Pedal by Pedal: An Intimate Goodbye

There is something wonderful about departing a place by your own power.  Each pedal, each little rock and each massive mountain that I pass on the side of road is one more pedal, one more rock and one more mountain away from Smithers.  With each pedal being a raw physical act, the intention and meaning seeps deeper and deeper into my departure.

The fact that it is all happening in slow motion-- it has taken me four or five days now-- to get to Prince Rupert, is also fantastic.  It gives me not only time to reflect, but time to add the last layer of harmonious closure to my departure.  And of course, it is also an opportunity to reflect on the new opportunities before me.  As I move further away, the opportunities grow brighter and I catch myself pedaling a little faster.

My pedal by pedal, slow motion departure is also a way to intimately say good bye to the land that has been my home for the last four or five years and where I grew up.  The highway that I am traveling, from Smithers to Prince Rupert, is rife with places that have meaning and memories for me-- side roads, campsites, towns, cafes, hotels, galleries, mountains, trails, signs, views, rocks-- you name it.  

As I pass them by, the memories come back.  As I pedal by, I have a chance to turn them over like a beautiful stone picked up on the beach, and feel the emotions and the weight they come with.  

And... I have the chance to nod my head, push down on the pedals and move steadily on.