It’s fairly easy to do an early ride in the Summer. By 05:00 the sky is beginning to hint at dawn, and the sun is rising by the time I pull back in between 06:00 and 06:30. By this time of year, it seems as if the same time is the middle of the night. More, it’s getting so it’s kinda cool out there. I don’t mean “cool” as in “groovy,” or “sweet,” or “rad.” No. It’s cool in the sense that it’s approaching being chilly out.
I check the weather, and check my big dial thermometer. I estimate humidity and cooling rates. I dress accordingly. Don’t want to be too warm when I get on the bike. Don’t want to sweat and then chill. So I start out chilly, and with lights burning. The body warms. Suddenly, I’m a bit too warm. Open zippers. The air rushes in, and I cool. Maybe a bit too much. Quick, find a hill to climb, and close some zippers!
Be sure the tail light is working. Pull on the reflective gear. Seems like a lot for a “simple” bike ride.
Why bother?
Well, it’s quiet. I like quiet. Don’t seem to get enough of it. I like looking up at the stars. Is anybody up there looking back? It’s a time when I don’t have to interact with other people. I need that.
Please don’t misunderstand. I’m fairly gregarious by nature. But I’m exposed to a lot of people on a daily basis. I need solitary time.
And the major payoff? There aren’t a lot of folks out in cars. I can ride for as much as a half hour, even 45 minutes, without seeing or hearing a car. These early mornings are a time when it’s possible to imagine a calmer, quieter, better world.
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