And there's no contest: outdoors wins by a mile! Today, as it was about 70 degrees outside and only mildly windy, I jumped on my bike and went for a ride (minding the Physical Therapist's admonition not to ride over 1 hour and to avoid hills). Here's why you'll never compare that gym stationary cycle to riding outdoors:
The birds were singing and flying around--I saw and heard a cardinal and a mockingbird in the bare trees. The air smelled like Spring and the wind was from the north, but just moderate, nothing that couldn't be handled with a smile. My lungs heaved and strained as I went up an incline and it felt great! The kids stared at my rig as I went by; the cops didn't. I stopped at all the stop signs and got in some good work on starting from a dead stop and accelerating. I swear it looked as if the grass might be getting green as I watched! It just felt so great to be out in the open and on a bike once again. So what if my shoulder hurts a bit--I know I'll sleep great tonight.
The air smelled like Spring and the wind was from the north, but just moderate, nothing that couldn't be handled with a smile.
I've noticed a pleasant change in the air lately, too. Today while riding through neighbourhoods, I got all kinds of olfactory treats of the aromas of cooking dinners emanating from houses and restaurants. Sometimes the air goes just right for that effect, where you can smell everything and it's all nice.
Church's Chicken smells better than KFC. Tastes better, too. Y'know those "11 different herbs & spices" KFC talks about? I bet at least 9 of 'em are salt. But anyhow ...
I sure hope you get to indulge in the joy of riding along streets lined with lots of ornamental cherry trees. There's something really uplifting about riding through blizzards of those pink-white blossoms. Kinda makes me think of Perez Prado's happy little tune: "Cherry Pink & Apple Blossom White".
cheers, Tom
-- -- Nothing is safe from me. Above address is just a spam midden. I'm really at: tkeats [curlicue] vcn [point] bc [point] ca
: But anyhow ... : : I sure hope you get to indulge in the joy of riding along : streets lined with lots of ornamental cherry trees. : There's something really uplifting about riding through : blizzards of those pink-white blossoms. Kinda makes me : think of Perez Prado's happy little tune: "Cherry Pink & : Apple Blossom White". : : : cheers, : Tom
No, no ornamental cherry trees here--the white blossoms we get are from ornamental Pear trees (mostly Bradford Pear) and a few wild Mexican plum trees. While I like to see the blossoms, the Bradford Pear trees themselves remind me of gigantic lollipops stuck in the ground.
Pat in TX : : -- : -- Nothing is safe from me. : Above address is just a spam midden. : I'm really at: tkeats [curlicue] vcn [point] bc [point] ca
