bikes, viaducts, & raging rivers

My dream from early this morning, 3-13-2006:

This dream began with me on a mountain bike riding it up a viaduct at night, perhaps after midnight, so, then 'twas very early morning. This viaduct is one of ours here in town that crosses over the railroad tracks just before downtown and onto a busy one way street. The other viaduct, the one I was on, is a one way headed South, leaving downtown. Only, it was much different. It was much steeper and there was no pavement. Instead, there was lots of very large coral and live sea rock that was very rough with many deep, dark crevices. As I began to ride up it, wanting to get to the other side for some unknown reason, I began to consider the challenges. To begin with, the bike was in 3rd gear, making it harder to pedal. My legs felt very heavy and thick. I was very concerned about the bike going too slow, me losing balance and falling into a crevice or having to stop pedaling and falling off the bike, or not making it at all. Stopping was not an option. I began arguing with myself: I can not make it, I need to shift down into first, I am to old and… but I did not stop, I kept going. However, I did shift down into 2nd. Then, I had this huge Enlightened thought. I spoke aloud to myself, “Hey, I have been going to Spinning now for a year. I’m in good shape. I can do this easily.” And I did. The climb became effortless. I could feel the power and strength in my legs. The air flowed easily in and out of my lungs, as though I was not even breathing. I became taller, more muscular, thicker, calm. It was as though I was floating. My mind became quit as I focused totally on the here and now, focused on what my body was doing, just like in Yoga class. The “road” underneath me changed to trimmed hedges with me riding on top. Could have been more treacherous, but my focus remained on the top of the bridge, on my goal. When I reached the top of the viaduct, I slowed and looked down. Instead of the numerous tracks and trains and such there, it was a big river. In Guernsey, Wyoming, there is a large bridge just south of town that crosses the North Plate. When I was a child, that river seemed huge and daunting. I can recall one year when I was about 8 or 9, the year I nearly drowned some 15 miles east of there, there was heavy flooding. That river over ran it’s banks, raging with dirty, mucky water. Tree branches and logs and all kinds of things rushed past. That is exactly how it was in the dream. I looked up from the river to see bright clear blue skies and the Sun setting with an orange sky-line. Still setting on the bike, I held a clinched fist up to the sky as if to say “Right On, Mr. Sun!” I woke feeling very lethargic. I went to the bathroom and as I stood there, letting go, I thought about the dream. Then, I began to feel very good about myself! This dream told me that I have not only the physical strength, but the inner strength to over come and make it not only to the top, but to the other side with no problem. I go to Spinning at 5:30AM, 3 days a week. Sounds crazy, I know, but it is worth it! The dream tells me: I have good tools (the bike) and the support of God ( the Sun) to over come my obstacles in life (the coral, the hedges) and all my troubles and worries ( the raging river) are all just water under the bridge ( or soon will be). With dreams like these, is it any wonder I love naps and sleeping?