Summer Biking...

Hello, friends!

When Meg and I got married, there were a number of changes to both of our lives. For me, gone were the days of bachelor life. I started eating better, the house had a sense of style, and I was going to bed earlier. For the most part, I'd say every change in my life because of Megan has been a positive one.

One change that has been a little harder to adjust to is that I'm biking less. Well, maybe that's not true. It's that I'm biking in fewer environments. When I was young(er), single, and generally without responsibilities, I'd bike whenever I wanted to get around. It didn't matter if it was dark, raining, or even snowing; I would just change my speed and my route, and be on my way. However, Megan would rather I not be a reckless knucklehead and leave Ezra and Thaliea without a father, so I've stopped biking in the wet and in the dark.

Don't get me wrong, these are definitely intelligent changes and all said and done, I know they're the right call. What I've noticed though is that in the almost 5 years that we've been married (and the 2+ years that we've been parents), I've adopted the mentality that if it's dry, I'm biking. For the most part, during the summer, it's pretty dry. It's also RIDICULOUSLY hot...

As someone who does commuter biking (that is, biking to get places, not just for pleasure), there are certain supplies that I always make sure I have. I'll always have my helmet, my quick tire change kid, my keys to lock up my bike, and my water because no matter the weather, hydration is a good idea. However, during SUMMER biking, we add a change of clothes and a pack of baby wipes to the list of essentials. There's nothing quite like biking around town all day going from meeting to meeting, then showing up to your last meeting looking like you just got out of the pool. However, a quick shirt change, a quick face wash with a baby wipe, and a few deep breaths, and no one is the wiser. Well, who am I kidding, they probably know. =0).

Is there a moral to this story? Almost certainly not. It was more just an observation that I'm much more willing to bike in the heat now than in my youth because I want to take every opportunity I can to hit the road. Who knows when it'll get wet or dark.

Have an excellent day!

~Adam