Riding River Road...Life Lessons

Have you ever noticed that sometimes things become so familiar that you fail to appreciate them?  It occurred to me on Sunday while riding River Road in New Braunfels, Texas that maybe I had begun to take this stretch of asphalt for granted.

River Road starts about a mile from the Gruene Harley-Davidson dealership off State Loop 337 and winds its way along the Guadalupe River, crossing it four times before reaching FM 2673 in Sattler. With tree-lined banks of cypress, maple, sycamore, and sumac, it’s one of the most scenic routes in the area.  Depending on the time of the year, you can ride in almost complete solitude or be stuck in traffic as tubers and tourists flood the area.

I remember how I felt the first time I made the 12.9 mile journey.  I was excited and nervous at the same time.  It was quite the experience slowly making my way around the many twists and turns as part of a Gruene Chapter HOG ride.  The views of the river and the bluffs overlooking it were absolutely spectacular…that is, when I actually felt comfortable enough to take my eyes off the road and the rider in front of me. The way the air smelled and the light danced through the trees was almost magical. It was an adventure, maybe not a grand-adventure, but an adventure still.

I’ve ridden River Road many times since then. On Sunday, I realized that sometime between then and now the road felt different…it’s magic and allure had faded with familiarity.  I no longer anticipated its curves or river crossings; I knew where they were and what to expect. The sense of surprise and wonder of that first ride were gone. I felt a sense of sadness at this revelation and wondered what had changed.  Was it the road or was it me?

After a little reflection, I knew the road hadn't changed but that my outlook and attitude had. Since that first ride I had stopped looking for the extraordinary along the route. The road was just as exciting as it ever was, I had just stopped seeing it. In a way, River Road is a metaphor for life. No matter how many curves our lives throw us and how exciting things are we have a tendency to want more...so much so that we become blind to what is right under our noses.

On the way home, I decided to resist letting things become too familiar. I decided to look for the extraordinary in all things...and to stop every now and then to appreciate what I have and what I have done. River Road helped me to better understand what it means to Live Free and Ride Hard.

To view my River Road route click on the Where Did He Go? link.