liturgy for a bike ride

Prayers and meditations for cyclists

Latest

Browse All ->
For Those Stuck In Traffic

Bikes versus cars - does it have to be this way and is there anything we can do about it?

For the Falling Leaves

A reflection on the changing of seasons through the transformation of leaves.

For Signs of Spring

A little hope springing up in the midst of winter.

view all

About

Can the bicycle become a unique means of spiritual practice for individuals and communities?

Liturgy for a Bike Ride revolves around a humble instrument, the bicycle, and the simple yet powerful practice of giving everything, including our little bike rides, over to God.

The audacious goal is for time spent riding to be a catalyst towards love, enjoyment - to connect with God, others, and self.

Summary

Can the bicycle become a unique means of spiritual practice for individuals and communities?

Liturgy for a Bike Ride revolves around a humble instrument, the bicycle, and the simple yet powerful practice of giving everything, including our little bike rides, over to God.

The audacious goal is for time spent riding to be a catalyst towards love, enjoyment - to connect with God, others, and self.

Short

I prefer clockwise because the descent is longer. Please watch your speed on this portion though as this is a popular destination for hikers as well. Plenty of kick ups, jumps, drops, and huge berms.

Rowdy little downhill/freeride track. This is a shuttle access downhill trail that is suitable for all ages and multiple different bike styles- although best suited for all mountain, dirtjumper or full on DH bikes. The upper half is more technical with lots of rocks and a step up onto a boulder.

Drop in off a shallow rock slab and then whip through a few tight berms. Continue pedaling up through the dark forest around small bands of shale-laden cliffs. There is some pedalling but no uphill sections.

Long

Awesome trail. There is no preferred direction and the trail is a great connector for several other fun loops. Probably not best to ride. Gets dry in the summer.

Also you exit onto a trail where hikers frequent, so keep it under control here. Some of the densely covered trails are damp, but still rideable. The trails all run parallel to the Fountain Place paved road so they can be shuttled by car. From Lake Imaging Road it is a steady but not steep climb to the high point just before the intersection with Hooker Creek Trail.

Only about 25% of the trail is good to ride. Clear Creek Trail is a fun single track that traverses the hills between Jack's Valley Rd and Highway 50. Rose meadows and finishing with this trail. From Lake Imaging Road it is a steady but not steep climb to the high point just before the intersection with Hooker Creek Trail.

The ending is real rutted out, so be careful not to lock up your tire and make it worse. After a few bends in the trail you'll get through this section and then start hear the waterfalls in another giant valley that you'll ride above. High elevation trails are clear May-October, bring plenty of water. Kitsuma is a point to point singletrack trail that has a machine groomed tread in most parts.

Trail full of berms and fun features! The final chute has a perfect natural double jump in it to give the extra bit of gnar to make you feel like a badass. Technical features are speed and lots of loose rock in between sections of high speed red clay. Don't miss this trail!Be warned, this is not for the faint of heart! Jewel of the Amasa Back area, relatively new to the other trails. Continue pedaling up through the dark forest around small bands of shale-laden cliffs.Freeze-thaw cycle isn't awful, but does make this trail rather slick. Unpacked snow and mud throughout. It has a number of blind LH corners so whistle or use a bell so you can alert anyone coming the opposite way. The flowiest trails of the mountain!

Out of the parking lot, take your first left. From Lake Imaging Road it is a steady but not steep climb to the high point just before the intersection with Hooker Creek Trail. Big downed tree near the end of Lower Black. A little overgrown on the seward side, but totlaly manageable.

What is a Liturgy?

Don’t let this religious-sounding word scare you. A liturgy infuses and embodies the ordinary with something extra special, sacred, supernatural. Liturgies have been used for thousands of years to connect heart, soul, mind, and body with God. In fact, the word comes from the idea of "the work of the people."

How to engage with these liturgies

These liturgies are meditations. Some are longer than others. These poems and prayers are meant for different purposes and different contexts. Some are meant to be short, easy to memorize, and easy to recall. Others could be memorized, but they are meant to be read before a ride or a certain activity to help guide into a specific state of heart, soul, and mind.

Every person is different so experiment to find your way. Here are some ideas:

  • Try to memorize liturgies that stand out to you: Take one out on a ride with you, throw it in a jersey pocket, and take it out every once in awhile to read.
  • Read a liturgy before and/or after each ride: find the liturgy that best matches the type of ride you’re about to do, your mood, or just pick one that stands out. Choose one to read before and/or each ride.

If you have questions, comments, or ideas. Please share!

Connect

Do you think about bikes like this, too? We’d love to hear from you! Send us a message and say hi, ask a question, or suggest a topic for us to explore.

Say Hi 👋