When the weather turns warm, we're all itching to get right out onto the road. And you should, but we want to put another thought in your head, too: take your bike with you when you hop in the car and leave your house this spring. Drive somewhere remote, new, exciting, and bring your bike along for the ride. Here's why.
Taking your bike to new location is about remembering why you love powering away hours on your 2-wheeled transport. It's about feeling like a kid again as the fresh air whizzes through the vents in your helmet. It's about taking the scenic route to enjoy a new sight, even though it's out of your way, and mustering up the willpower to dig deep as you pedal uphill against a headwind. It's the meditative state you fall into as you count the repetition of your pedal strokes to keep your perfect cadence mile after mile. It's realizing that as you take the front position of the pace line and the leader falls back to take a break, you and your cycling mates are the definition of "poetry in motion."
But going somewhere new is more than just remembering. It's about looking ahead and setting new goals. It's about seeing the goals you're riding towards more clearly. Your goal might be to ride a century or a double century in a day. Perhaps you're working towards doing a cross-country tour on your bike. Or maybe you're trying to log 7,500 miles in the saddle this year.
And so this meditative retreat to the countryside is also a time to start setting new goals, to make a plan. Set small and attainable goals that lead to your ultimate aspiration. The light at the end of the tunnel becomes clearer and clearer as you ride through the checkpoints of each small goal you've set for yourself.
What Are You Waiting For? Let's Get Started:
- Mark a day or two on your calendar each week to get out and ride.
- Reach out to a local cycling group to find new places to ride.
- Do some research on Google Maps and Google Earth to find new routes.
- Dust off your bike rack, hook up your bike, and go.
When you're ready to go, set your GPS and keep your eyes focused on what's ahead. It's the perfect way to kick-off the season.