Happiness is not a Hamlet cigar, Happiness is being able to carry your shopping from Sainsburys in a beautifully designed bike lane and be smugly satisfied as your work colleagues complain about interminable car traffic jams – or something like that
The Guardian bike blog had a good post – what makes cycling joyful?
I like focusing on the positive, cycling blogs can easily become rants about the state of cycle paths, driving standards e.t.c. Anyway, I’ve made my own list of what I enjoy about cycling (many similar to readers comments, some my own.
My favourite comment from blog post was:
“Riding up a hill where I n e a r l y h a v e t o g e t o f f a n d p u s h b u t then I get over theothersideandsuddenlyI’mflying!” – rubylu
What makes cycling joyful?
- The feeling of being energised after a short commute to work.
- Being able to escape traffic jams and overtake any Porsche or 4WD on the road.
- The smug satisfaction of work colleagues who complain about their frustrating drive into town.
- Saving Money from driving and parking in the centre of town
- Being able to go wherever you want, canal paths, roads closed to traffic, moors
- The feeling of exhaustion and satisfaction after a 100 mile ride. A strange mix that you can never explain to those who haven’t experienced it themselves..
- The aesthetic beauty of a clean, fully functioning bike.
- When you come across a beautiful sweep of countryside which wouldn’t be the same from behind a car window.
- The nod to a fellow cyclist plodding along on the other side of the road. A strange feeling of camaraderie, despite them being a complete stranger.
- When you mend a puncture on the side of the road in under 10 minutes.
- Overtaking Cyclists on a short commute into town. OK, it maybe a 60 year old lady on a 30 kilo shopper bike, but, your still faster than her.
- The random meeting up with a cyclist during a training ride and enjoying a conversation whilst your paths converge.
- Being completely alone on a deserted country road in beautiful countryside.
- The joy of being in the present moment, only focused on the simple action of pedalling.
- A tailwind, and a smooth road surface, which makes you feel really fast.
- The first day of the year, when it’s warm enough to go in shorts and ditch the winter tights and the three pairs of gloves.
- Being Able to show off to your friends that they can lift up your 6.5 Kg bike with their little finger.
- The feeling of exhilaration when you’re sprinting up a hill, and your arms go numb because all the blood is in your legs and you know it is physically impossible to go any faster.
- The feeling of speed as you swoop down a hill at 50mph, knowing you won’t have to brake anywhere.
- The Cyclists Cafe. After a good 50 mile ride, there’s nothing better than stopping at a real cyclists cafe, when you are welcomed for the irresistible tea and toasted teacakes (which always taste much better than at home)
- The excuse of being able to shave your legs and admire the well developed muscles in your leg. (don’t know who inserted this one in here…)
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