On Quitting Versus Adjusting Sails

I was called a quitter for bowing out early on my Baja trip. (As you may recall, from Reflections on My Baja Trip, I left Baja a month early, after having pedaled only 600 of the route's 1700 miles.) I felt ashamed for quitting, for not sticking with the ride. After all, I had invested quite a bit of time and energy planning the trip. Plus, I had spent a good chunk of change outfitting myself with the appropriate bike and gear. Fortunately, the feelings of guilt lasted only a few short seconds.

I hadn't quit; I had adjusted my sails.

Sailing with Jake on Bonne Vie in March 2014.

The word "quitting" carries with it a deeply negative connotation. A quitter gives up easily because he or she doesn't have the strength, courage, or determination to keep pushing on and seeing a task through to completion.

Riding for a Cause

On my bike trip this summer, a number of people asked me if I was riding for a cause. "Sure," I said, "I'm riding to experience the pure joy of traveling by bicycle."

But then I felt a little guilty. I knew what their question really meant. Other cyclists were riding for a "charitable cause" -- to raise money for guide dogs or to raise awareness for three-toed, pink-haired hermaphrodites. Am I a bad person for not riding for a cause?

But then I came across this beautiful tidbit of wisdom from Lao Tzu. After reading these words, I felt not an ounce of guilt. Rather, I embraced my original cause. And I embraced it proudly.