There are many types of bicyclists and bicycles on the Olentangy River Trail. From Henderson it is about 8 miles to the trail’s endpoint at Hills’ Market.
Many people beyond cyclists use the trail at any given time, but let’s focus on the riders.
There are the occasional bicyclists. They come out only when the weather is ideal, not too cold, not too hot, not in the rain. Their bicycles either look as if they have never been ridden, or sometimes look as if, other than putting some air in the tires, have never had upkeep of any kind. They are very happy on their ride. They travel at a leisurely pace and say to their riding companion, ‘We should do this more often.”
Bicyclists with children go very slowly, as the youngsters pedal from one side of the trail to the other. The parents are always saying, “Move over. Watch out. Be careful!” The kids have a great time. The parents need a beer after the ride is over.
The ultra riders are on a mission. They dress for success in their Lycra biking outfits. Sometimes, their clothing matches their friends’ clothing. They clip on to their pedals because they don’t plan on stopping. They go very fast, sometimes too fast for everyone else with whom they are sharing the trail. They do use the jargon. “On your right,” they shout as they whiz by you on well-maintained machines. By the time they reach Hills Market, their blood is up and instead of stopping, they cross the light at Olentangy River Road to tackle the steep incline of Worthington Hills. I admire them for their tenacity and dedication. They will ride in any weather.
Lately e-bikes have become very popular. It enables more people to get out and ride. The best bikes for a trail are the machines that sense when a rider is struggling to pedal, and a little motor assists him, giving the cyclist just enough aid to keep him going. They don’t push their luck, however. The climb into Worthington Hills is not for them. Instead, they will stop at Rusty Bucket and have lunch before returning.
Lately, there has been a proliferation of what we used to call mopeds on the trails. These unpedaled mini motorcycles are ridden by young teenagers. They are fun. They are fast. They can be dangerous to others.
I often think that bicyclists on the trail are like people going to church. The occasional riders are the Christmas and Easter crowd. They go when they can at other times, but they will never miss the big days on the calendar. After Mass sometimes they do say to themselves or their family, “We should try to do this more often.”
Parents who bring their children to Mass get very little spiritual time, but surely days, weeks and months off from purgatory. Bathroom breaks, trips to the Gathering Space, snacks and sticker books are all part of the holy hour. The parents’ concentration, rightly so, needs to be on their children. Like the parents who bring their children on the bicycle trail, they may need a beer after the service is over.
The e-bike church goers need some assistance in making their experience on Sundays more meaningful. How is the homily? The music? A good Mass helps them to focus on the miracle at the altar. A bad Mass interferes with their concentration. But they come nonetheless and that is half the battle.
The folks who come out for Mass weekly, sometimes daily are true warriors for Christ. Their faith seems laser focused. They tend to dress better than occasional congregants. They volunteer to lector, to serve as extraordinary ministers. They believe that no hill is too high to climb with God on their side. The ultra faithful are happy to see others at Church and welcome them. The caution is that they become too prideful, less tolerant of those who lack the strong faith that they have. Most are joyfully there, however, and glad to see everyone there as well.
I liken the moped trail riders to the mega church goers. They have decided that the Catholic Mass does not give them what they need. They prefer all the bells and whistles of a Sunday gathering that includes multi-media enhancements, a rousing band, a rollicking sermon and a good coffee bar. Transubstantiation? That fact becomes irrelevant.
What kind of cyclist/church goer am I? I try to ride every day. I don’t miss my Sunday obligation but am bad about attending during the week unless we are in school. I would be embarrassed how I would look in the tight jersey top and skintight bicycle shorts, so I wear loose fitting joggers or t-shirts on my ride. As a lifelong Catholic I know and practice my faith, but don’t always feel confident evangelizing to others. I hide it under a bushel sometimes, just as I never try to be too conspicuous on my rides.
I am the only bicyclist I know who clips in on one pedal and does not clip in on the other. I greatly enjoy the feeling of commitment that I get when my right shoe is firmly attached to my right pedal, but I fear being attached in on my left side. What if I must stop suddenly? What if I fall? This is me at church as well. I believe. Although at times my faith is strong, I have moments of great fear and sometimes even doubt. There are times when I ride that I marvel at the fact that I am gliding on only two wheels without crashing. I don’t always trust in God as completely as I should.
When I get to the end of the trail I don’t go to Rusty Bucket. I will stop and get a soda and a piece of string cheese. Once in a great while I am so confident and laser focused that the climb at Worthington Hills seems a given. Most days I am content to gaze at the hill from across the street and admire those who ride it. In the same way, there are days that my relationship with God is so solid that I feel as if I can do anything. Other days, I take my encouragement from those who make it look easy.
And so, I keep riding, and I keep working on my faith.
Jim Silcott