Over the years, I have read many articles and posts that list reasons for riding a bicycle: everything from saving the planet to improving your sex life. Perhaps, as someone who loves cycling, I am biased, but I believe that I have yet to find a reason that isn't valid. In the end, though, I ride for one reason: I love it.
But I continue to read the lists. A couple of days ago, I came across one in, interestingly, Forbes magazine. The author provided 45 reasons to get on a bike in 2019. I've heard most of them before, but one in particular caught my eye--#10, "Get Lost":
It's stressful to get lost in a car--especially one with up-to-date stat nav--but it's generally less stressful to get lost on a bike. It's easier to explore on a bicycle, following one's nose rather than following a hectoring voice taking orders from a bunch of satellites in the sky.
There's also something about a bicycle that lends itself to serendipity--ride a bike to explore more.
Here, Carlton Reid explains why folks like me get on our bikes with no particular destination or route in mind. Sometimes I just want to see, hear and feel whatever may come, and the bicycle is the best way (that I know about, anyway) to do that.
I know I've written about "getting lost". What I meant is that I strayed from routes I planned or knew beforehand and was pedaling through unfamiliar territory. I have been "lost" in my hometown at midday as well as in places where I couldn't even speak the local language--if indeed there were even beings that spoke--after night fell.
Mr. Reid would no doubt understand this: At such times, I don't feel lost. In fact, I felt more certain of where I was (if not where I was going) than I did while commuting to at least a couple of jobs I've had. I daresay that, really, I have never been truly lost on my bicycle. At least, I have never felt that way.
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But I continue to read the lists. A couple of days ago, I came across one in, interestingly, Forbes magazine. The author provided 45 reasons to get on a bike in 2019. I've heard most of them before, but one in particular caught my eye--#10, "Get Lost":
It's stressful to get lost in a car--especially one with up-to-date stat nav--but it's generally less stressful to get lost on a bike. It's easier to explore on a bicycle, following one's nose rather than following a hectoring voice taking orders from a bunch of satellites in the sky.
There's also something about a bicycle that lends itself to serendipity--ride a bike to explore more.
Here, Carlton Reid explains why folks like me get on our bikes with no particular destination or route in mind. Sometimes I just want to see, hear and feel whatever may come, and the bicycle is the best way (that I know about, anyway) to do that.
I know I've written about "getting lost". What I meant is that I strayed from routes I planned or knew beforehand and was pedaling through unfamiliar territory. I have been "lost" in my hometown at midday as well as in places where I couldn't even speak the local language--if indeed there were even beings that spoke--after night fell.
Mr. Reid would no doubt understand this: At such times, I don't feel lost. In fact, I felt more certain of where I was (if not where I was going) than I did while commuting to at least a couple of jobs I've had. I daresay that, really, I have never been truly lost on my bicycle. At least, I have never felt that way.
