Today I started thinking about what makes a ride really great, and came up with a few things.
1. When you make it back to the car/home. It is always a great feeling to complete a ride, especially after some tough climbing or strong headwinds. On a day where I really have to push myself, I could care less about how quickly I got up the hill or my overall time. I'm just thankful I made it. On the other hand, nothing ruins a ride for me more than having to bail out early. Back when I was having knee trouble, nothing was more frustrating than stopping when I knew I should be able to finish.
2. The feeling of complete exhaustion at the end of a killer ride. Whether I'm riding, hiking or rafting, I love the feeling when I get home and barely have the energy to stand up. The fatigued muscles, sweat crystals caked on my face and knowledge that I've earned my sleep (and maybe even a sweet treat) is reward enough for me. I sometimes think I don't feel this way enough.. sure, I feel tired every now and then, but that is usually from inactivity, not from busting my butt.
3. Accomplishing something challenging, exploring a new place, or learning something new. Every time I ride I get a tad more daring, whether pushing myself to take a different road with a bigger hill, trying to break my downhill speed record or just seeing how many potholes I can jump. Heck, yesterday I changed my first flat tire on my own... next time I get a flat I'll really know what I'm doing.
4,5,6... There are just so many things that can make a ride great. The sights, sounds, and smells....the interesting things you find (like the time I found a 200lb dead pig tossed off the side of the road.. talk about smells) ... the places and people you see (I always lookout for George when I'm riding Lucas Valley Rd.) ... and of course the post-ride coffee all make a ride great.
Here are so photos from my ride today!
1 comment:
I was going to look for inspiration to bike, but the exhaustion, the dead pig and the flat tire didn't do it for me. Now the ocean, the redwood trees, farmland, Nicasio and a sweet treat, that did motivate me. Sounds like a great trip.
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