Every life is different. Some people like to have a lot of money. Others prefer being out at sea on a boat for months. Or maybe some people are drawn to being stuck in traffic for hours daily.
Today I’ll share a story about a man who rode 7 thousand miles on a bike. His name is Jedidiah Jenkins, and he traveled from Oregon to South America by bike.
Riding 7 thousand miles is not an easy task, he faces many difficulties riding the bike, but at the same time, he learned some life lessons. Let’s know the story in his own words.
I’ve met many older people, grandparents, and teachers who gave me the spiel of my life going by so fast. My age was 19 or 25, and now I don’t know where all that time went. I just blinked, And I was 80, and I think about that, and I’m like, what a strange way to be alive back in California. I feared building this routine in my 30s, and suddenly the decade is gone.
And so, I promised myself I would do something radically different. And I’m going to do something that scares the crap out of me and see if that changes my brain chemistry.
I’ve been living on my bicycle for a year now—bikes from Oregon down America down Mexico, Central America, and South America.
And people ask me why I live on a bike, why i quit my job, why are you doing it. My answer was this routine is the enemy; it makes it fly by.
When you’re a kid, everything is astonishing. Everything is new, and so your brain is awake and turned on.
So every second, your brain is learning something new and how the world works. The muscle of your brain is activated, and as you get older, your brain has figured out the patterns of how the world works.
This is how you make money, and this is how you graduate school, this is how you get a mortgage, and this is how you have kids. I’ve got that on lockdown. I know my car, and I’m going to go to work every day, and I’m going to check out all these things.
And once your brain establishes a routine, it stops and the alertness goes away. The fascination with the way the world works.
I think that’s what travel generally does: it wakes up your brain. I’ll go to a new country, Panama, and Colombia. In these countries, I’m scared because I’ll find it beautiful and shocking every Hill I cross over is insanely awesome.
My brain is fascinated. I didn’t know my brain could be so turned. I want to be aware of every day I’m alive and make it to 85 and be exhausted. Because I have been alive and awake every day, I think that’s the duty of being an adult.
When you’re a kid, everything’s new, so you don’t have to work for it. You’re just astonished. Once you’re an adult, that’s a choice. You choose an adventure of your own, but it’s not about the bike. It’s about getting out of your routine to look like anything.
That’s what I’m doing here. Because I don’t want my days to control me, I don’t want my life on the calendar to be my boss. I want to control my day.
I want to choose the adventures I go on, and I want to choose a mind and a soul wide awake. Because it turns your hundred years on this planet into a thousand, and that’s why I’m making this bike trip.
FAQ
- What does cycling teach you about life?
For me, it taught me what it means to give your all in everything you do and how to focus on the moment as well as the person you are with. If I’m training hard, I can enjoy every minute of it without losing focus on my goal.
- How can biking change your life?
It can change your life because you can go to different places without time limits. You can see things that the average car can’t show you, which gives you self-confidence because cycling is a solo sport.
- What did you like about riding across America?
I liked the fact that I was meeting new people every time and seeing different cultures. It’s a great thing to do if you want to do something out of the ordinary. Make sure that your bike is in good condition and that you have plenty of water, food, and first aid supplies on the way.
Conclusion
Many people take on significant challenges in life. For some, it’s a boat trip; for others, it is cycling across America. This is an example of how in life you can change to learn new skills and experience new things.
However, you have to be prepared to face challenges before you are ready to take on the challenges. This story teaches us that we shouldn’t allow ourselves to get caught in the routine. This will kill the child in us; all we have left is an endless routine.
I am Ryan Ford, a mountain biking enthusiast who loves to explore the outdoors. I also like to go on adventures with friends and anything else that involves being outside. I love my bike because it gets me out of the house and gives me an opportunity to enjoy nature.