Day 70 of #LiveWell2017

One of my greatest pleasures in life is riding my bicycle. I am so grateful to be physically able to ride and to live in a place where riding is safe and easy. Portland is a bicycle haven with over 350 miles of bikeways city-wide. Bicycling is relaxing and fun and a life-changing activity when it becomes a regular part of your routine.

It’s also very practical in places like Portland where it takes less time to bike to the grocery store or library than it does to drive a car. It’s also cheaper to park a bike. And bicycling is a great way to get to know a place. It puts you on the ground and slows you down, making it easy to learn landmarks, find hidden treasures in your neighborhood, and meet people in your community. We met nearly all our new Portland friends through biking groups.

Bicycling is great exercise and a handy way to stay in shape, too. No matter who you are or where you live, bicycling can take you places and improve your life. That’s why I think everyone should have a Bike-it list. Whether it’s to ride 10 miles a week or do a cross-continent tour on two wheels, a bike-it list is a great way to set goals, get outside, ride, and appreciate what a marvel this mode of transportation really is.

My Bike-It list expanded exponentially when I moved to Oregon, one of THE most bike-friendly states in the U.S. Here are some of the adventures that are on it:

1. Ride the Petal Pedal – Silverton
2. Complete the Bridge Pedal ride – Portland
3. Participate in Pedalpalooza – every June
4. Mountain bike the Klickitat Trail
5. Use my bike as my primary source of transportation in town (groceries, errands, visiting friends, going to the doctor, etc.)
6.  Bike at least one of the Oregon Scenic Bikeway routes in its entirety.
7. Bike the I-5 to I-205 loop from Portland to Vancouver and back.
8. Bike to Boring from Portland on the Springwater Corridor.
9. Bike the Mosier to Hood River Historic Columbia River Highway Trail.
10. Do a cross-country bicycling and brewery tour.
11. Bike Phil’s Trail near Bend.
12. Bike the McKenzie Pass in spring when its  still full of snow and open to bikes, but not cars.
13. Bike through the Irish countryside.

There are a lot more, but as you can see from this partial list, the activities are diverse. There are adventures close to home and fairly mundane (running errands by bike) to grand adventures like heading across country to ride great bike trails and drink good beer. I’ve done the first 10 on the list and still have a lot of good things left to do. Of course, every day when I hear or read of another great adventure, it gets added to the list.

I’m grateful to have a bike and a body that is fit enough to ride it. I’m grateful to live in a bike-friendly place. I’m grateful for all the bike groups, bike shops, and riding opportunities in my city. It’s fun to ride with other people who love to bike, too. Biking creates community and goodness all around. #LiveWell2017

Do you like to bike? Are you grateful for your bicycle? What is on your bike-it list?