filled with emotion. I keep telling myself as I write during my rides that one day I will share them with the forum. But I return from the rides and life gets in the way.

That's okay though. It's a mental exercise that keeps me from focusing on the pain that my age and failing joints relentlessly deliver. During my Sunday ride I wondered what my forum friends did for mental stimulation during rides when conditions allow their thoughts to drift. Tell me, if you will, what thoughts flow through your mind.

Leebo

I ride my bike. Thoughts drifting? Leads to crashing and such. Shifting, braking, dodging stuff, being aware of my surroundings is helpful too. Commuting as well as mt biking needs to be a focused task. At least for me.

hillyman

I've never even thought about a need to occupy myself. In the country or woods I enjoy nature, in the city I enjoy the city.

rgconner

Yeesh. A professional wool gatherer are you?

Worst thing that happens to me is I fall into the cadence of whatever music is on, which tends to slow me down.

desmodue

I ride my bike, roller skate, don't drive no car.
I don't go fast, but I go pretty far

Leebo

Wool gatherer? Not a clue. There is almost always traffic in New England. I don't need to think or do anything else while biking. It is it's own activity. YRMV.

Flip Flop Rider

podcasts. Adam Carolla

rgconner

Huh. I can think and do all that stuff at the same time. Not uncommon for me to go for a mid or end of day ride specifically so I can think about a deep problem at work.

Definitely do not lose situational awareness while thinking, which seems to happen to you, hence you must be a really deep thinker aka "wool gatherer".

As you say, YRMV.

jimmie65

In the city, I watch women. Outside the city, I watch nature.

trailangel

A lot of people need to have some kind of music or video device because their minds are empty

Paul Barnard

That's part of what I was getting at. I do my best thinking at a certain point on the ride. From the time I find my rhythm up until I am nearing exhaustion, my mind is incredibly clear and uncluttered. It is then that I write, solve the worlds problems, solve my problems or delve into deep introspection.

ThermionicScott 

I strive for the opposite -- not to have my mind cluttered with chatter. A thought arises, I acknowledge it, I let it go.

mcours2006

When running I'll let my mind drift. In fact, some of the best thinking and self-contemplation time is during a run. But cycling, no. My mind doesn't wander. It's not a conscious thing that I do. I just do it because things are coming at me, behind me, from all directions, that I am at heightened attention when I'm riding. Doesn't matter if it's an empty road on Sunday morning or a super busy one a midweek afternoon commute. There's a time to let your thoughts wander. Riding a bike isn't one of those.

I suppose if I were on a MUP and puttering along at a nice leisurely speed I might occupy my mind with things other than safety. But I rarely ride like that.

1500SLR

First things first, if you are riding on the road with earphones in... Please stop, you're a menace on the road and a danger to road safety... So yeah... please don't do that anymore thanks if you do.

As to the rest of it, I talk to myself... thoughts come and go, in and out you listen to them, talk to yourself if needs be, and let it go. It's a mental excercise for me of gaining more clarity in my life and churning through good and bad thoughts so I don't hold onto things. Other than that, just focus on what needs to be done. Whether you're riding for training or otherwise though... stop to enjoy the scenery around you also... that's all part of it as well.

Cyclist0108

I mentally compose my lectures or formulate ideas for experiments and grant proposals, or develop arguments for papers. Other times, I cogitate and nurse a grudge. Helps when climbing hills.

1500SLR

Yeah, sometimes the grudges come out also, this helps when you're punishing yourself up hill to get them out.

Cyclist0108

TimothyH

Prayer.

My spirituality is monastic. Monks enjoy solitude and silence and long solo rides really appeal to me. They are great "lovers of the place" and I give thanks for the beautiful scenery, sun, air, my breath and beating heart, family waiting back home for me to arrive safely, etc.

I Pray that my mom is at peace and for peace in the world, that all might experience a little bit of the peace I feel when I ride my bike.

I sometimes pray the Our Father or Rosary or Psalm 95 audibly in rhythm to my breathing.

Sometimes I even pray for bikeforum members, that God grants you all a peaceful life and the gift of knowing him intimately.


-Tim-

indyfabz

I do a good amount of solo touring, often in places with little traffic. I honestly don't have one specific thing or type of thing I think about. Sometimes I don't think at all. I just enjoy my surroundings. The cooling breeze and the noise if makes gusting through the grasses The buzzing of insects and the calls of birds. Did exactly that here a couple of years ago. Nothing man made other than the grading of the crude road. No vehicle noise. Not even airplanes overhead.

indyfabz

I have also done that. For example, one Saturday morning a co-worker and I went on a leisurely (for me, anyway) ride on a wooded MUP. During the ride we hashed out a detailed outline of a legal brief we needed to file in response to a motion to dismiss. The issue involved was one of first impression for the particular court. Quite productive as we ended winning. I also do some of my best work in the shower.

Milton Keynes

I have the voices in my head to keep me company.

Seriously, though, I never really thought about it, but aside from focusing on riding, I guess I just admire the countryside and tend to notice all the little things I tend to miss when focusing on the road when driving by at 65 MPH. I tend to notice nature a lot more. Sunday I did a half century and had a turkey fly across the road in front of me and halfway across the field. You normally don't think of turkeys as flying birds, but wild ones certainly do. Not very high, but they do fly. Then on the way back a flock of buzzards in the road in front of me feasting on some roadkill required me to ring my bell a few times to get their attention so they'd fly away before I ran into them. And of course one thing you really notice is the terrain, you notice hills a lot more when cycling than you do while driving.

Paul Barnard

I like this Tim. My rides are very often spiritual journeys.

Paul Barnard

Awesome. I'll bet you also process the smells on those rides too don't you?

Paul Barnard

You most assuredly notice your surroundings more on a bike than in a car. On the bike I feel a connection with all that surrounds me in a way that I can't in a cage.

indyfabz

Absolutely, including those emanating from by pits. (There was no shower at my campsite the night before.)