(Those pedals have been replaced with some clipless ones, btw.)

As the miles bled by my mind would fade into a general haze of pedalling, shifting, climbing, descending, sweating, and drinking.  The pains came in most every part of my body over time.  I'd re-settle my hands on various parts of the handlebars in order to keep my circulation going.  I'd spend a good 20 miles looking for a bathroom.  I lived, truly lived, in a way I didn't know I could.  It seems silly to say but when you're pushing your body as hard as you can for far longer than you think you can it really focuses things.  My body is no instrument!  It is a machine that, if kept fueled and lubricated, will take me wherever I want to go.  Focus and strain, sweat and pain...

In my calmer moments, which riding certainly seems to inspire, it reminds me why I'm politically active.  There are so many things that matter to me, and so much work to do.  That said, it is very healthy to spend a day away from the keyboard or the cell phone and just completely unplug.  Sarah Palin and the Gallup Daily Tracking Poll will still be there when you get home.  Even in times of great interconectivity, such as what I'm doing at present, it's good to remain grounded in a life that has little to do with politics or policy.

Go ride a bike.  

I'm ADHD.  This is one of the few things that can truly quiet the waters of my mind and bring things into focus.  I know why I care, but it's good to be able to stand outside myself and see it.