This past weekend I had a long, full, busy, and lovely work thing up in North Bend, Washington. I hadn’t even thought to bring my bike until a coworker of mine told me that he was bringing his and that we should ride bikes together. So, I rather precariously balanced my little spry road bike on top of all the tools and camping stuff in the back of our work truck, and brought my bike.
As always, it was the best thing ever. For many reasons.
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(not the least of which was lovely sunset bike rides:)
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One. There was a (very small, like maybe half mile) commute between where we were camping and where most of the actual events took place. It was nice to have my bike to make it marginally faster than walking, especially when it was really early in the morning and I’d been up too late hanging out with folks.
Two. Space. At people-and-time-intensive events like this, sometimes I just need a break and some time to myself. Having my bike was perfect for this: I just took the long way home (ha, my specialty) and gave myself some meditative pedal-spinning time in between things.
Three: Exploration! The Snoqualmie Valley Trail is a lovely, packed-gravel path that went right by where we were staying (and was in fact part of my short half-mile commute). I’d been on it before, a million years ago when I was here last for the same work thing, but I’d forgotten how lovely it is — flirting with both the South and Middle Forks of the Snoqualmie River, going through a bunch of natural areas (ha, and a golf course), just lovely, lovely. I wish I’d had more time to take it further, but as it was it provided some excellent mini-explorations in between other worky obligations.
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(plus there are a TON of cool hiking trails you could ride your bike to from North Bend if you so chose. I think that’s Mount Si in the background, one of the many options)
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I never did end up riding with my coworker, or with any of my other few coworkers who also brought their bikes and rode back and forth between places too, but it was still definitely worth it. It always feels good to sneak in a bike ride, especially in the middle of something that otherwise sucks up all my time and energy (in a good way, but still — the small amount of biking helped with balance;) So, yay for the sneak-it-in bike ride, and a big thanks to my coworker who encouraged me to bring my bike:)