{"id":7140,"date":"2014-04-20T21:51:29","date_gmt":"2014-04-21T04:51:29","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/wabikes.org\/?p=7140"},"modified":"2014-04-22T06:54:32","modified_gmt":"2014-04-22T13:54:32","slug":"30-days-biking-day-20-purpose","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wabikes.org\/index.php\/2014\/04\/20\/30-days-biking-day-20-purpose\/","title":{"rendered":"30 Days of Biking, Day 20: Purpose"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Calling<\/a>

Calling all Master Gardeners and plant experts: What’s this beautiful tree with the white flowers that resemble trillium? I want to plant one someday when I create a moonlight garden.<\/p><\/div>\n

The past few days have included some noodling-around rides to find magic <\/a>and enjoy a quick taste of the night before baking cookies<\/a>. This afternoon, however, I set off with purpose<\/a>. And that purpose was . . . finding a rooster.<\/p>\n

Not just any rooster, mind you. The rooster that crows repeatedly, annoyingly, illegally from somewhere in my neighborhood a scant block or so from our house. I said I needed to go grab a bike ride and my husband suggested another search for the rooster. We’ve lived here nearly a year and have yet to figure out where the rooster lives, precisely.<\/p>\n

Our plans if we find the home address of said rooster are somewhat vague. Do we take the direct approach and knock on the door to say that good neighbors don’t keep roosters in a city neighborhood, or report the peace-shattering noise source to the office of code enforcement?<\/p>\n

(I rule out chicken soup as an option because I am a vegetarian. And this search obviously isn’t undertaken because we’re happy to have a rooster crowing incessantly while we try to enjoy our yard. A Zen attitude has already been ruled out. There’s a reason we don’t live in the country. Where people keep roosters. Not that there’s anything wrong with that. In the country.)<\/p>\n

I found additional purpose along my bike ride, having failed in the rooster hunt. (Guess he sensed me coming and knew to keep his beak shut for a change.)<\/p>\n

Purpose #1: Find rooster. Failure.<\/p>\n

Purpose #2: Stop and enjoy the secret little creek chuckling alongside the street we suspect houses a rooster. Success.<\/p>\n

Purpose #3: Since I was riding part of my morning route to work, check out a couple of alternatives and find a way to make the climb up a steep ridge a little more gradual. Success: Found a new approach that feels like somewhat less of a climb than the one that elevates my heart rate so early in my ride<\/a>, or perhaps more accurately it’s the same climb but stretched out a bit longer so the rise isn’t so vertical. Yet another reminder that if you don’t like something about one route, try another and enjoy the exploration.<\/p>\n

Purpose #4: Retrace my wanderings through these alternative routes to find the house with the pretty white tree so I could take a picture of it and figure out what it is. Success in finding<\/em> the tree; success in identifying<\/em> it lies with you all.<\/p>\n

Purpose #5: Also retrace in search of a particular roundabout with nice plantings to grab a picture because you never know when you’ll need to illustrate a traffic-calming feature in use. Success.<\/p>\n

Purpose #6: Stop to check out the tiny, charming\u00a0Pinehurst Pocket Park<\/a> I didn’t know was there. So nice to have a little bit of the “outdoors<\/a>” right there in an ordinary neighborhood. Success.<\/p>\n

Purpose #7: Ride a little bit for exercise because I spent much of the day on my sofa working on a grant proposal and because cookies<\/a>. Success: Not lots of exercise, mind you, but getting exercise by bicycling feels like fun, not work.<\/p>\n

Six out of seven — not bad. I’m feeling purposeful and successful, which are good feelings to carry into a Monday.<\/p>\n

Day 20 in the 30 Days of Biking, 30 Words, 30 Pictures series<\/em><\/p>\n

Related Reading<\/strong><\/p>\n