There was a time when riding was optional.
Something I did when life was calm.
When work was handled.
When relationships felt stable.
When I had “earned” it.
Now?
Riding is non-negotiable.
Not because I’m chasing adrenaline.
Not because I’m trying to prove something.
But because riding recalibrates me.
It reminds me where I end and the noise begins.
When I ride:
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I breathe differently.
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I stop spiraling.
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I stop rehearsing conversations in my head.
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I remember who I am without explanation.
The machine doesn’t care about my mood.
The road doesn’t validate me.
The terrain doesn’t negotiate.
And that’s freeing.
Riding became non-negotiable the day I realized it wasn’t indulgent.
It was maintenance.
Mental. Emotional. Spiritual.
Some people meditate.
Some people run.
I ride.
And I protect that time now.
