Among guests coming, packing for our own departure, trying to get our yard to a point that the neighbors don't give us that I-don't-think-for-one-second-you're-ever-doing-anything-with-that-mess-of-a-yard look, being injured myself, and trying to keep Sam from freaking out (he's trying to severely slaughter his last year finish time) things have been a little hectic/busy - and they won't be slowing down soon, so this is just forewarning that posts may disappear for a bit or be very short.
If I was a more prepared person, I'd have already written some stuff to publish while we're busy, but... well, if you think I'm that sort of person, you haven't hung out here long enough. Planning is not my forte - as is apparent with this note.
Anyway, I'm excited that we'll be able to get out of town, even if it's just for a couple of days and in-state. I'm having a difficult time remembering the last time we left our metro area (it may well have been last years Leadville race... or, I suppose just after Leadville), so being able to sneak off for a bit is a fantastic thought.
I've been trying to figure out what I'd like to chat about as we have already entered August and I realize summer is very quickly slipping out of reach. There were a few possible topics in mind, but as I was starting to drift off to sleep a few nights ago, Sam and I started a short dialogue that I found entertaining, and since it's freshly on my mind, it makes sense to bring it up here and now.
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| *Image found here |
I was explaining one of the dreams and trying to remember some of the details that had disturbed me so much, but often it's more a feeling in the sleep state than what is actually taking place that disrupts my senses.
As I continued to ramble on about the technicalities of the particular dream, I mentioned something about an argument over a bicycle.
Sam stopped me and said, "You know, I have never had a dream about a bicycle."
"Ever?" I asked.
"Nope," he replied.
"What about a bike ride, or some kind of connection to a wanted bicycle?" I couldn't help but ask.
"No. I have never had a dream about anything related to a bicycle."
I was flabbergasted by this. Surely he just couldn't recall and must have had a dream about something bicycle related, but he continued to insist that he hadn't.
"You have a lot of bicycle dreams though," he said. "Maybe too many."
I had to stop for a minute, but he was right. I would say that on average at least once a week I have a dream about something related to bicycles, a ride, a want, or some form of cycling-related event. Some are happy dreams, some are stressful, some cause confusion or frustration in my waking hours, but I definitely spend several sleep hours lost in varying forms of cycling-related activities.
There have been times when I've found clarity through these dreams, and others that offered only more questions. Even as a child I can recall having dreams about bicycles. Perhaps not as frequently as I do today, but I remember using them for transportation even in my dreams then.
So, our falling into slumber conversation has me wondering if anyone else dreams about bicycles or cycling events? I have a few that stand out specifically in my mind, and am curious if others have had this experience? If you're up to it, I'd be curious to read about others cycling-relevant dreams - if they happen for you. If you don't dream about bicycles or related matters, do you have any theories as to why these don't happen in your subconscious? Maybe I'm the only loony that dreams about bicycles after all!
Yes, I dream about bicycles and cycling and ride planning. But what lingers is the feelings not the images, so I have no examples to offer up.
ReplyDeleteI find the same to be true... what often remains as I wake are thoughts or feelings from the dream and not the specifics.
DeleteAnd, at least I know I'm not alone in my dreaming of bikes! :O)
I dream about bikes and riding too. I tend to dream about whatever I spend a lot of time thinking about, and I definitely spend a lot of time thinking about bikes! When I was taking the overhaul class, I would have very detailed dreams about doing specific tasks like truing a wheel or adjusting a hub. My favorite dreams, though, are the one's when I am effortlessly rolling along a lovely road headed who knows where.
ReplyDeleteThat's pretty much what happens to me too - whatever I've been spending too much time on during the day is what (at least in some form) comes out in my dreams. If I were to take an overhaul class, I'd probably dream about the process of the tasks too.
DeleteOh, and enjoy your family time and your trip!
ReplyDeleteThank you :O)
DeleteI dream about biking a lot. Pre-big-bike event, I often have anxiety dreams, although those tend to be split between ones that actually involve the event (usually of the "oversleep and miss it" rather than dreaming about riding) and generic anxiety (back in high school missing an exam silliness that doesn't actually relate to the event but I can ID what caused them.)
