It’s a gorgeous time of year to ride a bike on nature trails, golden leaves shining. After heavy rains this last week, also a challenging time to ride a bike on nature trails. On my usual path, two trees fell across each other creating a narrow passage that I had to duck down low to pass through. Over the usual roots and rocks, now hidden by wet leaves. And a ditch that became a deep puddle that nearly wiped me out.

Riding through all these near disasters and wipeouts, I found myself grunting and groaning a lot as I barely kept on path, pedaling fast. It’s similar to sounds I make in Shintaido when I’m calling up energy that I suddenly need in the moment. There’s something powerful about these deep expressions — expressing energy out in the world, out into nature.

A stick got caught in the spokes of my front wheel, and I felt like a boy speeding along with a playing card flapping against the spokes. All my energy, out into nature, my deep sounds, whirlwind ride. And a feeling that I’m becoming part of the trail, and it’s becoming part of me.