How Cycling is More Than Getting from point A to B

For me, riding a bicycle is about so much more than getting from one place to another. It has been my main form of transportation - by choice - for quite some time now but cycling represents something bigger than just transporting me to work, up mountains or a tooling around town or to the beach. It really has become a lifestyle, an activity that has given me fitness, friends and most importantly freedom.

Freedom

When I'm out riding, whether it be for work or fun there is a real sense of freedom. If I happen to come upon a truck blocking the street. I don't have to concern myself about awkwardly backing up a vehicle or getting trapped amongst a bunch of cars. I simple hop the curb, ride along a sidewalk for a bit and continue on my way. There isn't a schedule to adhere to or people jammed in a train like sardines. It's just me, pedalling to where I need to get to with few constraints and a real sense of freedom that nothing else brings me.

Fitness

This is something that I had always taken for granted until my daughter was born. Before then there was always time to exercise but after the birth of a child everything changes, time away from my family always felt like an opportunity missed. I really needed a way to balance fitness and maximize my time with my family and commuting on a bicycle almost seemed too easy. For me, It was the ultimate life hack, a way to get exercise while still getting where I needed to go. And, if I'm up for it I can always sneak in a few extra miles on that daily commute.

Friends and Family

Every once in a while it does seem a bit odd to me that I've met such interesting and kind people through riding. What is it about this 200 year old mode of transportation that makes the people who ride so generous and thoughtful? I have no idea but I can say that the vast majority of people who I have met through riding are really awesome people and I count most of my closest friend as people who I've met while cycling.

On top of that, the rest of my family loves cycling.  My wife has a couple of bikes and our daughter loves ripping around on her mountain bike.  On weekends in the summer one of our favourite activities is hopping on our bikes and riding to the beach to catch the gorgeous sunsets over the Pacific.

So. there you have it. For me cycling is more than getting from point A to B, it is all about the 4 F's :)