the code wasn't working right

I had nearly left my bike helmet back home in DC, but I figured there might be a chance I’d go on a ride in NYC, so strapped it on to my backpack.  As the concierge at the hotel explained the perks of my hotel stay during my check in, a smile spread across my face. I could get three day passes on Citibike! What good fortune!! Those codes have a value of $25/day, so I truly couldn’t believe my luck. 

I woke up the following morning and got the Citibike code from the concierge, picked up a hot bagel from my favorite NYC spot, chowed on said doughy and hot bagel next to the manmade waterfall around the corner, and then proceeded in the Lyft App to insert the Citibike code. 

And the app left me very confused. My heart sunk, as my head buzzed. This couldn’t be right. The code revealed I was getting one ride with a maximum value of $7 on Citibike. This was not a day pass. 

I was trying to figure out what I might do with this now one ride on a Citibike. I couldn’t go ride in Central Park, on the streets of NYC AND along the Westside Highway. 

And that felt paralyzing. I was also kinda pissed at the hotel for misleading me to believe I had three 24 hour passes. Having learned that this was free, I didn’t want to dish out my own dollars. 

I returned to the hotel to clear the air and they gave me two more codes, to cover a total of 3 rides over my trip. They apologized for misinforming me that the deal wasn’t for three day passes. I was bummed, but the three codes felt sufficient to cover these rides I was hoping to take. 

I walked to the Southeast corner of Central Park and unlocked a Citibike. And then once unlocked, I walked the bike across the crosswalk to the park entrance, knowing between the tourists crouching about, the puddles seeping with reeking water and crumbled tissues, and pigeons doing their pigeon thing, I wasn’t hopping on my bike until I hit the bike path. 

Suddenly the crowded sidewalk gave way to a road and I realized that was my cue to hop in the saddle. My right leg crossed over the step through tube and I positioned my hips back into the saddle and pressed down on the pedal.  Suddenly, I could feel the thrill… I was cruising through Central Park. Yes, the bike was also a clunker. I could feel the poorly responsive brakes, the limits to shifting up and down gears, but I was riding!

I lived in NYC for almost 5 years and to return to the Central Park and bike opened my heart to joy, adventure and thrill. 

A thrill I almost didn’t say yes to from the indecisiveness of figuring out that I had only 1 ride. 

A thrill I almost didn’t say yes to because I almost left my bike helmet back in DC thinking it might not be worthwhile to bring such a big item that I might only use once (and for the record, no ride is worth the thrill without having the basics of safety. I won’t ride without a well fitting helmet and at nighttime I won’t ride without lights).  

I got on the bike twice while in NYC— on the ride northbound through Central Park to hit up my favorite pizza spot on the Upper West Side.  And then on a ride southbound through Central Park to head to Time Square for their annual summer solstice yoga.

In the end, I discovered that the other two codes didn’t work, but I decided to splurge and spent about $6 to bike from my favorite pizza spot to Times Square. Once I touched the power of such an experience, I knew it was worth the bucks and choose to not frustrate myself over what was far more valuable than riling myself up over $6—feeling the joys of riding on the first official day of summer.  

That thrill of 50 minutes in the saddle did inexplicable wonders. 

I heard the voice of indecision and the voice of clarity and made an aligned choice. 

I felt the breeze cool my sweaty skin, as I saw expansive skies and tall trees and felt my mind clear. 

But really what I sensed in those 50 minutes was freedom. 

Freedom to explore. 

Freedom to play. 

Freedom to smile. 

Freedom to go. 

Summer officially started on Friday. 

The daylight and weather are like precious one ride codes. 

You put the price tag on the code.

Sometimes the code might not work exactly how you want it to. 

Sometimes the code might unlock a clunker of a ride, but it’s got the bones of the experience you wanted to unlock. 

So, what’s the metaphorical (or literal) ride you want and need to unlock this summer?

What between the voice of uncertainty and clarity might you need to shift out of to unlock the freedom (or whatever feeling) you rightly deserve to feel? 

Wheels up, 

Ellen 

PS: Perhaps in this precious season called summer, you are being clouded by indecision. You want to experience that thrill and yet can’t figure out what choice might unlock that for you. It’s either, go spent $5,000 (of which you may or may not have) to fly to Bali or tuck yourself into a blanket in your apartment.

Nothing says adventure, fun and connection like going whitewater rafting and biking in community.

So don’t tie your knickers in a knot and sit out of the fun. Join me July 18-20th for Pedal, Paddle and Pause in Ohiopyle, Pennsylvania.

Get yourself back in the saddle of life and shift gears by saying yes to this retreat.

Over half the seats for this year's second edition have been sold. Lock in your seat today before you miss out on the fun!