Spring is in the air and along with it are the thousands of men and women, girls and boys who have waited through the long, cold winter to get back on their bikes. They are ready to say good-by to those long months of too much television viewing and too little exercising. No doubt extra pounds have found their way to many waistlines and muscles are significantly much less defined than they were at the end of last fall after a nice long season of regular workouts. Now is the time to change all of that. It's time to turn off the remote, get off the couch and regroup. The cumbersome boots and heavy winter coats can now be stored and out can come the warm weather t-shirts, cycling shorts and fitted cycling jerseys. Hallelujah! This season has not arrived one minute too soon. A good many of us must feel exactly the same way because the streets are becoming crowed with cycling enthusiasts traveling in pairs, in groups and solo. The bright colors of their jerseys are a most welcome sight and compliment the emerging colors of the passing landscapes on every side.
While it is true that there are still exercises to do and sports to be involved with during the cold months of the year, it is the renewed passion for cycling that fuels the enthusiasm of many athletes. Clipping their shoes into the pedals they head out for a long morning ride where they can enjoy the brilliant rays of the early sun and feel the heat against their faces. The morning air is still fairly cool and feels invigorating against the skin energizing the muscles to work harder, faster. Somehow, it looks so much easier and more pleasant to get one's exercise during during the warmer months than it does when the snow is piled up on the sidewalks and the air bites hard into the skin. Gliding along the roadway under low leafy branches is ever so much nicer than grinding it out on the treadmill at the local gym with all the other sweaty bodies.
Feeling at one with nature and life is a great way to spend one's workout time and a pretty great way to start out the day. Interestingly there seems to be an instant camaraderie with other cyclists who you encounter who are enjoying nature in the same fulfilling way. There is a long list of things to love about Springtime but getting on your bike and heading out for an exhilarating and thoroughly enjoyable ride is certainly one of them.