After spending the morning mountain bike riding with my mate, my heart is bursting with joy.

If you’d driven past me as I drove home, you would have seen a huge smile on my face.  The happiness was just pouring out of me.

I love how I can see and feel the whole experience hours after … even days after!

I can still see the colour of the dirt.  The colour of the leaves on the ground.  I can hear the sound of the birds, and the squeal of my brakes.

I can feel the burn in my calves as I pushed up the last of the hill.  It was steep – but I do love a challenge.  And it’s good for my butt and legs!

I can feel the frozen fear as I came to a halt on a steep path.  The feeling of not wanting to try again, but the determination and belief that I can do it.  And I did – with the encouragement from Robyn, I broke through the frozen fear and rode it.

And on the other side of that frozen fear was pure Joy.

I can feel the elation as I continued down the track, zooming (well, slowly zooming) around berms.

The elation was expressed in a “Yew” as we rode.  Never thought I’d be “yewing” out loud whilst riding down a hill – but sometimes you just can’t help it!

It makes me laugh as I write this.

Having not ridden for a while I wasn’t sure how’d I’d fair today.  The wobbliness in my body as I rode up the mountain had me a little worried.

But once we were riding down, and the joy flowed, I remembered how much I love it.

Every cell of my body zings.  Every freaking cell.

And the fact we walked back up again just to ride another track proves that we love mountain biking!

This time it was a track that was more difficult for me.

Following my very competent leader, I rode.  At times I had to get off and walk which I’m totally cool with.  I’d rather walk than end up with a broken limb.

And guess what?  Because I had to walk down a gnarly bit, I came face to face with a turtle on the track.  He was so cute, walking up the track.

Made me think … when we slowdown in life, we get to see things we would normally miss.

A motto I have learnt through mountain biking is “speed is my friend”.  But there are also times when you need to slow down and work your way through some tricky bits.

*Content Sigh*

I love mountain biking.

I am in awe of how much I love it, and how much Joy it brings to my life.

I love how much it has helped me move through fear and anxiety.  And how much it brings me into the present moment.

There’s nothing else.  Just me, my bike and the track.  And today a turtle.  So very glad it wasn’t a snake!

What exercise brings you Joy?

Big Love

Jane