Take A Day

There might not be a stress relief comparable to the feeling of disconnecting for an all day ride on the open road.   Just the sounds of your bike, the road, and the world passing you by.   To get the most out of an all day get away, there are some things you can take to ensure you get the most out of it.

The All Day List

1. Tools.  This is more of a back up precaution.  Lets face it, sometimes things need to be tightened up, adjusted, and even fixed.   You may never need them, but having a little toolkit with you may keep your trip from going south fast.   Look at the Stockton Roadside Tool Kit from CycleGear as an option.
2. Camera.  A phone camera works, but sometimes you will have such amazing views that having a separate camera will come in handy.  Whether you are a city cruiser or a country cruiser, you’ll find things.  These might be city structures, street art,  wildlife, friendly faces, or just places you want to remember .  You don’t have to be a professional photographer to enjoy the pics.   Keep it small so you can either pack it in your backpack or even pocket.  For example, the Canon – PowerShot G7 X Mark II 20.1
3. Notebook.  You don’t need to Ralph Waldo Emerson to take advantage of this classic tool.   A pen or pencil and notebook can be your best friend on your day trip.   You’ll stop from time to time and this is the perfect time to enjoy a water or cup of coffee while recapping the trip so far, jotting down ideas on that new start up company, or just reminders of things to do on your next trip.   There is no wrong way to log your thoughts. “Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.” (Ralph Waldo Emerson)
4. Charger. Lets face it, we live off our phones.  Even if you dont use it during the day, its going to run down tracking your every move and sending it to Apple or Google so they can send your stats to advertisers.   Its more of a back up, but if you find yourself out on a ride much longer than anticipated, you’ll want that charger to plug in at a gas stop or coffee shop to check in with your loved ones.   
5. Map.  This is just a fun factor.   YES, your phone has maps and real time GPS, but where is the fun in that.   Just pop out the map every few stops and find your next road or stopping point.   It will empower you to control your destination instead of following a dot or arrow on some 6 inch screen that makes you afraid to look away for more than a brief moment.  Look for a small , regional folding map . It can easily be crammed in your pocket or better yet, taped to your tank for that old school vibe. You can find paper maps anywhere and for less than the cost of a tank of gas, why not?

 

A quick , all day getaway can be just enough to clear your head of the demons you’ve been carrying around all week.   If you can truly let yourself go for an hour or two, you’ll begin to feel the effects.  At that point, you’ll want to keep going and going and going.   You don’t have to have goals or plans other than to ride.   If you can relax and enjoy whats around you , ideas and motivation may spring into action.

So, the next nice day you can put off mowing the yard, cleaning the grill, or working on your TPS reports, just jump on that bike and go.  RIDE.  ENJOY.