Slowing down

I generally ride about as fast as I can given the situation.  Sometimes I have to slow down due to traffic, sometimes because it's raining or snowing, or I don't want to sweat too much on my commute to work.

So last week on my ride home, a beautiful August day as I passed the lake...

I slowed down.

As I was looking through the trees at the lake I've passed 4 day a week for the last 3 years (I work from home one day a week) I saw an opening.  I kept going.  Then as I crossed the next block, I thought, what's the rush.  I turned back and headed to the opening which was just a 20 foot path from the bike path.  I parked the bike and walked to the edge of the lake and saw a beach chair just sitting there in about 6 inches of water.  I took off my shoes and walked in the warm water which felt so good on my feet and sat down.  Ahhhhhhhh.    Everything slowed down.   A few geese floated over by me so close I could almost touch them.  I didn't have any food but they seem happy just to be near me and I was glad to have their company.

So there I was just a short walk from my daily commute where time stopped that one day.  Now when I have the time, I make sure to slow down when I pass the lake, and sometimes, I park my bike and sit in that chair.

See you on the road.