Biking
Riding a bike has been a theme of my whole life. From doing “wheelies” and jumping bikes as a kid to college commuting and later mountain biking, I’ve nearly always had one in my life. But since I’ve taken up road biking with Mary, it has taken on whole new dimensions.
You can ride in neighborhood paths to get out for the day. Or you can ride organized long bike events in beautiful places across the country. If you work out how to carry a camping setup (we use a single-wheel mountain bike trailer) you can even do long-distance bike-packing trips that let you experience an entire region, or perhaps even spanning the country. And you can do it at your pace. When we lived in England, we didn’t get a car. Instead, we used our bikes to get around. But we also used them to get to some historic places that were inaccessible by car. We even biked coast-to-coast along Hadrian’s Wall near the Scottish border–breathing the air, feeling the rain and sleeping in hostels along the way. It was fabulous adventure that meant the world to us, and cost very little.
Biking is also a key part of our strategy to stay healthy and capable. It keeps you flexible, and strong without beating up joints that may not be what they used to be. And you don’t have to be a top athlete to participate–especially on the fabulous (and growing) nationwide network of former railbeds being converted to use as bike paths by the folks at the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy.
So stay tuned and I will share the best rides we’ve done, along with everything that is good to know about them. Just get a decent bike (they can be had for $1,500-$3,000 each). Find a bike mechanic you like, and get the right gear to be comfortable in. Get used to your equipment and trail protocols on your local bike paths–and then get out there!