Biking Log

Here's a clear map:
http://www.mapmyrun.com/ride/united-states/nc/charlotte/884506610284

 

Tonight was the first time that I biked home alone. Daniel had something come up and had to go home early. So my choices were to bike alone, ride the bus home or wait for him to come pick me up.

I have biked the route often enough with Daniel that I decided that it was something I could do alone. Thankfully I didn't get lost (the route is mostly through neighborhoods that wind their way through Charlotte).

In the hour that I had to ride I had a lot of time to think. I have come to the conclusion that I really love biking. I remember the when we first bought my bike and Daniel took me on my first real ride. To be honest, it was petrifying. The entire trail was gravel with steep hills that were tough to go up and had me scared-to-death coming down. I grasped the brakes the entire time and the gravel made me feel like I was going to crash at any moment.

Since then, I have biked countless dirt trails and last summer, Daniel even convinced me to ride on the Cherohala Skyway (my first real attempt at road biking with skinny tires). I never imagined that I would be able to go close to 40 mph on a bike, coming down a hill. It was terrifying and thrilling all wrapped into one.

Today, as I rode, I thought about the freedom that riding my bike brings. The power that it takes to push up the hills. The feeling of flying when you are just coasting along or rushing down a hill.

I am not always crazy about traffic or the random people that feel the need to honk or yell at you. But overall, there is a peacefulness that comes with riding. It was nice to have an hour to just enjoying being outside with my thoughts.

The images aren't the greatest, but they show the route I take to get home. It meanders through many neighborhoods and parts of Charlotte. The red line denotes my route - starting at work, cutting through the Panther's Stadium. Making my way down Trade to CPCC. Going around the hospital. Cutting over across Randolph, through Myers Park. Coming out briefly at Providence Rd before cutting back to Wendover on Vernon. Taking Wendover to a short ride on Randolph, before going up Sharon Amity to Addison and finally making my way into the Stonehave/Waverly Hall neighborhoods. All of this in about 10-ish miles, one way.