Biking For Freedom

by Gwen
(Amazing State of South Dakota)

I would have to say my favorite sport is biking. There is nothing better than hopping on my bike on a warm summer day and hitting the street. The breeze hits my face -keeping me cool- and when I am biking I feel free.

I can ride away my troubles, watch the scenery as I whiz past, and I can relax. With two teenagers and a twenty year old in our home, I definitely use biking as stress relief from the constant drama. On my bike, I am fearless, athletic, and blissfully alone. It is one of the few times I put my phone on silent and pedal my way to a happier place.

Sometimes, I like to ride with a friend. The time flies when we solve all the world's problems with laughter and a smidge of sarcasm. We joke that we can feel the fat melting off our thighs as we speed around our neighborhood. We believe that laugher and biking combined makes us as physically fit as Lance Armstrong. Occasionally we take a break by the Missouri River and watch as it churns and flows speedily past us. Then we get back onto our bikes and ride gleefully home.

Whether I am with a friend or on my own, biking is definitely the exercise that captures my attention. It is fun, easy on my old joints, and relaxes me like nothing else. Biking makes me believe that I am invincible.