What makes you smile (or not) on your cycle runs?

[Mrs M]

I am lucky enough to live where most of my cycling is done on relatively quiet country roads. I have become quite familiar with the countryside and it's inhabitants and visitors. Here are some "happenings" from this season so far. Hope they amuse!
1. OAP gang - always get a cheery wave from this wee peleton of Middle aged/oap's on various steeds, never in a hurry and obviously just out to enjoy the run. (maybe just thinking of beer/cake)!
2. Wee foal - have become familiar with various horses and ponies during my runs. Always stop to say hello or give them a wave. One of my wee pals brought her new daughter over to meet me, so cute, tiny wee hooves, very shy but with encouragement from mum managed to say hello. So sweet.
3. Thirsty calf - when I stopped at the top of a "very steep" hill for a rest I noticed a wee calf watching me, when I began to drink it came running over to the gate eyeing up my bottle, no fear, probably been bottle fed I thought.
4. Racing bunnies - riding along I became aware of 2 rabbits in the field parallel to the road running along beside me, having a race, they won. Lol
5. Deer and voles - have had many of these run across my path but happily never going fast enough to do them any harm.
6. "Eagle incident" - out on a quiet run out with hubby, who was quite a bit ahead of me, a buzzard swooped on him from nowhere, inches from his head, then swooped off again. Reminded me of the "EAGLE" tea ad where the knitted monkey pal of Johnny Vegas gets taken away. (or Jeepers Creepers film).
7. Take 2 - the following Sunday, at same point on our run we spotted the afore mentioned buzzard lying in wait for hubby atop a telegraph pole, spotted him and swooped again!! Haven't been on that run since.
Cycling makes you feel good and if you've had a pants day wee things like this may cheer you up

 

[Pat "5mph"]

There is a colony of wild rabbits on one of my routes.
After recent building works in the area I thought they would have gone, but they are still there ... so cute!

 

[Lilliburlero]

1. other cyclists that smile and give you the nod
2. wildlife
3. country pubs
4. country lanes with few cars and loads of scenery
5. the teenager trying to impress his mates by shouting "YOU LOOK LIKE A GIRL" on my way home from work yesterday

 

[Captain Scarlet]

Seeing the various wildlife around always brings a smile, such as owls and seeing bats whizzing past.

Otherwise it's blasting through the city at speeds where cars can't overtake hehehe

 

[arch684]

passing the school crossing guy on my bike. he was in my class at school he dresses and acts like an old man. it always makes me smile how he pretends not to see me

 

[Saluki]

Seeing owls scouring the fields for dinner always makes me smile. Or stop and watch them. We have a pair of barn owls near to us and we see them often.

A pair of ponies that I see from time to time. They look just like Thelwell ponies. All plump and full of bounce and push. They love a fuss.

A family that I see regularly. I call them the Wreningham Peleton. There seem to be a bunch of them and about a dozen kids and, going by the smiles on their faces, having a blast.

At this time of year, seeing the gorgeous colours of the leaves on the trees change daily.

 

[jhawk]

1. Seeing other cyclists who give the wave and nod.
2. Generally stunning views.
3. Flat roads.
4. Blue skies and warm weather.
5. Seeing somewhere new! (There'll be lots of that next year!)

 

[slowmotion]

I was riding round Richmond Park in the dark one winter evening when a dark shape came rumbling up to the side of the road. It passed within a yard of my front wheel without so much as a pause. Badger.
That made me shake my head in disbelief before laughing out loud.

 

[biggs682]

1. wildlife watching en route
2. fellow cyclists who return my acknowledgement
3. finishing a first "test" ride without any mechanical mishap
4. singing to myself

 

[RedRider]

It's the plaintive call and response of the urban wildlife for me... I think it's mainly a London thing but whenever there's a queue of cars sat still for more than 20 seconds then one driver or another will get on their horn prompting a reply from the next until there's a symphony of parps along the street. It's so absurd it makes me laugh..

passing the school crossing guy on my bike

I passed a lollpop lady packing up after her morning shift the other day. She zipped her lollypop into a smart black case and it looked as though she was carrying a massive banjo. Made me smile.

 

[Cyclist33]

The End of them, when you get a feeling of happy completion!

 

[huwsparky]

Not - leaves falling right now on our roads.

Smile - getting over the top of a tough climb, that's the biggest smile I get out riding usually!

 

[summerdays]

Lots of things can make me smile, from a small child cycling to school, flowers or a rainbow, a smile from a passer by or a feeling of yes I did that! A shared laugh with a stranger, a chance meeting of a friend. Even just the simple turning of the pedals in a pleasant flowing motion where you feel as though you are gliding along.

The negative things can be motorists (the idiot ones), bad weather, feeling tired.

But the good far outweighs the bad

 

[snorri]

I suppose I smile at much the same things as others have mentioned up thread.
One thing that makes me not smile is the litter on the verges of rural roads, Today I filled a pannier with plastic bottles and alu cans from less than half a mile of roadside all of which will go in my recycling bin. At least I get some satisfaction from putting out a full recycling bin knowing it will not go to landfill.

 

[Accy cyclist]

There are many half abandoned donkeys and Shetland ponies in a field next to one of my routes. The ponies have foals,they're so tiny! People take bags of carrots and straw to them. It reminds me that we're still a nation of animal lovers despite many gruesome stories.