Day 16 - 30 Days of Biking



Chilly morning, but I'm Loving the Bike by the lake



Knowing that it was going to be a very busy day (I had work to get done in the morning, and my sister’s wedding shower was in the afternoon) I decided to get my riding for the day out of the way early on Day 16 of 30 Days of Biking.  I waited until about 8:00am and then decided to get out there and suck up the fact that I’d be cold.  There wouldn’t be time to squeeze in riding time later, so early was my only option, and sure enough, it was a very cold morning to be out pedaling and the breeze gave the conditions an even more fierce bite.  Since it is already mid April, one might think that I could put away the thermal gear for the season, but that’s not always the case here in the Midwest.  Thank goodness for thermal tights and jackets, and wool socks!  I felt much more comfortable in my wind blocking gear than I would have otherwise, so I just kept reminding myself of that every time a gust of icy air caught me.  Not many others were out aside from a dog walker here and there which led to me suddenly taking my time and looking around at all the birds that were awake and looking for breakfast.  I saw several bright red cardinals, lots of Canadian geese, hawks, and even a couple of woodpeckers!  It’s always intriguing to me to watch any animal in their home going about their daily routines much like we as people do.  Looping around the lake for a second time, I stopped after one of the bridges to watch some ducks bobbing around on top of the water.  They didn’t care that it was cold out either as they paddled their way across the little cove.  After all, their feet and feathers are a lot like my thermal tights, so why wouldn’t they be swimming?  When I got back home I thought about the morning.  What I had intended to be a ride that I hurried to complete turned into a ride that made me slow down.  Sometimes we get a little stuck in our routines in life, and even though I’ve loved 30 Days of Biking, it has turned into a routine thing some days.  I was glad to have the reminder of while I’m riding, all that other “stuff” shouldn’t matter.  I never want to look at cycling as something that I need to get done and out of the way for the day.  Loving the Bike isn’t a routine; it’s a way of life!