Inquiry #4 – Learning to Adapt

I’m finding it very difficult to stick to a schedule of ‘bike things’. I am riding frequently, but not keeping up with the bike maintenance, trips, or gear explorations I was hoping to. There is so much more going on in this semester of school and my life that it feels quite scrambled. I am getting things done, but not in such a strict, scheduled way. This is why I am learning to love the in between rides; the ones that are happening just for fun, to school, or to burn off some steam. They aren’t planned, they’re more spontaneous and enjoyable. I think this is all part of the bike packing experience. I am still getting comfortable on the bike, and switching things out. I am finding my school set up, and have a small basket next to my bike with all my gear that I use like my lights, gloves, lock, bag, etc. This makes my mornings to school all the more streamlined. I truly am enjoying biking, and I keep wanting to do more!

That being said, I am nursing a knee injury and that has severely limited my riding during reading week. I am also training for a half marathon at the end of March, and seem to have over done the activities lately. The extra running, mixed with my seat being too low initially on my bike, seem to have aggravated my knee. I am learning a lot about optimizing my bike position, and have so far learned that it is better (for my body and ability) to have the seat a little higher rather than too low. It seems to be specific to this bike, with the frame and stem length, and position of the handlebars. I want to perfect this positioning before my first multi-day bike packing trip to reduce any sort of barriers to enjoyment and completion.

Letting the rides be ordinary

The bike packing content online that I have grown up watching and was first inspired by is very epic, cinematic, and they usually cover massive distances. I love these; they’re beautiful to watch and incredibly inspiring. However, I realized that isn’t always the case. As with all online media, it doesn’t usually show the whole picture. Bike packing doesn’t have to be so epic and daunting. Although I do want to have that experience, and still plan to one day, I don’t necessarily need to be planning for that kind of trip. Right now, I am riding uphill and into a headwind to UVic in the morning, and somehow into the same headwind on the way home. I’ve adjusted my expectations about what I’ll be able to do every week, and also what my first overnight trip will be. I am now hoping to go to Sooke Potholes (or this other 2 day around Victoria) which is accessible trail the whole way and not too far from my house. A big part of getting comfortable on a loaded bike is the average, every day rides. I have enjoyed the consistency of riding, not the intensity of the rides.

How it relates to teaching?

Not every day in the classroom will go exactly how I envision, nor will it be magical and positive. There will be repetitive, quiet, foundational, and most likely even hard days. All of these days are okay, just like in my biking journey. The skills are being developed, and the confidence is building. I want to provide a safe space for myself to learn and grow in this inquiry, just like how I want my future class to feel supported in all their many sides. Growth is gradual! It’s easy to say while reflecting, and harder to recognize during. But I am hoping these adventures, and my ability to encourage myself and keep motivated through the ordinary, will translate well into teaching.