Getting Social

I haven’t been on my bike nearly as much this summer as I was last. I’ve gone through long spells of using my bike as my primary transportation, but with my current job it’s not quite as easy. It’s a much longer ride, and arriving to work sweaty is not as acceptable. I could probably still swing it and should really just find a way to make it happen, but I’m not there yet, especially when I often get up early to run before work. Ah well, at least I have relaxing evening bike rides with lovely company to look forward to after work.

Last night, Daniel, Steff, and I biked up to the George Washington Bridge and back. (Steff actually biked much longer, because she rode up to us on the Upper West and then back downtown when we parted ways.)

Helmets. So dorky looking, and so important. (I was particularly thankful for mine when I was an inch away from being hit by a cab on the way home. My brakes aren’t the best, so I swerved and managed to avoid being hit without totally wiping out, but I was happy that my head was protected anyway.)

The part of the ride not on the busy city streets was breathtaking. We all remarked that it didn’t even feel like Manhattan anymore. For about a mile, we were surrounded by forests, and the smells brought me right back to summers growing up in Illinois. (Girl Scout camp, anyone?) It was a peaceful part of the city to which I’ll definitely be returning soon — on a run, with my phone so I can take plenty of pictures.

Our ride wasn’t all leisurely; Daniel and Steff are both very speedy cyclists, and they made sure we got a few sprints in. I managed to catch up with them eventually… and Daniel and I conquered a few hills on the way home. Good ride, good ride.

This morning I was up early to run with friends from my building, and Sofia joined us for an easy three miles in Central Park. Runs go so much more quickly when there are fun people to talk to. Anyone else up their social workouts in the summertime?