Journey XV Week 2
Finding Your Edge

Bikers

Republic of Texas Bikers. The four bikers enjoy a weekend of youthfulness, freedom and rebellion!!

“Come to the edge, he said. They said: We are afraid. Come to the edge, he said. They came. He pushed them and they flew.” — Guillaume Apollinaire

Action: Identify and partake in events and activities that take you to your edge, cause your heart to race and make you feel like a kid again.

I don't know about you, but I love the Republic of Texas Biker Rally that roars through Austin this time each summer. Ask my sister who is an ER nurse at Brakenridge and she'd sternly disagree with me, however I've grown to appreciate the rally more and more each year.

For starters, I'm inspired by the energy that is felt when something BIG is happening in Austin. Wether it be a biker rally, a UT football game, South By Southwest, ACL, or the Capital of Texas Triathlon, the vibe is electric when the usual scene is mixed up and we host tens of thousands of visitors. Austin is such an incredible place to live, it always makes me proud when visitors come and enjoy the unique and beautiful assets, as the BIG events are part of what add charm to our special city.

Next, I appreciate the ROT Biker Rally because it attracts up to 200,000 bikers and last year fed an estimated $35 MILLION dollars into the Austin economy. Not bad for one weekend!! I haven't heard the figures for the this weekend however I suspect it's not far from last year or even more. Furthermore, the rally raises money for the Down Syndrome Association of Central Texas and this year...they went GREEN by recycling cans, plastic and cardboard. Another fantastic and necessary move!

What I love most about all of these big events is they're overflowing with passionate people who are enthusiastic about something perfectly harmless. As you and I are aware, most of the bikers, sports fans, music fans or triathletes are regular people (like us) who most likely live for their big events because it makes them feel young, free and even rebellious. They are living on "their" edge, which is invigorating and feeds the soul.

Being an adult has many benefits however I find the transition from youth to adulthood to be extremely ironic. When young, we don't have one single care in the world yet all we dream of is to become a "grown up" so we can have freedom. Then, we grow up and actually have our freedom we often become paralyzed and forget how to be free due to overwhelming, constricting and monotonous adult responsibilities.

Regardless of age, we all need regular passion, enthusiasm, and even rebellion, which looks completely different to everyone. Partaking in events and activities that take you to your edge, cause your heart to race and make you feel like a kid again are intensely important. They keep you young, alive, invigorated and even out of trouble. If you're struggling to find something that takes you to your edge, and makes your heart skip a beat, it's possible this week's video will inspire you to start a new hobby.....

If you don't see a video above, please install the Adobe Flash player.