The very first time I rode home from work, I took a wrong turn as soon as I left the office. It made for an eye-opening ride home, past corner shops I'd never seen before and through heavy traffic. But now I'm beginning to enjoy the little surprises that come with cycling.
I take a back route to work, dodging busy roads and intersections. On a good day, everything matches up. I cut through a school, and as I hit the road, I spy the post box that leads to my next short cut. I ride until I see the vet sign that reminds me to turn right, and that I'm almost there.
I've pretty much memorised the route but every so often, I miss a path and am thrown off course. On those days, I think about how one little decision can interrupt the rest of my ride. It might sound silly, but it made me reflect on some difficult times I faced last year, and made me see that in any situation, there are always choices to be made - even if they're guesses or tiny decisions.
On my bike, those choices have to be made quickly, and it's scary/empowering to be so physically there. I'm forced to have a go. It's not always a relaxing or fun ride but I always make it home.
P.S Do you ride? I just started using Strava and now I'm hooked - I'm getting faster by the day :) I also splashed out and bought this UV top for cycling, it's surprisingly cool and it means I don't have to fuss as much with sunscreen.
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