I was twenty years old with a strong desire to see America by motorcycle.
Picking up the inaugural of Rider magazine just encouraged me more, as it
stressed touring, with one road in particular, Highway 1, which they called the
ultimate one. To a Jersey boy, roads like Highway 1 were a dream, and I made a
vow to ride it someday. It was almost ten years later when I finally did, and
over the past three decades have ridden it over a dozen times. Not sure if I am
bragging or complaining, but the road has lost a lot of its romance to me. I
have ridden it in rain, in the dark, on cold sunny days, on windy days I wish I
had stayed home, and both from the north and the south. Even partial runs when
landslides interrupted, with my latest attempt two years ago at the Quail.
After riding 450 miles in rain and cold, and the next day offering more of the
same, I passed and came home, so when I mentioned to Theresa I was going to ride
Highway 1 last week, I got the look “I thought you didn’t like that road.”
Truth is I am not to fond of it, landslides, RV’s, and bad weather usually have
me taking a more inland route, but it was the plan last week. What was I
thinking?
Leaving Paso in a sweatshirt, it was 100 degrees the day before, the
weather looked the same for today, I figured maybe I could get by with only that
down the coast. But when I took it off to fill up in Carmel Valley, and it got
warmer, as in hot in Carmel, I rode Highway 1 the way I felt it should be
ridden, in hot and sunny weather with a tail wind. With traffic spread out
allowing me to pass and ride my own ride, not based on tourists. Which I did,
with my getting off point at Nacimiento Ferguson Road, straight up a cliff, then
across Camp Roberts, with no traffic. Hot and alone, I rode my own pace,
finally covering 320 miles in an afternoon, with 1000 miles covered in three
days, getting away from the rat race we call So Cal, and airing out both bike
and rider. It always seems the bike runs smoother and faster after a trip, a
prescription for mental and motor health I strongly recommend. But I also found
myself to be Highway 1’ed out, looking forward to other roads to ride, ones
that I never have, how can that be? God had just provided me with a chance few
riders ever get to experience first hand, and I was bored with it? What’s my
problem.....or do I have one?
Or maybe I was having a moment like the Israelites did for 40 years under
Moses. They got tired and complained about eating the same manna, aka what is
it day after day. No matter it was fresh and could be prepared different ways,
it was the same meal day after day for over 14,000 days. Seems food, riding,
and life can be like that, but so can religion. And many are on life support
and don’t know it. A friend once boasted of riding 40,000 miles a year, and I
was impressed until I asked where he had gone. “Work,” it was all commuting
miles. Today may live off fast food, I am amazed at how many variations of a
burger there can be. But when it comes to God, this should never be. We are
told that a relationship with him is fresh and new every morning, yet their
relationship with Jesus can be shared in one word, church. Doing the church
thing, appearing holy on the outside, but rotting or with nothing on the
inside. If my memory serves me well, the Jews even considered going back to
Egypt and slavery, the food was better. Can this explain the dryness in our
relationship with Jesus, why we are missing blessings, and denying the presence
of the holy spirit in our lives? Have we focused on the things of life rather
than the provider of life? Sameness can cause discontent, but God also provided
all they needed, like shoes that never wore out, a cloud to block the hot sun
everyday, and stars to guide them by light at night. His faithfulness kept them
going, has normalcy, always having, made us forget that? Do we depend and trust
him everyday?
Psalm 107:9 tells us he satisfies our longings and fills up our soul with
good things, blessings. That afternoon he did both for me, the perfect
combination of road and machine, but didn’t stop there. He added great weather
and his presence made it all worthwhile. For me just a road I had ridden
before, to the first time tourist it was a new thrill. A new vista at each
turn, fresh air and photo ops, with new tales to tell their friends and family
when they went back. Is your life in Christ that way? Is it new and fresh
every morning on a diet of and provided by the holy spirit, or has religion
stolen your joy? The people followed the Pharisees because it was the law, they
followed Jesus because they wanted to, they saw the freedom and joy of life he
was,and wanted it. They appreciated the provisions, they wanted more of the
provider. Does the road you’re on display the provision or the provider? Do we
even have to ask....
After many miles of non-freeway riding, I was glad to ride some miles
at higher speeds to make up time. Then caught myself, I didn’t need to make up
time, I was on no schedule. Maybe a life in Christ is simple enough to be
compared to the manna God provided in the Old Testament, and to what Jesus
refers to as “daily bread from heaven,” Jesus himself. One is life under the
law, one is life under grace, and we get to choose. Jesus’ comment in John 6
tells us “your ancestors ate bread that came down from heaven and still died.”
But he is the bread of life that came down from heaven and gives us eternal
life. Offered to all, so that we might not ever die. Which of course leaves us
more time to ride.....and time to thank God for all he has done.
Highway 1 may be the ultimate one when it comes to riding, Jesus is the
ultimate one when it comes to life. He has always provided what we need, yet
what is keeping us from trusting him more? Today turn to Jesus, let his spirit
lead you, abandon religion, which is not necessarily church, and be set free.
Where the spirit of the Lord is there is liberty, and since he is omnipresent,
wherever you are in him, you are free indeed. The only way to ride or live. At
each intersection we are given a choice to make, continue on or turn. At one
time to me it was all about the miles, and after one million behind bars, the
ride has become more important than ever. I see things differently now than
when I first rode, you can read about experience, don’t stop there. Get out and
ride, get out and live, be a rebel among religious rebels like Jesus was,
enjoying every minute and mile. An afternoon’s ride on a road I had ridden many
times but with a new attitude removed the manna of riding and brought the joy of
Jesus back into it. God knew and provided what I needed even when I didn’t or
didn’t know what to ask for. Even coming down I-15 didn’t faze my attitude,
that ought to make you believe in miracles. The difference Jesus can make in a
life, for all to see. Personal so you can take it public, with no more vows or
bucket list. You see we don’t know what tomorrow brings, but when Jesus is the
main thing, you can be assured you will enjoy the ride. Next time out it will
be going down roads I passed by in the past, new adventures, and new places to
see. One afternoon Carmel was my turn around point, but Highway 1 was my
turning point. Maybe the road you are on is more important than you think, but
never put it ahead of the one you ride it with. Ultimate can be the greatest or
the last. In Jesus I have found both. I hope you can say the same.
Seems I read about the old Coast Road detour by Big Sur, I almost started
up that road. Looked interesting...next time. Coast Highway to Coast Road, and
back. Keep that manna coming!
love with compassion,
Mike
matthew25biker.blogspot.com