JasonJonas.com

If you're like me, then you understand just how far the mind wanders while traveling down a lonely road. At times I find myself lucid enough to understand what I'm thinking and convince myself the best thing I could do for the sake of humanity is to check myself into the nearest asylum. It's wierd! I often find myself relentlessly repeating lyrics to a commercial or any old song. For instance, on the 2003 100 CCC ride I kept singing. "Real, real, ya. Let's make it really real. Real, real, ya. Let's make it really real." I can't tell you how many miles went by while those words kept streaming through my mind.

To make matters worse, I usually adopt a cold-jigger word or mantra after the first time I get a cold chill. The jigger (some folks call them a rigger) refers to how the body shakes all over when you get a chill. The mantra helps to induce a high-quality jigger by expelling the cold from the body's core through the lungs and out of the mouth. At the very moment the body quakes some word or meaningless phrase is uttered. Thereafter, the cold-jigger mantra is set in stone for the trip and it's uttered each time I jigger. On the 2002 48-plus ride I blurted out, "shum-a-num," which means absolutely nothing. But for the next 8.5 days and 9000 miles "shum-a-num" was used to induce a high-quality jigger. Sometimes the word is a curse word. There's nothing better than good four-letter words to induce a high-quality jigger. On the 2003 100 CCC ride the word was a short, abrupt yelp of "shit!"

Ok. Whatever. Don't front me like I'm the only one who's reached this level of insanity. Although, I readily admit I'm one of few folks who willingly admit to this kind of behavior and foolishly publish it on the web for the masses.

Despite borderline road-insanity I find my mind wandering in more reflective, thoughtful and meaningful directions a small percentage of the time. The road is a very powerful and therapeutic place to be. I'd go so far as to say it's better than any couch, but my couch experience is nill. It reminds me of the signature used by one of the MTF members, Lou, which reads, "My Therapist has Two Wheels." I couldn't agree more.

Road Ramblings is (or will be eventually) a collection of some of my thoughts - some insightful and some, well, not - from the road that I'd like to share with all of you. I'm not too sure how this will all turn out, but I hope you enjoy them nonetheless.

Another Day In Paradise
Public Restrooms
Gut Rider