All I need is my bike; and the will to ride it!

          I really can't complain about this winter, after the past few arctic blasts we've had.  But that doesn't stop me from going stir crazy on my indoor trainer.  When I heard the weather forecast for this week I knew this was finally the time to get my bike off that stationary platform and hit the trails again.

     I really love my bike, and if I turn on my favorite music I can manage to force myself to ride on this thing and stare at a boring wall for the good of training.  After all, they call this a "trainer"; not a "riding on a beautiful trail...er"...

          Yes, that treadmill in the background is my alternate form of cardio, but I am sick to death of getting up every single day only to have these guys staring me in the face!  So why do I do it, you ask... because I can!!

      Monday morning was the day I planned to put an end to the craziness, and with any luck the warmer weather would be here to stay, and I would be back to my outdoor riding again.  

     However, it was too soon to start begging my riding buddies to get out side, so that would mean I would have to visit my trusty old "safe place", Olander Park.  But I don't mind; I love that place!

     Monday was the first nice day but My bike was still immobile but I just had to go see what I was dealing with; so It was off to check out my favorite park; Olander...

     As you can see; this park had no signs of winter whatsoever!

        Granted, it had taken a beating from all of the snow, but the snow was gone so I didn't care how it looked.  After all, beauty is only grass deep:)

           I think the ducks were in agreement!

     Now I just had to get my bike off the trainer and pack it in my car.  Wednesday was the soonest I could get out so my fingers were crossed that the weather held out until then...

     So that part was taken care of; this is where my bike used to be...

     I packed it in my car and Wednesday afternoon I headed back to Olander Park.

     Luck was really on my side this day because it was a perfect day for a bike ride!   The sun was shining as brightly as I've seen all season.

    As I took my bike out of my car I knew I had to get my trusty camera/phone out, because... well, you should know the routine by now:)

     When choosing a photographer I always make sure not to ask anyone who appears to be trying to get their workout in for the day, because I wouldn't want to feel guilty for causing them to slack off.  But then I noticed a young man sitting by himself on a park bench fishing.  I really hated to disturb him, but I looked at it as giving those poor fish a break,ha,ha.

        He was more than happy to take a picture.  He told me he wasn't having any luck with the fish that day anyway.  After a few minutes of idle chit chat it appeared that I must have been slightly more interesting than staring at a pole in the water, so I didn't feel too guilty:)

     of course it had been several months since I had been on this contraption with out the trainer (or more or less, training wheels that go nowhere...), now I just had to see if it was like the old saying... it's just like riding a bike:)

     And low and behold it felt like I hadn't missed a day.  And I think the geese had found their land legs too, because we were soon playing a game of chicken on the trail (or is that "geese"...?)
                   

          So after a few laps around the lake, I was able to chalk this first ride up as a success.  And now I was on a mission to get back to all those serious trails again!!  Trust me... I will, real soon!!

 Have a great day!

Christine:)