365 True Things: 335/Outside

I was feeling blue this morning, so after I finished up a chore or two, I decided to get outside and move around.

The view from the side of the road

First, I hopped on my newly tuned up bicycle for the first time in years and rode up into the hills. I probably should have ridden down to the shore and along the rec trail, an old railroad right-of-way (nice and flat), but I didn't want to fight traffic. Well, the long hill a few miles in was too much for me. I got off my bike, huffing and puffing, and lay on my back at the side of the road, in the shade of a eucalypt. I looked at the blue sky and the wind shaking the tree's leaves, listened to the soughing and rattling sounds, felt the cool air—and gradually my heart slowed to its normal pace. It was so pleasant! I was almost glad I hadn't been able to make it all the way up.

I then got back on my bike, continued the short distance to the top, saw that what came next was a long downhill (which meant a long uphill on the return trip), and decided that was good for my first day back on my bike. I turned around and raced home! So fun! (Next time I will make it to the top without stopping and carry on. I will!)

This park is well loved by mountain
bikers, about which there is a big
controversy at the moment (they are
building outlaw trails). But today, it
was just us hikers, bi- and quadrupedal.

That endorphin-forging interlude was followed by a good hike at a local park as we sought out a few geocaches. It was a beautiful warm day. Yellow johnny-jump-ups and pink shooting stars spangled the trail's edges. We put in about six miles, up hill and down. Milo got to run off leash, and even chase some quail. My knee bothered me some, but so it goes. I don't complain. (Yet.)

Cache site ("Wood Pile")

All that physical activity and outdoorsyness was just what I needed to banish the blues. There is truth to the antidepressant nature of endorphins.

Makes me want to get out again soon. Like, tomorrow.