On taking voluntary redundancy and early retirement at just before 61 (now 62), decided to keep just 1 car betweem us, so getting bike was alternative means of transport.
I used to cycle years ago. Particulary in my earlier birdwatching days, used to take all my gear on Claud Butler Tourer.
I got a hybrid which was a mistake, now have road bike.
By the end of this month I will have done about 560 miles in May
What I get out of it.
Enjoyment, feeling of fitness, weight loss (only marginally overweight but I lost over a stone), I get to hear birds singing - at this time of year I hear Lesser Whitethroats singing, and am reminded they are more common that I imagine. I sometimes see birds too, but they have to be more obvius like Red Kites.
I get enjoyment at the feeling of progress made in my fitness. Hills though still a weak point are not nearly as hard.
I am raising money for CHarity to and the London to Brighton is in 2 weeks.
Most of all it is a great outlet for stress.
Over the last year I spent a lot of time with Dad's illness, going into hospital twice, move to nursing home and eventualy died in December,. Mum moved to the nursing home at a similar time.
In January we nearly flooded, and in February we did flood and are out of our house until about September.
I have to balance the cycling with other things, if there were time I could easily do more!
