Sometimes life deals you a particularly shit hand … your long-term relationship ends and breaks your heart … your most-loved dog is found to have tumour and needs an operation … your can't move out of living with your ex-partner until you finish the DiY on the house in order to sell it … the Tories get in with massive public agency cuts so you fear losing your job …

So, surely enough to send you to the doctor, seeking a prescription of happy pills? No .. b*gger that … out with the 'cross bike tonight – beautiful warm evening, stunning views through the mountains in Snowdonia, no traffic, rough tracks, shonky tarmac lanes, dodging sheep, beasting up hills with sweat dripping, hurtling back down, sweet rolling roads …

and the biggest grin and sense that there is still joy to be had in the world 🙂

ride life!

Yep, riding bikes is ace 🙂

I do love riding and got me through a lot of tough times

Yep, there's something special about jumping on your bike and being "out there." I was explaining it to someone tonight, and said it's almost like an addiction (as if being seduced by all all the different components that make up being "out there"; the trails, the scenery, the pain, the gain, the therapeutic nature, being in the zone, and so much more).

Great stress buster my cx has given me some riding time back which has made me a happy bunny

Good on you, Sue! Bicycles save lives. It's very possible my life would have gone in a bad direction without discovering the joy of bikes. 😛

We're animals. We're not supposed to be cooped up in concrete and tin boxes all day breathing recirculated air.

Outside is good even when it's bad 🙂

….and even better on a bike.

A very good point. I also think it's a good reason why the NHS could possibly save money in the long run by improoving its sports injury support services

It's so easy to forget just how great it is. I've had to learn that the hard way just recently with an enforced lay off due to a shoulder injury.

It's the only thing I know that, so completely, takes you away from everything else that's going on in life. When I'm on the bike, nothing else matters.

Onzadog – Member
…When I'm on the bike, nothing else matters.

I'll modify that:

When I'm on the bike, nothing else matters everything falls into its proper perspective.

Oddly enough I teach a series of adult's cycling courses which is largely clients recommended by the local primary care trust. So round here, cycling is kind of on the NHS