Part I of Pablo's Pre-Departure Interview: What Motivates You

What does Compassioning mean to you?

Compassioning it’s a verb, an act with intention. Compassioning is my choice to take action, to be connected, to grow my understanding, to listen. I don’t want to just have an experience, I hope that our collective hearts can grow and nourish all of us.

Compassioning means to support one another. It is the idea of community, a group of people that go beyond the small c of community to the big C of Community.

We are all connected. I want to inspire to do better, to practice loving kindness.

Compassioning means to share the world, with all beings and to care about self and others.

What motivates you to make this ride?

Making the decision to do this ride was easy, and I take my inspiration from others.

The notion to cycle across the US was seeded in my head a few years ago. It was a goal that was borne from learning that many amazing individuals had accomplish such an epic journey. Knowing that other have chosen and successfully gotten on their bicycles gives me energy and strength to cycle across the country.

I want to experience the spectrum of the ride--the bumps, the challenges, the wind, the freedom of riding. Cutting across the country at a slow pace were you can really see all of the details and get to experience the full support and help of others.

In addition, my motivation comes from my yoga practice and by love of connecting with other spaces as I ride on this path. I expect to have new findings, to have new places to grow, to have more opportunities to be still, to find new forms of balance and expand my comfort level.

I believe in harmony and that we are all. I hope to bee open, to be raw and vulnerable. I will use my movement and my breath to energize mySelf. I am excited and grateful for the things to come along the way.

Why bicycling? When did your love of cycling begin?  

Riding a bicycle is primal for me, wildness. It gives me joy to feel the wind, the freedom, and nature. I find mySelf able to express my trueness through this ridding.  But more importantly, riding gives me a sense of connectedness.

I have very early memories of being on a bike and my father letting go and telling me, “you are doing it.” Biking was something we did as a family. It was something that my father did with me. It was also something that my mom loved. It was an opportunity to share one experience.  

In Mexico we rode trails on weekends, and when we moved to the US we just continued our family outings. We loved riding as a family and through riding the family was connected. Riding helped me to experience the community and have fun fun.

Once I got to college at UNC, I rode my bike for transportation and have never looked back. Biking provides ease of mobility as a form of transportation. Allison, who long ago gave up a car, inspired me to consider biking as my sole form of transportation. She showed me that I could seamlessly maneuver my transportation through my cycling to get me where I need to be. 

Now, I’ve become one with the bike, we have a union, the bike is an extension of me. I integrate my essence into the bike. The bike is part of my energy.