Cycle-ogical

Here she is, the new love of my life:



From a different perspective:



It was a relationship meant to be. There was a "secret sale" (which I'm sure they sent out 4 jillion invitations to) at the bike shop about a month ago. I was a good consumer. I used my coupon for sensible things: a red flashing light for when my ride goes past dark, a new shirt, a carbon dioxide cartridge for fixing flats quickly..... But then I saw the bike. I gasped out loud. This is one gorgeous bike.

But I didn't buy it. I came home and thought and plotted. Could I afford it? Is it too much bike for me? Maybe I shouldn't? But in two weeks I was still dreaming about the bike, so I just went back and bought it. You have to do it to do it, as we say.

I've blathered on about adding adventure to my life -me-style adventure, not the kind I've been living for the past year! And not even really the kind that defined family vacations for decades, where the rule seemed to be that the activity had to be more dangerous and more uncomfortable than last year, no matter what. Blech!

Biking is really good for me. (Rock climbing and yoga can do the same thing -and do, from time to time.) It's relentless but fun. You meet straight-on with your own "I can't do it" thoughts. You get to learn when and where and why they show up. And you get to learn that they don't matter. If my "I can't do it" thoughts become seemingly relentless and I'm still an hour from home, what am I going to do? Sit on the side of the road and cry? I have to make this particular pedal stroke -the very next one. And it brings me closer to home. And eventually I get home. I really could do it.

And I get to think of ways to craft a compelling and exciting vision of my own future. Maybe I'll do the Charleston to Savannah ride someday. Or maybe I'll ride my bike in Ireland. Or maybe I'll rent a bike when I go to Tuscany and ride around the vineyards. Or maybe I'll just ride around the farmland in my county. It's all beautiful in its way.

And there are days when the wind is blessedly at my back and I'm flying along on my new bicycle, wearing my new lavender bike top, just crying from the joy of it.

This is why spinning your wheels can be a good thing ;)