I’m getting back into mountain biking after my surgery, and after an hour or two into my latest ride, if found myself spacing out a lot and letting that chatter take over. Not paying attention during a slow, straight ride I caught my wheel on a root and fell forward over the bike, not fun. I found it much easier to slip into that state while I was exhausted though.
I feel exactly the same as you describe, unless im trying to stay focused, taking in something new every once in a while or making choices, I tend to space out completely.
on the downhill though, silence. while skiing (downhill), silence. rock climbing same deal. those moments are bliss in many ways.
I used to cycle to work in the pre-2020 era, but during the first few months I remember how everything in my mind was about the bicycle and the road and forcing myself not to stop. After this first period the body adapted and the usual train of thoughts returned. When I noticed I was thinking of mundane things during the ride was when I considered that my body had adapted