Contributed by Terry Ambassador, Haven Lindsey.
I can’t remember a time when I didn’t enjoy the experience of travel. For me, it has always been equal parts escape and discovery. I love that feeling of “being lost” in a different culture—navigating language barriers, trying new things, eating different foods. I’ve enjoyed all sorts of travel: with a partner, with friends, and on my own.
Having traveled to four continents, and visited dozens of other countries, and recently, primarily by myself, I’ve noticed two transformations in my travel preferences. One: I prefer to go solo. Two: with each new travel opportunity, I feel increasingly conflicted—I want to go but I don’t want to leave. Perhaps those inclinations come with age. The thought of joining a group with specific agendas and schedules renders this free-range female feeling leashed and boxed in. I’ve reached a point in my life where I am so completely comfortable in my skin and content in my beautiful home in Northern New Mexico that few places can compete with the sacred Sangre de Cristo mountains that are the beloved backdrop of my home life.
However, a milestone birthday (an age with a “zero” at the end) was approaching and I wanted to celebrate it by traveling somewhere I had never been. I had a lot to celebrate—we all do—yet it seems rare that we take the time to acknowledge our successes, our spirit, and our resilience. I’d come through a lot. I lost loved ones that no heart was ever built to withstand. I’ve gone through a divorce—a breakup with my first love that hurt me deeply and confused me even more. I changed jobs and geographical locations and battled back from a health issue. Like so many of us, I had been knocked down, fought to find my footing, and got back up again. We all have a story, and I was ready to celebrate mine.
Because I enjoy travel yet grapple with the feeling of not wanting to leave, I knew this “Milestone Trip,” needed to be special. I worked closely with my financial advisor and saved money for more than a year. It took months to decide where this magical milestone would be celebrated—nothing felt right. I ruled out big ticket bucket list items—things like an African safari, trekking through Bhutan, a wellness retreat in Bali—none of those things resonated. My savings account was gaining weight, yet I was no closer to a decision.
Reflective by nature, I decided to step away from the travel blogs and stopped considering destinations. I removed the pressure of planning the ideal trip which is when the fog began to clear. I thought about my story and how I had overcome so much. The one consistent component of healing from loss, accepting grief, and becoming the best version of myself always included my bike. Death, divorce, depression, anxiety, fear…I took those intruders along on every ride. As I pedaled through miles of metamorphoses, there were good days, bad days, and many that landed somewhere in between and my bike was always there—part of my healing, part of my growth. When I considered that, I asked myself why would riding a bike not be part of my celebration? I decided wherever I went, a bike would be a big part of the experience.
Now, for the destination. I have always been intrigued by the San Juan Islands. The Salish Sea and archipelago off the coast of Washington are home to two ecotypes of orca whales and one of the only places on Earth where they can be watched from shore. In a “you-can’t-get-there-from-here” location, accessing the series of remote islands takes some planning. My mental fog had begun to clear but my confidence was low. I wanted to spend time on the islands, seeing them by bike, yet with unreliable ferries that required reservations for vehicles months in advance, it all felt overwhelming. I wanted a pure vacation, the kind where I didn’t have to think, where things would be taken care of so I could be present.
In retrospect, the planning was not as complicated as I had thought it would be. My goal was to celebrate and travel with the liberation that has come to define me. I’ve traveled all over the world and decided to treat the San Juan Islands as I would another country. I didn’t need to limit myself by renting a car which would alleviate any concern for following a specific ferry schedule with a prepaid reservation. Like traveling in other countries, I decided to keep it simple and in doing so, things simply fell into place.
Finding My Stride In The San Juan Islands.
I landed in Seattle and made my way to the bus service that would take passengers to the ferry terminal. Within minutes of waiting for the bus, I met Laurie, a local who provided insight that can’t be found in travel brochures. She was the gateway to a week of enjoying the islands like a tourist, with knowledge of a local. Having decided to forego any formal type of group anything, I had arranged to rent a road bike in Friday Harbor from a local shop. The owner not only delivered the Specialized Roubaix to my cottage, but he attached my pedals, and fit me to the bike. With a map he had brought along, he suggested routes to ride and pointed out places of interest—it was all the proverbial handholding I needed, I was ready to ride.
Days later, a quick ferry ride to a neighboring island saw me doing a similar thing—riding miles along the beautiful coastline, stopping when I wanted to stop, and eating where I wanted to eat. Most solo travelers report shared experiences. It is easier to meet people (particularly locals who always seem to hold solos in high regard) and with no schedule to follow or the expectations of others to be concerned with, the added ability to linger delivers richer experiences, more meaningful conversations, and time to enjoy being in the moment with a near child-like excitement. For me, it is the essence of an authentic vacation.
Feeling unencumbered to celebrate and enjoy my vacation, I fell in love with the San Juan Islands. I rode a bike, stopped for lunch at shellfish farms, visited lighthouses, watched orcas from the shore, and enjoyed meals alone as well as with others.
I talked with strangers who became friends, met other cyclists, and got to know four horses while staying on a small farm. Halfway through the trip, I knew I would return. Without worrying about an automobile, I had the autonomy to go only as fast as my bike would take me. It turns out, that was fast and far enough. The trip was one of the most rewarding I’ve ever taken. My choice of traveling solo provided the freedom to ride when I wanted (and I rode a lot). Like every travel experience I’ve ever had, I stepped outside my comfort zone to once again realize that it had expanded, and I had grown. I will visit the San Juans again and while I expect I’ll feel the initial hesitancy of not wanting to leave, I know I will be ready to go.
About Haven:
Haven Lindsey is a freelance writer and avid cyclist in Taos, New Mexico, where she lives with her dog, Gracie, and cats Pine Cone and Banjo. Haven is both a road cyclist and mountain biker but notes that road cycling is her first love. When she first saw cyclists riding up a mountain in Switzerland, she knew at that moment that she needed to take part in the action and from that day forth became a cyclist. In fact, she once broke her foot playing tennis and specifically had her surgeon fit her cycling shoe to her boot so she could continue doing what she loved while she recovered.
Haven began contributing to the Sidesaddle Blog after sharing her powerful poem ‘A Mourning Ride‘ with the Terry Team. Her writing beautifully expresses the tremendous impact cycling can have on one’s life and she has since become one of Terry’s most prominent ambassadors. Haven has said that even if she wasn’t a writer by trade, she would still write for fun because she enjoys the process of taking a blank slate and bringing it to life with words that help to inform, educate, and perhaps make you feel something along the way. To keep up with Haven Lindsey and read more of her work, please visit her website: 4havensake.com
Laurie says
You are such a lively lady. I enjoyed meeting and hope to see upon your return to the Pacific Northwest
Laurie
Christy says
This beautifully written article both resonated with me and inspired me! Thank you for sharing your experience!