Disconnect the brakes

After a recent 2 hour bike ride that proved to be rather difficult, I realized my front brake was pressing against the rim of the bike tire. Not knowing how to properly fix this, I decided to disconnect the brake and oh, what a difference that made.

Today, I rode with wild abandon. It was as if the wind were constantly at my back and the out-and-back course downhill in both directions. The day was a beaut -- one of those last minute summer surges before fall really sets in. The sky was cloudless, the blue endless, and the temp deliciously warm and inviting. The Sunshine Store was open for business and I was determined to make the best of an afternoon off.

I left my house without a plan or a purpose other than to enjoy the feel of the sun on my bare back and shoulders. With child-like delight, I pedaled my bike down the concrete bike trail to the river about as fast as my strong legs would allow. Giant grasshoppers -- dead and alive --littered the concrete trail. While riding through Coulson Park, one locust took flight and flew along next to me for what seemed like an amazingly long time.

Simple things make me happy like the sun warming my skin and the wind blowing in my hair as I propel my body through space. Funny how much difference an overly tight brake can make. I couldn't help but wonder what other "brakes" in my life are creating problems. What else can I disconnect to make the pedaling easier and the ride more care-free?

I look forward to exploring new areas in my life in which I can disconnect the brakes in the hopes of moving forward more easily and unencumbered.