Originally Posted by Digital Gee
To what extent does the mood you're in impact the kind of ride you have, if it does, and how does a ride affect your mood, if it does?
My wife and I need some form of exercise daily. Period. It may be a bike ride, or it may be a long walk, or it may be on the treadmill or trainer in winter. It has become addicting, I guess. But, as addictions go, I can't think of a better addiction.
If we don't get the exercise our mood (and our sleep pattern) goes rapidly down hill. If we get our exercise, it goes rapidly uphill.
I frequently approach my rides with a different "mood." This morning, for example, I felt a bit tired and wasted (I hit it real hard two days ago and have not yet fully recovered) so I deliberately set my mood on "slow and discover." Go slow, look at new places, relax, and really enjoy the roses. I even stopped for breakfast along the way. So my ride was influenced by my pre-ride "mood." That doesn't mean I didn't have a great time, I did. Just a different kind of great time.
I sometimes compare my bicycling to different kind of vehicles.
Somedays I am a sports car. Or I may be a tour bus. Or, perhaps a Buick, just cruising along. Then again, I may feel like a Jeep and crank out the Mtn Bike. Today, I took the Lemond because I have been riding the Windsor "utility" road bike a lot, and wanted something different. Today I was a sleek but deliberate Convertible.
And, it is on those rides that I think up things like starting the 50+ Forum, the 50+BFBS Index, the Rogue's Gallery and the like.
Perhaps I should stop riding?
