On Sunday, July 5th, I opened my checklist binder to the one for riding and swimming. I have a checklist for every conceivable activity. Checklists give me a sense of security. I put my purple bathing suit on under my bike shorts and packed my pink bathing cap, tinted swimming goggles and lightweight camping towel. I also brought along my plastic banana holder to prevent my banana from bruising. Bananas are a good snack on a bike ride. As I left my house, I felt prepared, just like a Boy Scout but to paraphrase Robert Burns, the poet I share a last name with, the best laid plans can go awry.
Colchester Pond is about half an hour ride from my house in Winooski. Most of the route is paved but the last half mile is gravel. I love swimming there because it is so quiet and peaceful. There are no motorized boats allowed and the pond is surrounded by woods and fields. Unfortunately there is only one good place to swim.
When I arrived at the swimming area I saw two fishermen. They greeted me warmly. I have been going to Colchester Pond for many years and I often share the swimming area with fishermen. It has never been a problem. When I told these fishermen that I was going to swim, they didn’t say anything. As I got into my bathing suit it became clear that they were not happy. By the time I waded into the water they had told me that I was not welcome there. I said “OK, sorry you win, I’ll swim somewhere else.” One of them said, “It’s too late to apologize. What, you saw two guys fishing and decided to ruin it for them? Why didn’t you swim at the boat access area?” I walked my bike over to the boat access area and was about to swim there when my paranoia kicked in. I didn’t want my bike vandalized when I was in the water. I could still hear the fishermen vociferously complaining about me. I decided to ride to Mallets Bay where I knew I could swim without any conflicts.
As I was riding to Mallets Bay,I reflected on the incident with the fishermen. I did not feel threatened at the time, but I felt shaken. If I had insisted on swimming things might have gotten ugly. I thought that the conflict had arisen because of three factors - My inability to read the situation, the difficulty the fishermen had to clearly express their desires and the scarcity of resources. If they had said, “Please don’t swim here, you will disturb the fish” I would have moved without any argument. There is really only one good place to swim at Colchester Pond. If there had been another choice I would have gone there when I saw the fishermen.
When I am angry or upset on a bike ride, I try to let it go. It helps me to think about this story -
A Zen master and his student were walking along a path in the woods. They came upon a beautifully dressed geisha who was trying to figure out how to cross a large puddle. The master offered to carry her across the puddle and she graciously agreed. She thanked him as he set her down on the other side of the puddle. The master and the student walked for half an hour and then the student burst out, “Master, why did you pick up the geisha. You know that it is forbidden for us to touch a woman.” The master said, “I put the geisha down half an hour ago, but you are still carrying her!”
Of course the fact that I am sharing this story means that I have not completely let it go!
I got to Mallets Bay and had a swim. Afterwards I ate my banana, which, unlike my ego, was unbruised. I rode home and my adventure was over.
About the Author: Peter Burns is a long-time bike enthusiast, and one of the original year-round bike riders in the greater Burlington area. In addition to writing about walking and biking, Peter teaches a variety of bike workshops. He also works at a group home for people with psychiatric disabilities, teaches classes for the Vermont Humanities Council, teaches swimming at the Burlington YMCA, and is a regular host of Storytelling VT. You can contact Peter at [email protected].