being that i'm out of a job and not in school until late next month, i've found it to be a harder task in getting myself outside to ride. i can't help but have the feeling that i have to go somewhere when i ride- like actually GO SOMEWHERE (ie: bank, grocery store, friend's house, etc...). don't get me wrong, riding my bike is one of the funnest things i do, but saying to myself "OKAY, I'LL RIDE TO THIS POINT IN THE ROAD AND THEN HEAD ON BACK HOME" seems really weird and uninspiring to me- i absolutely hate going in circles because it feels like i'm just wandering around aimlessly (possibly a metaphor of my life?) without a point at all. it's almost depressing. does anyone else feel like this or have anyone else felt like this before?

I don't mind the circles, really. I get very enthusiastic about finding a new route or place to ride to though.

Solitude is a main feature of my riding. This means that on a whim I can take a turn and head off in another direction. Or double back.

We all carry "maps" in our heads. They are made up of the places that we know well. We wear tire grooves in the pavement from only reading our own "maps". Shake it up a little, and maybe with the fresh experience you won't feel that every ride must have a point.

Figure out some especially pretty routes and then the goal is simply to go sight seeing... result is the same... you still get exercise and enjoy a ride, but you get eye candy along the way too.

I have both a beach route and a back country route to chose from. Still circles though.

a way to avoid your utilitarian guilt surrounding this aimless nofergooding, make your rides destination rides. I mean, pick a place to go and go there.

run your mail to the post office three towns over. . For example, I had to mail some letters on Weds so I did a 50 mile mail run in 39 degree rain. Hear about a cool little record store in the next county? Ride to it

My default excuse for my aimless bicycling is looking for bike shops. I'll fool myself into rationalizing the ride by looking for distant bike shops and stopping in to see if they stock the particular brands of asthetic biking widgets I prefer.

these are all good suggestions. yeah, it would be pretty cool to ride over to the next county and check things out- i might do that. up until these past couple months i've been strictly a utility rider/commuter and it just seems awkward now that i'm out of a job and out of school. but these are all cool suggestions and i'll definitely do the "ride to the next county" thing and check out the locals. if i could find a friend to ride with me, i'd ride the 76 miles to my family's beach house in myrtle beach. that'd be a pretty cool weekend.