wheels

I love riding my bike. It is one of my favorite ways to get from point A to point B. Two days ago I rode my bike to work, something I do pretty often, and then I rode my bike to the library, another thing I do pretty often. But this is the first time I did the two together in one trip. Like, from home to work to library to home, in a nice triangle. I loved it!

I especially love riding my bike to the library. It combines three of my favorite things: biking, the library, and getting outside. So biking to the library is a great summer activity. You get some exercise, you scope the shelves to see if any good literature jumps out and grabs you, you get a chance to sit and read while munching on an energy bar (and my local library has a lovely little garden courtyard where I love to read), and in my case it’s a pretty easy ride home because it’s more-or-less downhill. You get endorphins AND some mental stimulation.

Granted, I am not an overachiever when it comes to bike riding. I’ve never been mountain biking, and I’ve never ridden more than a couple miles in one go. My bike is a pretty average 21-speed, neither a road bike nor a mountain bike, but something in between. And I don’t know any of the cyclist lingo. But my “pretty average” bike can get me to the places I go most often that don’t require too much cargo, that is, work and the library. Anywhere else I can usually jockey for one of the family cars.

But I would love to be one of those awesome people someday who have decent road bikes and ride them 10+ miles to work (or ride partway, take the train partway, etc.) every day. It doesn’t burn fossil fuels (conserving resources AND cutting down on pollution), it’s good exercise, it lowers traffic, and it’s a great way to experience the outdoors. City streets aren’t as much fun, but at least you’re not cooped up inside. The only drawback is I can’t listen to books on tape when I’m riding my bike. But it’s a great time to think.

And as far as exercise is concerned, just like biking, I am no overachiever. But that is why biking is so great. I have learned in past years that I have to trick myself into exercising, and biking, as a way to get from one place to another, is one of the most practical ways to do that. That and dancing, because dancing is just fun.