Your Favorite Thing on the road?

[ehirsch83]

Alright, What is everyones favorite thing to see or listen to on the road(no not music, but sounds that you hear).

I recently realized that I love being on a solo long ride and actually being able to hear the ocean and the sea breeze when I get close enough to it.

But... it does not top my favorite sound, the sound of sitting in a pace line(well more a group because at 25-40 riders, a pace line doesn't fully happen) at 30mph and listening to the wheels of everyone around me. I decided Saturday morning on the group ride, that this is my favorite thing to listen to on a ride, it gives me such a thrill- especially to know I am part of it!

[OakLeaf]

I love seeing an amazing view from the top of a long hill I just climbed.

Don't suppose you get much of that in FLL :D

[Thorn]

Ah...cresting the hill and getting paid by the view! On the nature front, there is riding into a brushy area and hearing the cacophony of birds within the brush. If you were in a car, you'd never even know they were there, but on the bike I can hear them.

On the cycling front, on a large group ride the snick of all those clipless pedals trying to simulatneously engage at the start of the ride.

[silver]

I love, love, LOVE the sound of the bike (s)! I love when the trees make a "tunnel" over the road. I love smooth ashphalt. I love when the sky is blue and the sun warms my skin. I love a good downhill.

[mimitabby]

did you ever hear the sound of a single leaf racing along the ground... in front of you? It makes a cool noise. And it's nice when you can pass that leaf too.
(it was windy yesterday)

I also love trains in the distance, that's a nice sound.

and the rarest of all (to me)
a donkey bray.

[Susan126]

I love the sound of my husband's breathing ahead of me and the sound of birds singing in the meadows that I bike past. I love the sight of Mount Rainier in the distance cheering me on.

[Brandi]

The sound of the wind wooshing past my ears....
And the sound of the meadow larks....they have a wonderful song.

[TsPoet]

Not a sound, but...
In the summer there are often kestrels on the wires on the worst, most dangerous part of my ride. I can't look at them much as it's a 2 lane 50 mph busy road with no shoulder, but they are heart warming none-the-less.
In the winter when it's dark on the same stretch of road, bats often buzz my lights and I really enjoy that. I don’t see the bats in my car and I’ve never seen them buzz a car when riding my bike, not sure what’s special about the bike to them.

[Tater]

I get a kick out of watching the seasons change. The fields I ride by I see the short sprouts of spring, the full grown plants of summer, the harvest and then the same field covered under a layer of snow.

I enjoy hearing the geese honk as they pass overhead, hearing the distinctive sound of a mourning dove taking off, and seeing the quail scurry off the side of the road.

I also like NOT hearing my chain. If I can hear my chain as I pedal, I know it is time to dig out the rags and clean the drivetrain.

[five one]

I have a route that takes me past several reservoirs. This year the water level is extremely low, but in the past, when riding by them in the early morning, the mist rising up off the water is beautiful. If I get out early enough, there is little traffic, so all I hear is the sound of my tires on the road, my breathing, and the occasional bird or scolding ground squirrel.

We have a lot of sycamores in town. The leaves are quite large and they are falling at a rapid rate right now. I love the crunch my tires make rolling over them as I ride along.

I love watching the hills nearby slowly green up as the rains begin. I'm hoping for a lot of rain this year, but only between the hours of 9 pm and 4 am. And none on the weekends!

[Eden]

I love the crunchy sound (and the smell) of dry leaves in the fall! I'll even go out of my way to run over a particularly good one....

As with a lot of other people, one of the sweetest sounds is when it is quiet enough that all you hear is your own wheels, disc wheels on a TT bike make an awesome sound!

[RoadRaven]

My favourite thing to see? So hard to choose. I love to see my partner beside or in front of me - it gives me such a thrill to be doing "stuff" together still (we were married 22 years over the weekend).

In a race/ time trial though its being able to see the person who started in front of me get closer as I catch them.

My favourite sound? I'm with Eden on this - and Brandi and Silver too I guess. I love the sound of my bike - although especially in a TT when its me and the road, and realising it is me driving this amzing machine forward.

And something no-one has mentioned... the scents... I think that is something that makes cycling unique and really puts you in touch with your world... the smell of hot asphalt/tar/concrete, rain on warm earth, freshly mowed lawns, fruit blossom... the scent surrounds you and fills you and I love that (except when I pass the pigs up the road!)

[Eden]

Smells are one of the brains most powerful triggers for memories!
I actually miss the smell of rain on hot pavement.... We get a lot of rain out here, but mostly in the colder months. It rarely rains when it is really hot (even in the summer if it rains it seems to cool off considerably first).

I can't smell jasmine without thinking about Spain - orange blossoms smell sooooo much like it and we were cycling through orchards of the trees on our first day there.

For some reason cocoa butter reminds me intensely of Christmas (odd huh!) I cannot remember exactly what smelled of it, but I do associate the smell with the year we went to Florida over my Christmas vacation. I was about 8, I think and I got a Merlin (a little electronic toy) as a gift, and a sheet of puffy stickers, one of which was a snake that I stuck on the toy. I feel like its a strange, random thing to remember so intensely......

[RoadRaven]

One of my fave quotes, Eden...


"Smells are surer than sight or sound to make the heart strings crack"
Rudyard Kipling

[mimitabby]

Smells are one of the brains most powerful triggers for memories!
I actually miss the smell of rain on hot pavement.... We get a lot of rain out here, but mostly in the colder months. It rarely rains when it is really hot (even in the summer if it rains it seems to cool off considerably first).

