Well, Saturday wasn’t the best morning for riding (although Albert got out and got…snowed (?) on). As for me, I decided it would probably suck to get wet on a long ride and then have to fight my way home in 30-degree weather. So I stayed home, warm and comfortable; and when it started drizzling, i felt satisfied in my decision.
So the 50-miler we had planned (with a couple of new riders included) never came to be. But I’d promised myself to get out if the weather looked up later in the day; and it did, so I did.
We love doing those long Saturday rides (at least I do), exploring and finding roads and ways on which we’ve not travelled before. We always find something interesting, and that makes Saturdays worth it. But there’s also something in the familiar that bears the occasional repetition. In going so far afield over so many weekends, the “nearby” falls by the wayside. And things change over time without even being noticed.
Yesterday, I set out without much in mind. “Head to P’alan” was my main thought, and I turned in that direction from the start. But then an idea formed in my mind that put me on a different path, which led to another, and then another. I never made it to P’alan (came close, I suppose), but travelled a few roads that I’d taken before maybe once or twice; or even several times, but not lately. There was no pressure to go anywhere or any distance. Nothing but the sun on its way to the western horizon. The wind didn’t bother me or push me any way in particular. In the end, it was kind of like a casual catching up with an old friend, I suppose. Seeing how things were going over here. Seeing if the new road they were putting in was done yet over there. Being surprised at a new place — usually a cafe — along the way. I enjoyed it, especially in knowing that there was a lot of exploring that could be done right here around where I live over the winter months of shorter rides. Even just seeing things I’ve seen so many times before seemed interesting yesterday.
So the ride was a success. Even getting home to the bustle of rush hour just after sundown was fun in its own way. I could even be looking forward to the shorter (colder) rides, if only to find more of the same so close to home.
