On the bike again

I hadn't been on my bicycle in two weeks.
I also haven't written a post in nearly a month. So, tonight I decided to break my slump, hoping to improve my mood and pick up a routine again.
I pumped out 10 miles, averaged 11 mph and hit a top speed of 16 mph. Those who cycle regularly would laugh at those stats, call that their warm-up and probably complain of not even breaking a sweat afterward.
But I didn't ride to push myself tonight. I just rode to ride, and along the way I reminded myself why I love to ride.
There's something special about being on a bicycle in general. I'm suddenly a kid again, racing my little brother on that two-lane country road in the heart of DeSoto County, passing the cows in the pasture and the blossoming orange groves. The wind beats on my face, and the sun heats my skin. And I breathe in the fresh air.
I'm not alone. Many bicycle riders rejoice in riding because it reminds them of their childhood. There's something freeing about being on a bicycle. I can go anywhere on my bike. And I love that feeling.
But North Port offers some of the best slices of life. One minute, I'll be riding down a street vacant of houses but full of wildlife. Birds. Squirrels. Rabbits. Chirping grass hoppers. The smell of fresh pine trees and crisp clean air from the untainted oak and pine forest. The air tastes sweeter.
The next minute, I'm riding down a neighborhood street, passing children on their skate boards, people mowing their lawns and the smell of hamburgers on the grill wafting in the air.
Tonight was especially nice. We've had two days of rain; the recent downpours cut through our humiditiy and heat, leaving a cool summer night - a rarity this time of year in Florida. Few mosquitos were out. Likely because of the recent rains. And the sky - with its wispy clouds - was pink, blue and orange...
What a night.
It felt so good to get back on the bike again.