2010-01-08

The simplicity of winter cycling

I love the simplicity of year-round cycling. Oh sure, there are the complexities of what to wear, and how and where to ride. But the simplicity I'm talking about is this: I just ride. I don't hem and haw in the morning, trying to gauge if the temperature is warm enough to be pleasant, or if it will be too windy, or too snowy. I just ride.

This single-minded approach to winter cycling simplifies my life. I just do it. And when I get out on the road, or path, I discover what the day has to offer me. Sometimes it's a bitingly glacial wind. Sometimes it's a toe-numbing cold. Sometimes it's snow so deep I have to push my bike. And sometimes, like today, it's a warm chinook breeze anointing my body. Each day brings a new adventure. Not all of them are pleasant... and that's the point: to experience life with all its ups and downs.

I love this simplicity.