Tuesday, June 7, 2016

Pedal Power

I have really missed my summer morning bike rides so yesterday (darn clock radio's quiet static) today was the day to start. As I rubbed the sleep from my eyes and got the bike out of the garage, I felt a little bit sluggish like-was I really ready for this? As I edged closer to my favorite trail, I remembered why I love my morning rides but I am getting a bit ahead of myself...let me back up a bit...
My beautiful new bike!

On May 14th my husband and I got new bikes. Because we moved into a new house with much more space inside and out, we now have a secure place to keep our bikes out of the elements. We made the trip to Ace and test rode several bikes. This was the first bike I took out for a spin (they put it together just for me after we visited the day before just to ask some questions and peek at the different models). I tried several different ones and, while they were all better than my old bike, I could not get over how incredibly comfortable this one is! It is an Electra Townie, and it even has front and back lights powered by the turning of the wheels. It has a nice big seat for maximum comfort, and I can ride in a nice upright position which I like a lot more than the traditional leaning forward position. Plus, the color is AWESOME and totally me! I got a nice big basket for the front which has made it easy for us to bike downtown for date nights or for me to ride it to parties and other events. This is an investment that I won't regret.
Back to my ride this morning...
The air was perfectly crisp and cool. Everything was calm and quiet-I love 5:30 am! I am a morning person. so this is my time. No kids, no distractions animal distractions, and the trail beneath my tires. It really is pure bliss. I rode down to Riverside Park and across the Meridian Bridge (bottom and top). I didn't feel exhausted; I felt energized. It is fun to see all the differences in the trail and the bridge as they make improvements  I no longer dread the hills on the trail; I push myself through the challenge. This bike has helped make exercising easier and more enjoyable which makes it worth every penny. I can't wait to get up and do it all over again tomorrow.
Here are some snapshots from my morning ride:
Not sure what this cute little dude is (muskrat maybe?) but I stopped to watch him for a bit.

He took his branch into this little hidey-hole

Sunrise from the bottom of the bridge

Sunrise from the top of the bridge

2 comments:

  1. Beautiful! A great way to get out and get moving...so rewarding. :)

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    1. Thanks-it really is a beautiful place to live-I love that we are lucky enough to have so much support for great outdoor spaces in our town! The trails are my favorite and I love that the Meridian Bridge was adapted for pedestrians and bikes

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