Sunday, December 14, 2008

Quiet Contentment


It was an early start. Even in the pre-dawn darkness, the wind was wide awake and at full capacity. Not in the mood for spinning pedals into those gusts, it seemed better to pack refreshments and head to the low lands. It wasn't long after arriving at the Waide Road crossing of Clear Creek that the sky started to lighten up.


The bridge at this location is barricaded at both ends, but a cyclist can squeeze by. Without vehicle traffic this area it is a lonely place on a Sunday morning. Deer running through the shallow creek, and then effortlessly up the steep bank, amazed me.


Spending some quiet time cycling down a rarely used gravel road with a thermos of my own brew, and then pausing at a nearby creekbed for a cup or two, is one way I define contentment.

4 comments:

  1. You're pretty brave to have headed out into that wind today.

    I hadn't thought about carrying a thermos of coffee on my rides. I thinks a thermos that fits my cages will be my next purchase. Thanks for the idea.

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  2. Brave probably would have been to actually ride more than 5-6 miles. No, I just sorta noodled my way down to the creek, out of the wind. Then I sat in the woods, watched the day wake up, and noodled back home. My thermos is pretty good at not leaking, so it goes, with my cup, in my front bag.

    I'm trying to get brave enough to commute in to work tomorrow in the cold. I keep telling myself I'll have a tailwind.

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  3. Nice ride, nice post, I think I find a similar contentment when I'm out alone early in the mornings, riding in my part of the world.I'll have to get a thermos though. Hope you made the commute.

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  4. Hey, Welshcyclist, thanks for the note. I see (from your blog) you also have a long commute. You folks that ride long distances on ice are inspiring. Be safe out there.

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