Wednesday, July 7, 2010

Stop and smell the roses... or something like that.

As I mentioned in an earlier post, I picked up Bike Snob's book the other day. In one of the early chapters he writes, "Everything about riding a bicycle compels you towards beauty." Not to be too sentimental (okay, maybe a little; I am something of a romantic after all), but that statement really spoke to me.

I'm an impulsive person who rushes around, hurries up, doesn't want to wait for anything and so on and so on. I can't STAND those "it's the journey not the destination" types of sayings-- they make me want to slap someone! However, riding my bike really is about the journey, lol. It's about the only thing I do where I go slow, take my time, relax and appreciate what's going on around me at that very moment. It's rather Zen I guess you could say.

Anyway, here are a few pictures of some of the beautiful things I've come across while out on my bike. Today I'm putting up mostly flowers with other subjects to come later on.

Beginning of the season
Coreopsis?
Moth Mullein
Rough-fruited Cinquefoil
Beardtongue
Spiderwort
Dewberry
Multiflora Rose
Oxeye Daisy

Wild Lupine with Zabulon Skipper
With more butterflies (and maybe a few more flowers) to follow in the next day or so...

3 comments:

She Rides a Bike said...

I'm not given to those "it's the destination" cliches either but I agree with Bike Snob ( and you ) on this one. My bike does propel me toward beauty. I guess the motivation not to sweat too much while I pedal forces me to slow down. In order to slow down I am also forced to look around and find things in my environment to distract me from my natural urge to "hurry it up". This morning I noticed the wild flowers off the bike path. Indian Paint Brush, Blanket Flower, Astors, and Penstenum in yellow and purple. If I had not been in such a hurry for work (while also trying to avoid sweating) I would have stopped and taken some pictures too.

Erin @ A Girl & Her Mutt said...

Nothing wrong with being a little bit romantic. Wonderful photos!!!

Dottie said...

Gorgeous photos! And that Bike Snob line really speaks to me, too. Who knew he was so deep? ;)