“The goal of life is to make your heartbeat match the beat of the universe, to match your nature with Nature.”—Joseph Campbell
Beginning at Shoreline Lake in Mountain View, my good friend Jimmy Hunter and I took a 10-mile mountain bike ride through a wildlife oasis for migratory birds and endangered species located in the heart of California’s high-tech industry. There is a multi-million-dollar project to transform the old salt ponds back into wetland habitat to return the city’s bay shore to its natural state after a century of industrial salt production.
It was magnificent. We literally had a bird’s eye view of egrets, sandpipers, pelicans and other waterfowl that wade in the mudflats, marshes and the multi-colored water caused by aquatic plants and algae growth that are part of the Don Edwards San Francisco Bay Natural Wildlife Refuge. Though it was a hot day, the coolness of the ambient air kept us comfortable as our bikes hugged the path contouring the edge of the bay.
Suddenly, something caught my eye. I spotted a mythological-looking structure seemingly made out of a pile of rocks, a miniature version of what one often sees around the world that are created by nature over millions of years. Jimmy informed me that other bikers, joggers and hikers often take a stone and add it to the design as if it were a community project of artists. It had a whimsical and spiritual feel to it and was the perfect place for a photo op. After we had our moment, we attempted to continue on to Alviso which was another five miles away when Jimmy discovered he had a flat tire. After yelling out a few expletives, and berating himself for forgetting his backpack which had a tire repair kit in it, we had to decide how to deal with the situation before us. Jimmy encouraged me to continue to ride a couple of miles further on my own while he doubled back and I would meet him at the Lakeside Bistro for lunch.
As far as I was concerned it was a perfect morning, and I didn’t want Jimmy to worry about my missing out on our final destination. After all, as the wise ones say "the journey is the destination," and lunch at the Bistro was the icing on the cake. I had seen and experienced so many precious moments. We ordered Fish and Chips and an Eggplant and Provolone and red bell peppers on flatbread and agreed we would complete the intended trip to Alviso, known for its great Mexican food early next month.
After we heading home, I took a nap and finished the day with a swim at Bay Club Courtside and a 7 PM Restorative yoga class, or what I call the perfect trifecta.
