Cycling For Pleasure

I rocked yesterday's 29 point challenge, and I'm getting ready to do the same again today.  I kicked this off last Wednesday last week, and I like that fact that I'm nearly a whole week of totally disciplined eating - a definite achievement in the normally laid back world of Sue.

I had a lovely afternoon yesterday on my bike. I chanced the weather and was rewarded as it stayed pleasantly warm and dry with occasional glimpses of glorious sunshine.  20 (and a bit) miles of unexplored trail, as I decided to go and explore the National Cycle Route over from Bristol to Portishead.  I've never lived anywhere before that has cycle routes anywhere nearby, so it's really refreshing to have so many dedicated routes radiating out from pretty much my doorstep.

Yesterday's bike ride was a little different for me though.  Usually if I'm riding on my own, it's because I want exercise.  I wear my heart-rate monitor, and I push along a little bit, and I'm doing it because I want acticity points in my tracker.  I also have a constant eye on my watch and my speed.  Even when I ride with friends, I'm usually actively monitoring what activity points I can get out of it - probably because I usually use most of my activity points during the week.  But yesterday?  Well, yesterday I rode for the hell of it.  Because I wanted some fresh air, and to explore somewhere new.  I had no pace in mind, so target time, and I happily meandered along on the way out, just enjoying the scenery and stopping to read the info boards along the way. 

I found myself at the marina at Portishead when I arrived, which I previously had no idea even existed!  Normally, I end up at the sea front by the park when I visit the town, probably because that's where the parking is, but it turns out the marina's really rather chic, and had a very nice cafe where I was able to keep an eye on my locked up bike outside and enjoy a rather delicious home-made cupcake and a nice cold drink with friendly service.  Most pleasant!  I also made a point of making sure my cupcake was part of my daily food allowance, rather than my exercise points, so I could hit my points challenge for the day, and I swear, somehow, that made it all the more tasty!

On the way back, I did something I rarely do, and plugged my iPod in while I cycled.  I wouldn't normally because of not being able to hear traffic on the roads, but the route is pretty much all trail and quiet roads, and I found as long as I kept the volume down, and cast a wary eye over my shoulder once in a while, I could stay aware of my surroundings.  I'm not sure if it was the music or just warmed up legs, but the return journey was about 25 mins quicker, and all in all it was an afternoon very happily spent :-)

It seems like that's a change for me - doing an activity purely for the pleasure rather than the exercise - there's probably only surfing or horse-riding that otherwise do that with.