Today was one of those days where I was just happy to be on a bike. Three things happened to make today’s riding happier than it’s been in a while – the weather, the bike trail, and a new cassette. Although, technically, since I bought the cassette, you could argue that again, money has bought me happiness. But let’s focus on the non-monetary aspects of this post tonight.
It poured rain in the wee hours, and I was glad I worked from home today. But the sun came out by the afternoon, so when I left to run errands, it was cool, breezy, just a bit humid, and just glorious – Spring! I had left in just jeans and a tee shirt and initially feared I’d be too cold, but that was not a problem. It just felt so FUN to be out biking around, arms bared to the sun (albeit smothered in sunscreen), the lightness that comes with not wearing layers of winter weather clothing.
Post-storm blossom “snow”
My errands took me on the W&OD Trail towards Falls Church, a route I haven’t taken in a while. Everything was in bloom, and covered with a haze of fresh green, giving me that happy-it’s-Spring feeling again. There were some people out on the trail, but it was a trail, not surface streets, so I was able to stretch my legs and get some speed going. The new cassette made shifting so much smoother, and I felt like I was flying along – well, I did hit 21 mph and regularly saw 14, 16, and 18 mph as well (yes, on my commuter bike!). I love the high gears. : )
Grass full of tiny yellow flowers of some sort, near a water filtration pond of some sort…
So although money can buy me happiness, being out on my bike on a Spring evening with favorable conditions probably made me happier. Exercise produces endorphins, after all, and as Elle Woods once said in Legally Blonde, “Endorphins make you happy.”
(Image from Sam Schuerman)
Yes! You said it just the way it is ( and should be)!