♪♫ Slow Ride ♫ Take it Easy ♫♪
 

Maybe because I'm getting older, but I'm finding a lot of joy in rides where I just take it easy, ride slow, sight-see, etc. Today I went out on the bike for a couple of hours and ended up with an average speed less than 10 mph. I was slowly rolling by shop windows peering in, did a couple double-backs to get a second look at a house or garden, etc., stopped at local restaurant, walked the bike through a park . . .

It is really refreshing to go out on the machine without feeling I need to "train" or have a "workout" every single time. Of course, other rides are workouts; but just occasionally it's fun to just roll around. Anybody else? :)

I sometimes want to do that, but I only get to ride a couple days a week normally, so when I do, I feel like I need to push myself.

Often I start on "just-cruising-around" mode, but "go faster" mode kicks in as the ride goes on. But when I really do take it easy, I'll stop for every little critter, interesting plant, or neat looking cloud I see. I stopped for like 15 minutes once or twice just to play with the millipedes. I was giggling and felt sorta silly, but it was totally worth it :p.

One of the main reasons why I removed the computers off my bikes. The only computer I use now is to play music.

That's the best kind of a bike ride if you ask me. I even made a silly little video about that very same subject years ago.
The background music isn't FOGHAT but Cusco. bike ride - YouTube
If you decide to watch it just ignore the typos....it was rushed.

:thumb: Cool video! That's exactly what I did too. Now I need to make a video also - If I wasn't a cyclist, your video definitely would have made me want to start riding.

While I know there is a small percent of cyclist that always have to ride as fast as possible on "training" rides, what the OP says is actually one of the greatest ways to enjoy cycling. Life can be a race. Relax and enjoy life a little and just ride along and enjoy the world around you.

In my signature line you will see a link to the meetup group I formed that used the same song for naming that prompted your title. :)

My rides associated with Meetup usually consist of myself and one other rider (from another group I organize that I cross post to).

We have ridden up to 35 miles on a rail trail, but early in the season, we ride less than 10 miles. On a recent ride, we did 17 miles, and ended up taking 4 or 5 breaks to enjoy the changing leaves etc.

I do like riding fast (for me, not fast by most standards) sometimes, but many times I like slow miles.

A friend of mine is convinced that anyone who ever rides fast can't enjoy slow rides... but I think I am convincing her over time. On a slow ride, I will occasionally do a sprint or attack a small hill, but that is part of the fun too. :)

Great video, I love the band Cusco and I miss the old Art Bell radio shows...

I really enjoy the slow rides/recovery rides, they are very relaxing and I love looking at all the wildlife on the bike trails (especially at night).

Where I live there is an awesome bike trail that loops around the city following the river, it is approx 25 miles and I usually do a hard ride in the morning and a slow ride at night.
My reward for a hammer fest in the morning is a nice S L O W ride at night..

If I start sweating, I'm biking too fast. You really see a lot more of the world by biking in a leisurely fashion.

I was never a gifted athlete. Usually I was one of the last kids picks for team sports in gym class. No speed or muscles mass in my genes but I can ride all day. just not fast.

Corben we must be brothers from different mothers - You just described the story of my life :lol:

Now Foghats stuck in my head! .....I'm in the mood......

Many accidents could have been avoided--or injuries less serious--if the cyclist was not too fast. For one, being doored. Pedestrians are definitely safer around you.:)

I might add to this end when I just want a slow easy ride, I always take my trike. It is usually a couple of miles per hour slower than my bent anyway. Once clipped in, you just sit back and relax. You dont have to unclip at stops, and if you see something you want to watch, just stop and sit. You have your own lawn chair!!! Trikes are great for going to out door events like bike races etc. Life is too short to speed by everything that might be interesting to see.

Oh yeah. I like to ride hard, get stronger and faster, and set new PRs, but I still consider my bikes vehicles to take me places I want to go.

Sometimes I feel sorry for the guys who blast through beautiful countryside, eyes locked straight ahead with only an occasional glance at their electronics. It's exciting to do 30 mph but it's also fun to slowly and silently roll up on a doe and fawn who haven't spotted you yet as they graze at the edge of a country road. Nothing wrong with an unscheduled rest stop to listen to the loons on the lake either.