I can't smell jasmine without thinking about Spain - orange blossoms smell sooooo much like it and we were cycling through orchards of the trees on our first day there.

For some reason cocoa butter reminds me intensely of Christmas (odd huh!) I cannot remember exactly what smelled of it, but I do associate the smell with the year we went to Florida over my Christmas vacation. I was about 8, I think and I got a Merlin (a little electronic toy) as a gift, and a sheet of puffy stickers, one of which was a snake that I stuck on the toy. I feel like its a strange, random thing to remember so intensely......

Eden: cocoa butter; sunbathing, Florida, ???

[Eden]

Eden: cocoa butter; sunbathing, Florida, ???

No - it didn't have anything to do with sun screen. I specifically remember it as being associated with Christmas morning - something in the presents had the smell and it was strong - it transfered to everything else. I don't really remember too much about what happened after we got to Florida, but I remember some of the trip down and the ever present smell of cocoa butter.

[wannaduacentury]

Last time I rode the mtn bike on a long ride in the evening, I heard a hoot owl and got some pics on the cell phone of a lovely pink sunset. I love the sights & sounds of nature. Jenn

[Tuckervill]

I love the crunchy sound (and the smell) of dry leaves in the fall! I'll even go out of my way to run over a particularly good one....



That's what I was going to say!

I spent many an hour of my child- and teen-hood swerving down town streets just to crunch the leaves.

Karen

[short cut sally]

Early morning rides are the most peaceful. Cool air, little traffic, and being able to enjoy the sounds of all the wildlife, birds singing, squirrels chattering, geese, or the occasional turkey or pheasant off in the distance. I agree, I love the smell of the leaves when they've blanketed the ground.

[elk]

i love the sound of the bike not being pedaled...that tickticktickzzzzzzzzzzzz
love it love it

and the sound and feel of going over the wooden boards of a bridge

[salsabike]

The birds on the Sammamish River and on Lake Washington. Bald eagles, great blue herons, ospreys, coots, cormorants, bufflehead ducks, mergansers. I love the sound of the redwing blackbird's spring song, which we always hear coming around Lake Washington--it always sounds to me like shattered jewels.

[Aggie_Ama]

I love to hear a small waterfall. We have lots of small creeks on our rides and running water over rocks is my absolute favorite sound. I like crunching leaves too.

For sights, the reward of the view after cresting a hard climb or GOATS! I am forever amused by goats, DH thinks it is silly but I get glee out of seeing them being goofy.

[Grog]

The sight of Mt Baker, suddenly appearing.

The eagles.

[Popoki_Nui]

The ocean. The sight and smell of the ocean after a long hot ride....heaven. Mentally and physically refreshing.

[Aquila]

I love seeing wild Turkey, especially if they take off and fly for some reason. They're quite spectacular.

Bald Eagles! I saw a Pileated Woodpecker and almost fell off my bike looking at it.

The smells of pines some days, just incredible.

I love the way horses look at me like I'm totally nuts (and slow!).

[northstar]

On my morning commutes, I often stop along the river and look left and see the moon, then look right and see the sun rising. That's pretty awesome. And hearing nothing but the bunnies stirring in the grass/leaves...ahhh.

[SlowButSteady]

Snakes and turtles crossing the road.

I always help them get off the pavement before a car runs over them.

The smell of blooming honeysuckles and privet hedges in spring.

Warm days in winter. Overcast days in summer.

[HillSlugger]

On my ride yesterday there was one point where there were hundreds of small birds (starlings?) on the side of the road. As I rode up to them they took flight, with only those nearest to me taking off at any time. It was like a wave of birds. Very cool.

[aicabsolut]

I love the "whoomp whoomp whoomp" of a disc wheel. The last one I saw out on the road was some guy with a sweet TT bike rolling through the streets of Paris early one Saturday morning.

[crazycanuck]

I love seeing Pelicans flying along the Swan River :)

Also, the bobtail lizards sunning themselves on the bike paths & trails

c

[Trekhawk]

I love seeing Jack Rabbits those huge ears make me smile.:)

[csr1210]

I love the clicky sounds of everyone clipping in on a group ride. By myself, I like the sound of the tires whoshing on smooth pavement when I'm in the grove.

No favorite smells -- the only distinctive smell on my usual route is the feedlot! Bleck!

[kelownagirl]

There are many beautiful sites and sounds when riding in Kelowna, but I'll never forget the sound of the cicadas on a hot afternoon when I was cycling in Provence this summer. It was deafening.

[indigoiis]

I like that I can hear myself think.
I also play music in my head. I suss stuff out.
I like the smells of the road, too. Reminds me of when I was a kid.

[KathiCville]

I love the feeling of being completely independent and self-contained when I'm riding. I bike alone 99% of the time, so I get to go at my own pace, stop when I want to, drink in a view, wave to wildlife, and enjoy the solitude, without anyone bugging me to go either faster or slower. My BF wants me to start riding with him and a few buddies, but I'd rather enjoy the peace and quiet of a country road solo---without small talk or chatter!

My favorite rides this summer started before dawn, out on a gorgeous, paved backroad leading to our reservoir. I LOVED hearing the birds wake up and seeing the dark slowly give way to light. Having the road and scenery all to myself was pure pleasure, too!