I never feel as peaceful as the moments when I'm cycling

Seriously, without it I'd have nothing that reduces the stress, nothing that makes the dark times vanish, and I'd experience little that feels as free and liberating as just cycling.

I felt awesome riding this morning, just at one with the world. The whole idea of "be" seems natural when you're on a bike, how could you not just "be".

I want to be back out there now.

Beautiful morning for it too.

fitted a new crank last night... convinced I was going 4-6 mph faster with same effort as yesterday. Crank or Sunshine?

Good to hear it^^^ Im off out side right now with a sweet south westerly tailwind to Bournemouth. theres time in every day for riding, when you make it. enjoy.

Likewise, I was almost disappointed when I got to work, I wanted to keep riding, I love this weather. Cool enough that I don't overheat, but warm enough that I don't freeze while i'm out and about, I feel like I could just keep going and going......

But it's not just the weather. I feel the same overflowing peace when it's raining, and when my fingers are numb from the cold, and when I'm soaked in sweat at the height of summer.

The weather helps, blue skies lift the eyes and the mood. But the peace is always there, a few crank turns and the zen sets in and the glow starts. It's feels just so incredibly beautiful, and it's worth being aware of and remembering when you're stuck in an office.

i'm gonna get the old BMX out for a ride
autumn sunshine is like esctasy for the soul

the hour commute each way makes the office hours tolerable.
being on a bike is the closest i get to meditation.
bike love <3
(headwind almost got to me this morning though)

I had the full winter battle garb on this morning.
It was pissing it down.
Strangely, I loved it. Totally protected, tyres hissing through the rain water, not rushing, simply gliding.
Bacon, mushroom and tomato on a toasted ciabatta with a pint of tea when I arrived. Lovely.
Life's not bad at all, really.

Cycling this morning was indeed lovely. Had the pleasure of meeting another forumer on the way down Holloway Road

I had a nightmare last night that I'd got a promotion and been moved to an office that was right next door to my house... no more commute! ARGHHHHHHH! wakes up sweating and panting

Enjoy your late Autumn sunshine, I know what that's like in London and it is very special. Up here in the NE of Scotland it hasn't stopped raining for days, torrential and flooding on Sunday. Plus today it's cold as fook too. Meh.

Just thinking about cycling makes me happy :)

Anyway, time to go for a ride.

Have an interview for a job that will mean I get to extend my commute from 7 miles to 15 miles each way.

Wonderful

the hour commute each way makes the office hours tolerable.
being on a bike is the closest i get to meditation.
bike love <3
(headwind almost got to me this morning though)

people get scared by the idea of meditation, I would say that you ^ are all in meditation during those flow moments, cultivate them, access the heart mind, leave chatter behind.
Buddha.Dharma.Sangha.
youre there already.

I have to say, when I'm commuting - and it's only a short commute of 15 mins - I literally think about nothing. Just me and the bike getting to where I've got to go. It's really quite liberating :)

I've spent the last week not trying to get to work as fast as possible, but spinning a little faster in an easier gear going a little slower. It feels more rewarding than pushing the big gears and arriving at work a sweaty mess.

i had the pleasure of riding to work today for 7 o'clock this morning.
freezing weather, daylight just brightening the place up and a whole lot less crazy fuckers on the road.

without my cycle to and from work and some rides chucked in for fun i'm sure i'd be a whole lot less happy with the world.

in the words of queen 'i want to ride my bicycle'.

i'm gonna get the old BMX out for a ride
autumn sunshine is like esctasy for the soul
I want to ride my BMX, it rained on Sunday when I planned to be out. This sunday it better be dry or I'll be a mardy bitch come Monday.

I feel more stressed in the saddle, but that's good because it's cathartic and means I'm calmer when I put my feet up with a cuppa and Veronica Moser's new dvd the footy.

I want to ride my BMX, it rained on Sunday when I planned to be out. This sunday it better be dry or I'll be a mardy bitch come Monday.

mardy? where are you from? Don't hear that word much anymore

for will:

Rather than words comes the thought of high windows:
The sun-comprehending glass,
And beyond it, the deep blue air, that shows
Nothing, and is nowhere, and is endless.

This sunday it better be dry or I'll be a mardy bitch come Monday.

You're always mardy, you mardy bitch...
I enjoy pedalling... Pure joy... :]

i find there is a flow state that can i can obtain in a number of disciplines - cycling, fencing, djing, cooking dancing etc

the magic moment when everything becomes liquid and utterly easy, the body is not resisting itself at all, it is relaxed and the only effort being put in is towards the end goal

despite how hectic everything is that is going on around, i am the calm in the centre of the maelstrom

these truly are the moments that i live for, when we transcend our surroundings and are free from distraction to focus on the task in hand

(am sounding like a hippy and as lydon said, "never trust a hippy")

NB these moments are not always obtained, and some of my greatest frustration is when i cannot find the flow state zone

this state of mind/body is also referred to in eastern philosophy as being in the moment

i would like to add that i find cycling just after a yoga class generally puts me in this glorious state

i have been known to shout "i fucking love cycling" as i bomb around town

But we can apply the zen moments to every minute of our day by being aware of every moment. How free would we feel if we could let go of our aversions, greed, anger, fears..

Imagine starting a thread "I am always peaceful".

Nice thread Velocio.