by Frosty Wooldridge

One of my favorite bicycle routes in Colorado is riding up Route 36 to the cutoff at the Briarwood Restaurant for a trip along the white water river, through steep-walled canyon terrain, sprinkled with fantastic aspen, cottonwood, pine and colorful undergrowth. All totaled, it's 32 miles.

I've been riding it since 1973 and it never ceases to astound with its beauty in spring, summer and autumn. But this time, the ride proved different. Before the ride I attended a lecture by Dr. Joe Dispenza from the movie "What the Bleep do We Know?" with several friends.

In my life, this proved to be one of the top five lectures I've ever heard. Breath-taking information on how to create your life the way you choose! Dispenza said, "To change your life is to think ahead of your environment." He continued, "We perceive reality based on what we're chemically conditioned to from past experiences. We can only change our responses by adding new information. Learning means making new brain circuitry." Every thought creates a chemical response in your body. If you entertain negative thoughts, your body produces bile-type chemical responses. When you enjoy positive thoughts, you create enhancing chemicals in your body. Persons may choose their thoughts that operate in their lives.

We locked the bikes onto the car top carrier and drove toward north Boulder. White-capped mountain peaks, including the grand Longs Peak, profiled into a beautiful blue sky.

Sandi and I parked the car and unpacked the bikes, locked on the wheels, pumped up the tires, filled our water bottles and headed into the canyon. Ahead of us, the gray rock canyon walls were sprinkled with golden aspen leaves, cottonwood and red sumac. We passed a river. The sun shone upon it, creating a silvery sheen that stood out against the green grasses on both sides. Upon the water, gold, topaz, red, purple, burgundy and brown leaves floated along the surface. Soon, we pedaled into the depths of the canyon. "What did you think of Dispenza's statement about ‘change is inconvenient'," Sandi asked.

"It's not only inconvenient," I said, "it's arduous for most people. We all like our comfort."

"If we change our minds with new information," Sandi said, "we allow ourselves different outcomes instead of the same old things."

"I like what he said about the way to get rid of negative thoughts about the past is to force yourself to think of new and more positive ideas," I said. "Nerve cells that no longer fire together no longer wire together. That proved a great comment. I'm going to take Dispenza up on that practice."

"Yes! Create daily, rehearse daily, live with your new mindset daily," Sandi said. "I like what he said about experiencing new feelings of joy further conditions your mind for living as if it already happened, which is a catalyst that brings your intentions into focus and reality for you."

We crossed over the white water river under a canopy of golden trees. Up ahead, a few houses awaited in a wide meadow in the valley. Soon, we passed through along the banks of the river. Millions of leaves floated downstream as if they were a Macy's Day parade. Sun shone from the south while a brilliant azure sky dominating overhead. Several cyclists passed us, while a few raced back down the mountain at full speed. We passed Buckminister Park with folks enjoying a picnic while we began our more serious climb up the canyon road. Rock walls closed in on us while the river's white water expressed itself more violently with what I call "white music." The road snaked along with gray, red and brown rock rising upward in jagged formations. Evergreens grew out of solid rock.

Dispenza had talked in front of a packed house of 1,000 people at Mile Hi Church We arrived 45 minutes early to find the place three quarters full. We lucked out to get a seat up close but off to the side. In this uncertain world, it's nice to know ‘intellectual seekers' continue towards a better world. Dispenza said that experience enriches the brain. He said the TV deadened the brain. He showed where people get a ‘dopamine' hit from the cops and robbers shows and other violent stuff that gives them a kick, but he said, going to class or reading a book gives a more meaningful ‘kick' because you remember it. As to the TV program, you can't remember its content within a day of seeing it.

He talked about why kids must keep shooting and killing more people in the video games to get their ‘hit' from the games. It's the same ‘high' that adults get from an NFL game seeing someone get their head knocked off. We're not much further along than our ape forefathers that ‘fought' to survive every second of their lives. He advised us to let go of grievances because they will kill you. Forgive everyone who you think ever hurt you or betrayed you or lied to you or did you no good. Expect good things in your life.

As I pedaled behind Sandi, I smiled at her revolving freewheel. She said, "I'm sorry I'm going so slow."

"Why would you apologize for going the perfect speed for you?" I asked.

"It's slowing you down," she said.

"Why assume that?" I asked. "I think you're traveling at the perfect speed for you."

I recalled my own pace on trip from the top to the bottom of South America. Because my two friends pedaled faster than I did, they left me behind most of the time. I was with myself except for lunch and camping. I never once thought about apologizing. My cadence worked for me. When I traveled from Norway to Greece with Gary, we shared a similar cadence so we stayed together. Everyone travels at their own perfect speed.

We wound our way along the road with the river splashing through sparkling leaves that hid houses along the river. More cyclists passed us. We enjoyed a good feeling watching riders coasting downhill with that look of sheer ‘thrill' in their faces. Soon enough, our pedaling brought us to the 100 year-old Jamestown Mercantile Café with fresh blueberry pancakes. "Yahoo," I said jumping off my bike.

We sat in the warm sunshine on the deck under an umbrella, ordered our pancakes and home fries, water and brownie. Wow, after pedaling 12 miles uphill, we gobbled a few pancakes with rich maple syrup dripping off the sides. The onions and potatoes tasted the best ever. We munched into that brownie for dessert.

Some other cyclists told stories about meeting people carrying pets on their rides. I jumped in and told them about meeting Stan the Romantic Road Warrior on one of my cross continent rides and his cat Little Chum. I told them about meeting the man who walked across America on his hands. Fun to share those stories! As Thoreau said, "If you will endeavor to live the life you have imagined, you will meet with success unexpected in common hours."

Back on the bikes, we began coasting. Our tummies full, our hearts light, our minds clear—we rolled down that canyon. Within a few miles, Sandi said, "Let's dip our feet into the river." We stopped to sit by the river and dangle our feet into the cold water. We talked about Joe Dispenza and his amazing research on how to make your life, your dreams, your world—become what you choose.

I told Sandi how once on a trip to Alaska, one of my friends had gone out into the woods to pick up more firewood. When he got back near the campfire that curled gray smoke into the cloudless sky, he said, "Hey guys! I can see my buddies sitting next to a campfire under a starlit sky, eating dinner, sipping hot chocolate, telling stories and laughing your heads off. It looks like a dream. Looks like something out of a fantasy. But, no, I'm going to walk right into the dream and become a part of it." With that, Al threw down his pile of wood, tossed a few sticks on the fire, picked up his drink and said, "Here's to you guys…thanks for being a part of my dream."

In the end, the joy of life, the dream of life means sharing good moments around a campfire with your friends. It doesn't get any better than that. Well, maybe a bike ride in autumn…

After our feet turned red in the cold water, we slipped back into our socks and shoes. We hopped back onto the bikes for a gravity-powered ride all the way back to the car. A sense of freedom, life and love coursed through our minds and bodies. As we flew down the canyon, autumn leaves fell like golden flurries all around us and swept us up in their magic.

As John Muir said, "Camp out among the grass and gentians of glacier meadows, in craggy garden nooks full of Nature's darlings. Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. Nature's peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. The winds will blow their freshness into you, and the storms their energy, while cares will drop off like autumn leaves."