ReplyDeleteAnd then I'm often just riding in dreams as transportation -- like if I'm worried about something at work/preparing for a big presentation I might dream about having a flat on the way in and missing the meeting.
This makes it sounds like all I have are anxiety/stress dreams; no, not in the slightest, they're just the ones I remember because I tend to wake up fretting over them and think through them to explain to my brain why everything will be OK, which cements them in memory. I know I end up riding in other dreams, too.)
I've had transportation anxiety bicycle dreams too. I think sometimes the bike dreams come about because of whatever feelings I'm having outside of cycling (if I'm feeling anxiety about something, or happiness about something), so I can understand dreams about being late for a presentation when riding in. It makes sense.
DeleteDuring college, I was a waitress at a Denny's and they used to leave me alone to wait tables frequently and of course the restaurant would fill up instantly. To this day, I still have dreams about being left alone in the restaurant and not being able to get to everyone or being in very slow motion or in quick sand. Of course, these dreams happen any time I'm stressed or having anxiety about something entirely unrelated, but I wake having to talk myself down.
Have a great time in Leadville! Going to miss seeing that town and having an espresso at City on a Hill this year. I only find myself dreaming about cycling during brevets-- when I've been riding for an extended period of time, and the movement of the bike has lodged itself in my body. Other than that, no real on-the-bike dreams, and I'm okay with that. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks, MG! Looking forward to another visit to our favorite little mountain town.
DeleteI'm giggling that you dream about cycling during brevets. There's something amusing to me about daydreaming about something you want to do while you're doing it (but I've done this myself while riding, so I can definitely relate).
I've had a couple of bicycle-related dreams [I can't remember the dreams] and my husband, who doesn't cycle but is the designated bike lifter, has had at least one. I've expected to have more, as I really like bikes and riding them. I have a herd. Maybe I don't have to work out as many stresses in my dreams related to bikes because they generally make me feel good. However, I am way too fond of acquiring them. I will add that I'm not a hard core commuter, I'm retired, and I don't compete on a bike.
ReplyDeleteI don't think having or not having dreams about bicycles negates any sort of love we have for them by any means. I think some people work through more things in their sleep than others. My mental-wheels are always spinning, so it makes sense to me that I have so many dreams about bicycles (and other things too). My husband loves to ride and has a number of bicycles (and issues that come up with them) and participates in events, but as I shared, he never dreams about them. I think he just does a better job of working things out in the waking hours of life than I do. So, perhaps you're a lucky one who happens to process through everything (happiness and stress) while you're awake.
DeleteYou are not alone G.E. My most pervasive cycling dreams involve someone stealing my bike (or should I say "nightmare"!)
ReplyDeleteUgh. That isn't a pleasant dream. I am highly concerned about theft while awake, so that is not a something I want to dream about.
DeleteA couple of days after we moved into our new-to-us house this year, we were busy working on the house and I had been carrying the garage door opener around in my pocket (I think I was overly excited to have a garage because we haven't had one in a very long time). Anyway, I must have accidentally hit the button on the opener at some point and we went to bed unaware that the garage was wide open. Now, depending on where a person lives, this may not be a huge deal, but our garage is open to a fairly major street, so anyone walking, driving, or biking by can easily see into the garage. When Sam told me the garage had been open all night, my heart sunk. I thought that certainly all of the bikes would be gone. I've had my bikes stolen out of the garage in the past, even when only running inside for a few seconds, so in my mind there was no way that the bikes would still be there. To my surprise, not one thing was missing. After that though, I stopped carrying the garage door opener around in my pocket! :O)
Go Sam!
ReplyDeleteOn Friday, I have to commute into London on the Enigma, as we are heading to the Isle of Wight after work for a weekend of idyllic cycling. So I booked myself in with my fitter at lunch time on Friday, to take advantage of the exceedingly rare occurrence of having the Enigma in London during the week. So of course I dreamt last night that I raced over there, did my fitting thing and was racing back to the office with only seconds to spare when... I got double punctures. :p
ReplyDeleteYikes! That's not a fun bike dream at all (and all too familiar to some who have experienced similar circumstances). Hopefully, your real ride will go very smoothly on Friday.
Delete