Clydesdales/Athenas (200+ lb / 91+ kg) - Gung ho or flower smell-er?

I'm definitely a scenery checker.

On my normal rides I go as hard as I can and make it through, with an eye on the fact I will ride tomorrow. As my recovery improves I want to go so hard that I have to lay in the yard at the very end and wonder if I am going to die or not.

Toured thru North western Europe, UK & Eire, at 7mph, took months ,
but that was fine.

now I just commute .. into town center, a few days a week.

sometimes my air speed is a lot faster than my ground speed.

I slow down with kids or when group is slower but rest of time, I'm on it. I can still look around but if I wanted to smell flowers I would walk.

Some days I'm feeling "motivated" and ride pretty aggressively (for a tubby kid:rolleyes:); but the majority of the time I'm a scenery kind of guy.

I ride hard but as posted above, I remember I have to survive the night and get to work on time the next morning.
Sucking air brings along the aromas.
I can't stare at the ground and still look out for cars, dogs, turns, stops, etc.

I have time to check out the scenery because lately I've been riding with my wife. I LOVE IT, though. She's pushing herself, and improving every ride we do. One day soon, though, she'll catch up to me and I'll have to start pushing again. Then, we will grow at a similar pace and I'll have to start pushing harder. It's all part of the journey!

Definitely a flower smeller and scenery viewer.

I ride as hard as I can. Which means, in the eyes of any competitive cyclist, I resemble a flower sniffer:-)

I stop to smell the blooming flowers, admire rivers and lakes or old cultural locations, love on the dog and give him water. :)

I got dropped this week because of admiring the historical homes on our club ride, was worth it. You should put 50/50 option, I do both.

It depends on the day and the ride. I might be hammering my 16 mile commute in to work doing intervals. I could be taking it easy on the way in and saving it for an extra 20mi off-road loop on the way home. Maybe I'm out for a nice easy populaire on a nice day; next weekend I might hit the same route at 20mph+ trying for a PR.

I haven't been accused of being fast in 30 years or so , so I stop and smell the flowers .

It's not an either-or proposition. There is a time to ride hard, a time to just relax and enjoy the scenery and lots of combinations of both in-between. ;)

Even my fastest speed would be considered slow by most standards, so I am most definitely a flower sniffer.

:)

Well, since I just got back on the bike for the first time in a long time, I am definitely a flower smeller trying not to fertilize the flowers, if you know what I mean!