Back when I had my State Fair Adventure, I fell in love with the neighborhood I rode through. I felt like I had discovered a tranquil paradise right in my own backyard. I brought back H later in the day so he could enjoy it too and we stumbled upon a little slice of Sweden.
A beautifully kept up Swedish-style home that begs one to walk in the red door, sit down with a cup of coffee by the fireplace, and look out the y-paned windows at the sea (or street as it may be...).
I have a thing for well-designed homes, particularly Swedish-style ones.
It was then that I knew I would be back with my bicycle and my camera.
And so began the plan...
As Autumn was quickly approaching, I needed to find a new way to get a workout in. The daylight hours were quickly diminishing and squeezing a fast lovin' lycra ride in after work was quickly becoming a challenge.
So, I would take Pash back to my little Sweden house, my Bohuslän.
I would wait until the peak of Autumn when the leaves were at their most brilliant, and I would take pictures of my hyggelig place.
Taking Pash on a Bohuslänian adventure would be a way for me to get a ride in, work some different muscles, enjoy the scenery, discover new things, and stay close to home.
We would try to find more Bohuslän adventures in October,
and then finally in November we would give in to winter,
put the Trek on the trainer,
and start up our winter yoga sessions.
But until then, Pash and I would go adventuring Bohuslän style.
I was itching to go for a ride.
My pausecycle had turned from an intended few weeks of lighter riding into weeks of almost no riding at all and I was starting to feel restless and out of shape.
Not part of the plan.
I waited,
and waited,
and waited,
but the weather never improved.
Autumn never came.
Somehow we jumped directly from Summer to Winter in a matter of hours.
This also was
not part of my plan.
So, I stopped waiting.
And I decided to get the plan going come rain, sleet, snow, wind and cold.
Pash and I needed to go.
To build my confidence, I wanted to take a test ride first. See how I felt about the clothes I had on and if mentally I was up for it. Off to the fabric store I went. Returning from that trip feeling confident and even more itching to go on my Bohuslän adventure, I knew it was time.
As H was suiting up in his winter lycra best, I was wrapping a scarf around my neck and pondering whether the parka would be too much (gladly I decided it would be).
We slipped off at the same time with very different trips ahead of us.
As I began to pedal I wondered what the heck I thought I was doing. It was a miserable day for a ride and about a mile out I considered turning around. I do not need to be doing this right now I thought to myself. Am I dressed enough for this? Maybe I should do this another day... But I REALLY wanted to do this, and so I kept going. People passing me in their warm cars probably felt sorry for me - that poor girl has to ride her bicycle in this unseasonably cool weather! But little did they know, I was doing this because I wanted to, and I was actually having fun. After a few miles I was warm enough, that when the hill was approaching I took off scarf and mittens before we began the journey up. I eased into the hill as I had a month before and sat in for the climb.
Soon I was at my destination with a feeling of elation and satisfaction for having accomplished my goal.
Sure, it was not all according to my picture perfect plan, but I did it.
And I will do it again.
Those pretty fall colors may not have been embracing my Bohuslän house as I had envisioned, but I found them nonetheless.
Had I waited for that perfect weather to come, it is seeming quite possible right now I would be waiting eight months.
In life all good plans change.
The more we accept the deviation from our path,
the more we can sit back and enjoy the ride.
