A Time to Ride Our Bikes

 

photo credit

While some of my readers are welcoming cheery yellow daffodils as they emerge from the vanishing winter scape, here in North Central Florida, it's the wild flowers that salute spring. Predominantly pink-to-purple, yellow, and white, the roadside phlox bloom from April through June and have seemed to be more abundant each year. 

I say "salute" because we've already had spring weather for several weeks along with some unwelcome summer temps and sticky humidity. 

unloading our bicycles

Since I come from the high altitude/low humidity of Colorado, even though I've been a Florida resident for nearly eight years, a lower dew point is my preference. (note: dew point is not the same as humidity, but they are closely related) 

However, I should add this note: "they" (whoever "they" are!) say women living in the South tend to look younger with more supple skin due to the humidity... 🤭 and my naturally straight hair does have more body with the additional moisture.  

entrance to the 49th Avenue trailhead

Hmm. I've digressed. Back to Spring. Before the barometric reports get scary with hot weather and hurricane forecasts, we are taking advantage of the more comfortable opportunities to ride our bikes beyond the confines of our gated retirement community. 

yours truly ready to ride

We have been riding some 5 miles or so inside our neighborhood for over three years now, which still does not cover it all. It's a nice route that takes us through at least seven of the 16(?) neighborhoods within our gate. Now that I'm past the hurdle of regaining my bike legs (it had been some 30+ years since I last peddled anything), and Gary's health is strong, we've been loading our bikes onto the car and trying out the trails featured in Florida biking books.

a water bottle is essential

Oh by the way, let me hasten to inform you that we are not of that set of bikers who tempt fate on the shoulder of two-lane roadways with the tight pants*, special cleated shoes, and little rear-view mirrors attached to their helmets like antennae, as well as bikers who have to lean far forward to reach their handlebars. No, that's not us.

illustration credit

Far from it. We are two seniors in the late-autumn of life who are, by God's grace, still able to balance our butts on a bike seat and move forward without falling. Both of our bicycles are "Townies," which embraces "flat foot technology."

close-up 

That means when stopped, we can stand straddling the bike with our feet flat on the ground. That's important to us as seniors with the thought we are less likely to fall when stopped at an intersection. 

storage in the garage can be an issue

*Uh, well, okay. Allow me to back up (carefully, of course) on something I said a couple of paragraphs ago. I DO wear the tight spandex pants, capris, and shorts. I wear them because they are very comfortable and the fabric does not slide up and down my legs as I peddle. (so let's just save the judgmental attitudes on that issue)

Also, and this is helpful info: if you can't find a comfortable bicycle seat (that can be a very important consideration when contemplating this sport), there are spandex pants with a surprisingly comfortable pad sewn into the hind-quarter part. I know because I have two pair of them (shorts and pants). Since purchasing them, I have moved onto a different bike with a much more comfortable seat, so I seldom wear them any more. But there is that option. 

And regarding my snarky description of mirrors ("little rear-view mirrors attached to their helmets like antennae"), I have two mirrors attached to my handlebars, and Gary has one on his bike. I like to tease him that he's always in my rear view mirror, which is where he prefers to be so he can keep an eye on me!

requirements (aka good ideas)

But to get to the actual bike trail, this one had helpful signs and we do our best to obey them. No, my helmet does not do my hair style any favors, but Gary has convinced me he is not bothered by that. He is very safety-conscious and is more concerned with protection.

Which leads me to making mention of the electric bikes that are soooo popular these days. They whiz past us all the time, even within our retirement neighborhood. Gary has said time and again, if these old people fall off one of those electric bikes at breakneck speed, well, it's just not going to be pretty.

Gary heads west

We travel at whatever speed our legs will move and that's good enough for us -- no battery required. The result is we use up a lot more calories this way and do a better job of getting our heart rate pumping. (enough said about that; I may have pedaled over some toes with that)

good info on the trail

These trails we've been riding are wonderful with wide asphalt, plant-life cleared away several feet away from the trail's edge, and even painted mile-markers. On this trail the information was posted every quarter of a mile. 

bear encounter

Yes, there is the possibility of meeting up with a bear. I confess that I have not given that a lot of thought but I can tell you my absolute first response would be prayer. (Even, "O God!" is a prayer. ) I do think a calm statement or two made to the bear would be a good idea, assuring the creature I mean no harm while backing away slowly, not showing my teeth or doing anything else that could be understood to be offensive on my part.

a highway at trail's end

The end of the trail intersected with a state road. We stopped there, sipped from our water bottles, found a way to meet nature's needs (no port-a-potty 😆), and had a pleasant conversation with another bicyclist. (Note to the wise, it's a good idea to tuck a tissue or two into the pockets...)

We pedaled back to the trailhead for a total trip of some 12 miles. That's long enough to ensure that I'll take a good nap after getting back home. 

With all that said, it was a good ride. We may go back another time to explore a second trail that stems in another direction from the parking lot. 

Other activities of note this past week include the most welcome news that 3 skin biopsies taken from me a couple of weeks ago (looking for melanoma), came back as benign. I will go back to the dermatologist in 6 months for a re-check, and that is fine with me. I am so thankful that test of my faith turned out well. (and yes, sun screen has become more prominent in my daily habits...)

Also, the ladies Bible study of which I am a member began a new book this past week:

purchase information

My headcount around the room came up with about 26 gals. The discussion was good and I am finding the book to be very insightful as I study its pages at home. 

In chapter 3 is a passage that may be the most often quoted from the entire book. It's the one that starts out, "There is a time for everything..." and goes on to state there's a time for birth and death, planting and harvesting, mourning and dancing, and so forth.

Since I am a person who is fascinated with words, I pondered another way to phrase "a time to be ..." or "a season for ..."  What I concluded is that there is an appropriate time for these things.

To me, that means we may be able do some things at any time we choose, but we need to keep in mind that there are appropriate and inappropriate times to do those things. Wisdom will teach us when things are proper, fitting -- appropriate.

There is a time for everything,

and a season for every activity under heaven.

Ecclesiastes 3:1

With that said, I close. Until next time, grace and peace. Thanks for stopping by and for all comments both now and in the past. You all are such an encouragement to me.

more Florida wildflowers