This morning I was awakened from a dead sleep at 0300 hrs from a not so desirable dream. Sometimes memories from my career just seem to include themselves in my life for no reason at all. I laid in bed for almost an hour trying to go back to sleep, but alas I could not get rid of the thoughts. So, I got up, had coffee, breakfast, looked at the daily news, grabbed my camera, added a 40mm pancake lens to make it compact, and then decided to ride my bike.
I have not been on my bike in about four months. I injured my knee on a gravel ride in Citrus County back in November and I literally have not been able to ride since. Today was my first ride back on S.I.R. 2.0. S.I.R. 2.0 (Suffering Is Real) is what I affectionately call my gravel bike, and it was pretty obvious that I had not ridden in four months and need more time in the saddle. I really enjoyed myself though and I’m quite happy that I had no knee pain during or after my 13 mile ride this morning. I had only planned to ride 7 miles but with no knee pain and my desire to make a few pictures this morning, I just kept on riding until I decided I was over my saddle. And 13 miles did it.
I noticed more traffic out than I thought there might be. I was on the road around 0615 hrs. In the local shopping center, a few miles from my house, Starbucks employees were serving coffee through the drive through, Publix employees were arriving to prep for the day. The air was filled with the smell of bread baking, and THE Bus was making rounds looking for early morning riders. It was quiet. And cool. So cool I wished I had worn a long sleeve pull over, but it was great to get out of the house and get a little exercise with no worries of running into people. A few people had lined up early in front of Publix. I can assume they were waiting for the store to open, but they had isolated themselves in their cars away from each other and were waiting patiently for the doors to open. Large trucks, 18 wheelers, were traveling U.S. Hwy. 19 and some were even delivering goods behind local stores.
Bayfront Health Spring Hill had no wait, according to their sign. I chuckled a bit when I saw the sign, because I was listening to The Daily Podcast talk about politics and the Corona Virus and about how we are all doomed. No matter your side on the issue ( I really do not care, so please don’t share it) we are definitely witnessing history.
Stay tuned to reputable news sources on the virus, don’t allow yourself to get sucked into political opinions and agendas, practice measures recommended by the CDC, and trust in God. When this crisis is all over, there will be beauty.
I’d love to read what you are doing to stay healthy in the comments below, and if you enjoy the content please give it a Like. Make it your Absolute Intent to be better today than you were yesterday. I hope you all have a blessed day. Peace.
