The week long cycle with my daughter, on the Galloping Goose Trail, and several of the Gulf Islands was such a treasure of an experience that I want to share some of it with you.
Musing on a title for the post, I remembered the book, The Loneliness of a Long Distance Runner, and thought that our experience was a perfect contrast: The Companionship of a Long Distance Cycle! You can have a detailed look in our photo book called ‘On the Road.’
The experience of being alone and yet together — I love this about cycling trips. Each of us has our own version of the trip, our own sensory experiences, our responses to people, places, challenges. Yet there is the sweet companionship and the chance to share and compare, to receive each others gifts, to deepen and expand by hearing from, and sharing with, the other.
Something else that continues to nourish me, are the spontaneous, often deep conversations that come after a days’ ride, the challenges of 14% hills, meetings with unusual people, or simply having dinner together, leisurely, no partners or kids, no responsibilities, and maybe a glass of wine 🙂
Among the many highlights were:
• Basking in the sun on the mossy rocks with hummingbirds darting, no time pressure, perfect weather, flat, pleasant trail behind and ahead!
• Making it up and down the hills, whooppee and hooray!
• Enjoying the brilliant yellow Scotch Broom, and coming to understand why we saw signs that said “Cut Broom in Bloom.” It really does take over. Such brilliant yellow!
• Nothing to “worry about” except where to sleep that night and what’s for dinner. Such a wonderful way to travel.
• Hanging out at Sooke Harbor late afternoon, watching the boats bob in the gentle waves, the sun at our backs, a good cycle behind us, a good dinner ahead of us.
• The satisfaction of working up a big hill, making it, basking in the deep breaths as the top, the well-earned coast down.
• The pleasure of a shared ‘rails to trails’ multi-use path — the variety of people and creatures enjoying it, the changing land- and seascapes.
• The people! Such characters everywhere — and everyone’s got a story to tell.
What a treat to have had this special Mother-Daughter time! My special offering and take-away for you: if you ever get a chance to take a trip with one of your kids, or grandkids, go for it!
ill Schroder is the author of BECOMING: Journeying Toward Authenticity. BECOMING is an invitation for self-reflection, and to mine our memorable moments for insights, meaning, andgrowth. Check the website for a sample chapter, or see the reviews to get a flavor for the volume. Follow me on Twitter, let’s be friends on Facebook 
