All cyclists know the feeling of weightlessness that can accompany a great ride. When the saddle drops away and your pumping legs become wings propelling you forward on gusts of fresh oxygen. You travel shimmering, Donnie Darko-style through time and space – not even potholes or ruts can shake your balance. This experience of effortless action is a state of flow, defined by psychologist and author Mihaly Czikszentmihalyi as “a sense of heightened focus, and immersion in activities such as art, play and work.”
On Tuesday night, Bike Newport and our friends at Thames Street Yoga combined two flow activities – cycling and yoga – for one beautiful evening of mindful exercise. After a 10-mile Ocean Drive loop, we met back up at the King Park gazebo for a one-hour vinyasa flow class taught by the lovely Leslie Theobald.
We’re thrilled to embark on this new riding experience this summer. If you’re a yogi, we hope you’ll come along for the ride and experience the transcendence of biking the Drive. If you’re a cyclist who’s never done yoga before, we think you should consider the many physical and mental benefits of the practice.
We’ll have two more events in the Biking + Yoga Series, happening on Tuesdays August 5th and September 9th. Meet at King Park at 5:45 and be prepared to roll out at 6. Thanks to all who rode and flowed with us last night!
Bike Newport