Yesterday afternoon was my last show in Maine, and it was a public show, and it took place in the Camden Opera House. This beautiful venue was perfect for the event which included the showing of Manifesto, Trial and Error, and Crux; then a live demo, and a Q&A session to follow. The whole event was about 2 hours long; that’s a whole lotta Ryan time!

The best part of this trip was meeting and hanging out with so many great people. From Chris Christie the owner of Bikesenjava who thought of and organized the whole tour, to Ian who built all the demo obstacles, to Andrew who took care of the bike shop while Chris took me around, to Karl and John who both took a week of holiday to help set up and tear down, and drive the trailer; Chuck, Tanya, Gabe, Andy, Woody, and Steve for also helping with set up, Jeff at the snow bowl for helping with the Opera House venue, and Kaarie and Hayden who hosted us at their house; hopefully I didn’t miss too many names! The capacity of these Mainers to give their time for this tour was incredible; and I think it ultimately says a lot for a community that is willing to put others (in this case the students of the schools and cycling enthusiasts) ahead of their own needs that brings a community together, and ultimately creates a friendly neighborhood where good things can happen. For instance, it was rare that I saw anyone lock their vehicle, even if it had a bike in the back. The pace of life is rather laid back in mid coast Maine, yet everyone certainly knows the value of hard work. No trip to the Maine coast is complete without eating some local lobster, so Chris got the whole crew together for a cook up, very nice!!

I arrived home last night, (Caryn and I counted six Starbucks from gate to gate during our layover in the Chicago airport) and now sit in a hotel after a seven hour drive up to Revelstoke, BC, where I start the next week of schools which will consist of nine T.O.L. presentations and one bike shop show, whew!!

Go Barak, Peace Y’all,

Ryan

I was chatting with one of the teachers today about the general idea that students in Maine lack the ability to think big, and think outside the state; he said they aspire only to a certain level then stop, almost as though Maine’ers are capped at a certain potential level of ‘success’ while others states like New Jersey for instance send loads of students to the best universities and the best sport teams. He said they just need some students to break the mold and show that it is possible to think big and go far. And I agree fully, it is important to dream, and important to set goals, but I think it is a little more complex than that, and I think it is why I have a problem with much of the self help and positive thinking movement. Will every student who dreams of becoming a pro athlete do so; no. Will every student who aspires to become a rock star do so; no. How about become a movie star, or make the cut at a top university; no. So are they unsuccessful? Absolutely not!! So I think we must be careful at how we motivate and pump up our youth.

The real issue is when students become attached, or obsessed with reaching one of these goals, and invests their entire self interest in the achievement of that specific outcome. A common example of that might be American college football. The pressure these young students are put under, and put themselves under is enormous.

Last night I watched the documentary “Ten Questions for the Dalai Lama”, and one of the last things he said applies well to this issue. He said the following words with a lighthearted giggle:

“As a Buddhist monk, so now my real wish is, I wish to remain in a remote area, like a wounded animal, and all the energy, all the time, concentrate on spiritual practice. And use my brain maximum way in spiritual field, without much expectation, if too much expectation, then last day I may regret.” 

So yes, dream, set goals, reach for the stars, the possibilities are endless; so head out on this journey, but do it without much expectation, or in other words, without attachment to a desired outcome.

Hey Folks,

Had a couple fantastic school shows in Maine, so much enthusiasm with all the students and all the volunteers helping make this tour happen. Went out to the beach in Rockland today with Ian, ‘the’ local trials rider, and I was blown away, world class granite rocks with endless lines. A couple blown spokes and a lingering cold ended the session, but I’d love to go back sometime. It was refreshing to get out and ride rocks, especially by the ocean, the Atlantic ocean!!

On a different note, check out my friend Jack Christie’s new website, he is a fantastic media man, whether writing articles on the active west coast lifestyle, or profiling people and athletes who love to play in the outdoors, he does it with charm and sincerity. His new book “Best Weekend Getaways” is worth checking out if you live on the West Coast; Jack, along with his wife Louise, write from experience, so it is sure to be hit.

As Jack always says, “Take it easy, but take it!”.

Ryan

My new friends at Bikesenjava in Maine have gone all out for my demo tour. I put together a little video of the obstacles they made for my visit because they are just amazing, right down to the details. If you live in the Maine area, please do come out to the public show they have organized on Saturday.