The Little Picture

Everyone always says "try to see the bigger picture". I say, try to the smaller one.

When you drive your car around town, you see the roads, buildings, areas near the road, which could include some grass or trees, but you don't really "see" what's around you. The bigger picture is more important the anything.

On a bicycle, you can see the little picture.  You see beyond the trees, beyond the shrubs, behind the buildings.  Not just see, either, you get the real smells, the wind or no wind, the heat or the cold.

Ride your bike around town, do it with your friends or by yourself. Do it for a bit of exercise, or do it to commute somewhere (preferably to a pub crawl).

Ride your bike enough, and an amazing thing starts to happen.

You change the way you drive you car.  You begin to really look at the traffic.  You start to see the smaller roads that you would normally miss, like the pathways behind the building's that allow you to escape a normal high traffic route.  You can even calculate distances with precision.  You develop the skills of a meteorologist. You can read wind maps and jet streams.  You know exactly for the next three months when the sunrise will rise, and when the very last bit of light will disappear.  Roll down the window of your car, and smell the air. You know exactly when the rain will hit and what kind of rain.  You can even save gas by planning your routes with or against the wind.

Bicycling is just more than some mindless exercise. It's skills building at it's best.

You'll also become a nicer human being.  Breakdown once and notice how many cyclists ask if you need help. You don't see that on the road.  The next time you see someone walking a bike or fumbling w/ a chain, chances are, you'll reach out to help.

With all these new attributes and love, you gain more than just dropping a few pounds.  You gain self esteem. On a bike, when alone, you can be in your mind, whomever you want. You're totally free.  You'll watch sunrises and sunsets with complete awe.  When you come home, the thing bugger you all night and when you woke up, wont seem so crucial anymore, and more often then not, a solution has already presented itself.  Watch your blood pressure drop, as your heart becomes a power muscle machine.

All this, from looking at the smaller picture, from the view of a bicycle.

Clear, Calm, Cool Skies