First Bike Ride of 2021!

 Joan and I enjoy riding bicycles, and have for decades -- we each have two, a touring model and a "sports car." COVID-19 eviscerated our 2020 outdoor season; we were reluctant to ride on the street while the emergency rooms were full of pandemic patients. This is not a theoretical concern, for I have two bike riding ER visits in my history (1974, 1996). We rode outdoors only seven times all year, for the last time on November 7th, but continued to ride the rollers indoors three times a week.

Our 2021 season has gotten off to an even weaker start, July rather than June. This is partly due to an increased emphasis on hiking, as documented in this blog. On July 3rd we ventured out on our first outdoor ride of 2021, our usual starter cycle, from our house to Evans Park, outside Hebron, Ohio. This gives us a 33½ mile round trip.

We set off at 6:15am, for the cool air and less traffic. Here are our bikes at the park.

We always stop next to the large pond, away from the game fields. This early on a holiday weekend no baseball, football, or soccer practices were in session, so the park wasn't crowded.

The pond attracts herons, kingfishers, egrets, and other birds, and supports toads, turtles, etc. Today, however, there was little to be seen except blooming water lilies.

On the return leg, westbound, Joan and I encountered several packs of cyclists headed eastbound. We surmised it was an organized ride that divided participants into different groups based on riders' preferred speed. We also appreciated that their outing was inclusive with regard to gender and minorities. Fellow cyclists all! Lots of waving and calls of "good morning!"

We made it back home surprised at how natural the ride felt after seven months. I guess it's true that you never forget how to ride a bike.