Naropa University is a place where transformation happens. Our students examine who they are, their roles in the world and how they want to meet the world and change it for the better. In a minimum of one page, tell us about a transformational experience you have had and how it enhanced your ability to see another person's view, alter your own view, or engage with the issue or you community in a new way.
In the fall of 2008 I packed a couple of panniers full of warm clothes, camping gear, and bike tools and flew to Portland, Oregon to set off on a month long bike ride to Los Angeles. Never in my life did I consider that traveling by a bike and camping for days on end was possible, moreover doable. I met my 3 friends with whom I planned this adventure in Portland and after a few days of preparations we were off.
A small footnote, I began riding my bike in Los Angeles 4 years prior to the trip and although I was a bike enthusiast, the farthest bike rides I did where 10-15 miles one way to meet some friends across town; I was used to riding for an hour max and then moving onto a different activity. I was comfortable and familiar riding in the city but by no feat was I a rode racer, pounding away miles to attain a goal. I have always been an athlete, but within recent years I have fallen into the comforts of personal choice and being able to withdrawal myself from physical challenges when they where too much.
So you can only imagine how I felt when I began to realize the first day that we where going to ride for hours on end. This was the begging of coming to terms, breaking away and expanding my mental barriers and perceived physical limitations. Not only did I have to adapt to the changed weight of my bike, whereas it was 25 pounds in the city to more than doubled on this trip; I also had to come to terms with physical pain of relentless time spent in the saddle, freezing in the nights, and nowhere to hide- emotionally or literally.
This was my initiation. I was learning to release the notion of instant gratification and endure- for success down the line. I learned to communicate my sorrows more deeply, my joys more openly. Every mountain climbed and descended, crazy autumnal elements overcome, I learned. I observed. I shared. I overcame. And with that, it began to dawn on me not only in theory but through experience, of how resourceful, resilient and patient human nature can be. I gave myself a month of contemplating, listening within, exercise and direct exposure to the natural elements. How many people in the world have that kind of time and opportunity?
My personal experiences also motivated and inspired others to do the route, as well as shed light on the very possibility to "everyone" else. It is almost like I became a certified spokesperson for bicycle touring. But more importantly the trip gave me the confidence to be a part of the bike co-op community. Shortly after my return, I began to volunteer at Bikerowave , a "do it yourself" bike shop, which has been a big figure in the west-side bike community in Los Angeles. I continued to learn about my bike, but I also began to learn about vintage French bottom brackets as well as building wheels and teaching people to do their own tune-ups. I was growing in my knowledge of bike repair, moving from simply fixing a flat to fully re-hauling a bicycle. Even more importantly though, it was all done through a community setting. We held monthly board meetings and voted on issues; raised money through fundraisers and parties; created a "women only" night for females who wanted to fix their bikes in a quiet and sensitive environment; moved to a bigger and more accessible location, and thus grew our member base. All the participation stemmed from the trip. It was my way in to the bike community.
Since then, I have toured the east coast of Australia. Learned and explored the sub-culture of bicycle polo. Connected with people around the world, who I might have never have met, if it wasn't for this medium. Not only is cycling a great way to exercise, it is an important means of alternative transportation, and ultimately an enriching journey inside and through the world.
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