My bike rides this past week

I never know where my bike will take me.  I rode five times in the last week, mostly in the morning: 5:00 am, 8:00 am, 3:30 am, 4:20 am, 5:00 pm.  Shorter rides are about 13 miles, and longer rides are about 30 miles.  With stops, my average speed is about 12-14 mph.  The best time to ride is 4:30-6:45 am.

I wander.  I have no clue where I'm going to go when I leave home.  This is so wonderful. The only decision is to get on the bike.

One trip took me on the Belgian block of Germantown Ave. I rode the D&R Canal Towpath from Bristol to Yardley before catching a train home. This morning I biked over to Manayunk, along the river to Rittenhouse Square and Washington Square and back on 5th Street.  In the evenings I'm more likely to do a shorter loop.

Because the air is cleaner, because there's less noise, and because there are few cars on the road, I prefer to bike in the early mornings before 6:45.  Early in the morning, even major roads can have little to no traffic.

Here are some photos and maps... Click on a photo to see detailed versions.

How does a bike ride affect the rest of my day? 

I get a huge mental boost from traveling by bike and observing the landscape.  Once home, I feel more alert, focused and able to work at a higher level.  This lasts for a few hours.  It seems better to be very focused for part of the day than to seek stimulation from Starbucks in order to get work done.  Even if I do get some coffee, it's not because I'm trying to stay awake.