Exploring on Two Wheels

Spring has been slow to arrive, but we had a gorgeous day on Sunday which was perfect for a bike ride. The air was slightly cool but the sun was bright and I warmed up as I was pedaling. In the winter I am much less eager to travel by bicycle but once I go for my first ride of the spring I remember how much I love it. 

We rode west through St Paul across the river into Minneapolis where we had a chance to explore the mid town greenway. I had heard of the greenway but didn't really even know what it was until we got on the trail. I love following a trail when I'm not exactly sure where it will go or what I will encounter. We zipped past some art installations, over a bridge just for people on foot or on a bicycle, and rode to the edge of the lakes which are also ringed with paths for walking and pedaling. I love bicycling because it is fast enough that you can explore easily but slow enough to take in the scenery.

Although I don't think that is necessary to have separate bike path to get where you want to go, it can be pretty fun especially when you can pedal along without worrying about traffic. There were plenty of other cyclists out, though, which made for great people on bicycles watching. We passed by community gardens, a bike shop on the greenway, and lots of different styles and types of bikes.

I guess it was the gift of gorgeous weather but the ride felt a bit magical -- discovering new places not far from where we live, seeing other people out, enjoying the feeling of traveling that way. Did you know that pedaling a bicycle is the most efficient way for a human to travel?

I came across these gorgeous bicycles that are grown and built in San Francisco. Such a cool idea! Sometimes I think about designing some bicycle bags. I would eventually like to try, but there are already some pretty nice ones out there.

What is your favorite way to travel and explore?