OldsCOOL

It has always been that way. When straddling the bike and hitting the open road, not knowing where you will end up but always knowing you will somehow get back, there is that feeling of ultimate freedom. It's the independance that has called to me since I was a little boy of 10yrs old. Taking bike hikes in early school years only increased the appetite for open road riding. There is nothing like going town to town here in the rural areas of northern Michigan.

With the smells of summer air so abundantly available, the beautiful sights along the way, there is nothing like riding the open roads. No dodging of families out for a walk on the path, no longboarders zig-zagging unaware of your approach.....just you, the bike and your thoughts.

Freedom.

dbg

Exactly those kind of fond memories brought me back to biking. In college when troubled (girl friend problems, grades, money, hangovers, too much pot, etc) a bike ride in the country always felt great. Still works (and most of the problems are still the same).

lphilpot

I like being on my bike, since when I'm riding, it means I'm not at work.

bruce19

I've felt the same thing driving a car or riding a motorcycle or bicycle. I've also found the slower the ride the richer the experience.

Sculptor7

Agree wholeheartedly. The sense of freedom is even more precious the older one gets. Digging way back into my childhood memories I can even recall the smell of new rubber tires at the bike store and the excitement it generated. Even though most days I take the same route I especially enjoy getting out for longer rides where I am not exactly sure of my destination; a lot like dropping the mooring on my sailboat and heading out into the bay for a day's sail.

leob1

Two thing will always make me smile; getting on my bike, or getting on anything that floats.

otg 

I can usually work out problems I am having during a nice, liesurely ride. Funny how the mind clears.

David Bierbaum

It's hard to put my feelings while on the bicycle into words. Mostly it has to do with the sounds that you don't hear over the sound of a motor. Riding through the subdivisions with their manicured and landscaped lawns, listening to the wind rustling through the trees, hearing the bird calls, and watching the small animal life watching you back as you ride through. More than Freedom, I think what I feel is... peacefulness. Of course, I'm mostly an errand-type bicyclist, so I generally have destinations in mind before I hop on my bike, and time constraints that keep me from wandering or meandering too much.

I also seem to strike up conversations with random people more when I'm riding my bike, than doing anything else.

Phil85207

I was wondering why I am not ridding lately and its because the wife went to see a new grand baby and I am alone in the house. I have my freedom right here. That sounds bad but I don't mean it that way.

OldsCOOL

I'd spend a little time in the house if it were 117deg too

DnvrFox

err!!
Reductio ad absurdum

would mean that the very best ride is one where you are stopped

Just joking a bit

OldsCOOL

That's not biking at all.

El Segundo

Sun's going down and I think I will take a casual slow ride around the neighborhood on the three speed.

Rode around the trail by the river, no noise except crickets, frogs and cheerful click of a 50+ Sturmey Archer.

Timtruro

Nice thoughts by the OP. I love what I see and hear while riding.

transporterjr

Is that the reason I took my VW van to work today after getting back from touring this weekend? I have a sticker, it says, NEVER get behind a VW. I've crossed the US in both. I love what I read in an VW magazine long ago about the diesel Vanagon Westfalia camper (48 HP!). It said "Take Kansas. It appears flat, but to the Diesel Westfalia driver, or cross country bicycle tourist it is not flat, but one long gradual hill."

That reminds me - someone mentioned smells, I can still smell the wheat harvest from when I rode through Kansas. I occasionally will get that same smell at haying time here and it is a very powerful memory when it happens.

John
Whose van has just a smidge more than 100HP

miss kenton

This is me! I seem to be able to work through anything while on my bike.

Retro Grouch 

I once drove behind a VW bus with a bumper sticker that said: "Pass with care, driver chews tobacco."

yncs50

Back of my bus says "0 to 60 in 10 minutes". People are relieved when I stop and take the bike out

bjjoondo 

It's truely a "freedom" machine for us, we don't own a car so we'd have to WALK or ride a bus and well, they both SUCK! Today as I rode by a sweet babbling brook under large shade trees while doing "errands", I patted my bike handle bars and smiled!

OldsCOOL

Thanx, kindly.

OldsCOOL

Music will do the same. You probably have a couple of songs that could easily bring back the memories of those miles.

And for V-Dubs.....I do recall the frustration of getting behind a bug or van and instantly looking to pass, especially going up hills.

transporterjr

Yeah I hate it when bicycles pass me going up hills.

david58

I love my commute to work. I get to have 45 minutes of fun to start the day, and 45 more to cap it off!

rubic

Not only is cycling freedom for me, it is also a welcome window of privacy. I don't need to account for family members, coworkers, regulatory folks, etcetera, so on and so forth. So yes, outside of traffic considerations such as staying out of they way of Buicks and Kias, yes, biking is freedom.

bruce19

Re-read my post just before I saw yours and realized it was not exactly what I was trying to say. It should have been something like "...with respect to mode of travel slower is richer in terms of the experience." What I was trying to say is that I've found riding a motorcycle a richer experience than driving a car and riding a bicycle a richer experience than either of the aforementioned. I won't bore anyone with the details.