...gets a lot of flack, but it's truly the best outlet for mine and J's well-being.
When we ride we forget about the world and its stresses. Being outdoors with the wind in your sails, taking on longer miles and more challenging climbs, along with seeing so many people and places pass by, it's amazing.
This article explains it well:
https://www.bicycling.com/bikes-gear/a43855290/the-best-bike-is-a-time-machine/
Today's ride was a relief.
As you know, I've got some quite heavy stuff happening in my life right now. Throughout the last few rides I've found myself more anxious, especially in busy areas, and trying to avoid even the most benign of interactions with motorists and pedestrians. Most of our usual routes are clogged with traffic right now which was starting to worry me, as I was beginning to come back feeling pent up, stressed and at times completely overwhelmed. Exactly the opposite of what cycling usually does for me.
Today we took a different approach, avoiding all of the coastal roads, and we found some 'new' rural lanes which were much quieter - one was even tarmaced which is a rarity here. So all in all, what this has taught me is that your mind can really affect how you ride but also, location is key. These lanes gave us both just what we needed today. Finally, a peaceful ride.