What Inspires You?

[Jiffer]

What inspires you guys to get out on your bike and ride?

For me it's:

1) My riding buddy - Sure helps on days when I just don't feel like riding. We keep each other going.
2) Cycling events - Nice to have goals.
3) My cycling club - Cycling people are generally pretty nice and social.
4) The desire to improve - I aspire to climb like my riding buddy and keep up with the faster riders in my cycling club.
5) My smaller butt!l! - I'm fitting into smaller clothes while weighing close to the same. My friend swears I lost like 20 pounds!
6) Adding rides to BikeJournal.com - My riding buddy and I have a friendly competition going with other riders in our club over who has the most miles logged.

So, what inspires YOU to get out and ride!!!

[Heifzilla]

I can run up the stairs now without huffing and puffing like I used to and I am really enjoying the solitude of a nice ride. It's calming, reduces stress for me, and I feel great afterwards because I got off my rear and actually *did* something instead of spending the entire day in front of my computer.

I am also hoping to see the smaller butt thing at any time now

[shootingstar]

I get inspired to cycle 'cause:

*always feel better/refreshed and destressed. No matter what distance I cycle on a particular day
*just feeling free
*sharing with dearie yet another passion..and it can be and is often, unspoken.
*great outdoors with Nature always reminding us, as being greater than the sum of us
*some great friends that I've met who I might have not met otherwise in life
*get to see new things in familiar or strange places
*it's like an extra tank of gas for the day to do other stuff after the ride: I've achieved this, therefore I can do more/other different stuff.
*fitting in my choice clothing
*looking alert in face (Have you noticed for people who exercise regularily in anything, there is an extra alertness that they have in their face.)
*I have to get my groceries on bike, etc. Bike lightens my carrying load compared to walking the load home.

[cylegoddess]

feel better( esp when I ride to work)
better body image( and I too am growing a 'second' bottom under mine. A cyclist one, high, frim and round. Maybe it will come to the surface someday!)
goals( want to ride in group rides and races)
self esteem

[papaver]

the weather
the need to unwind
the feeling of freedom
the joy of discovering new things, streets, areas
the feeling that you suffer during the ride
the rewarding feeling afterwards
the the feeling that you push your boundaries
the smells of freshly cut grass, of blossems, ...

[redrhodie]

I try to ride 100 miles every week.

[crazycanuck]

At the moment, being able to do a certain mtb trail & get the line right inspires me

Doing the dirt at night & getting the line right especially during the 12hr!

Getting better on the uphills on the roadie

Finishing a ride and having that "ah, i've accomplished something" feeling

Perth weather at the moment

[Urlea]

I'm inspired to cycle because...

1.) My road-bike is the nicest bike I've ever owned & feels amazing to ride.

2.) The cross-training of cycling has dropped 1-2minutes off my running mile.

3.) We are a one car household so I get plenty of opportunities to commute.
I absolutely love to & I feel like I am doing something good for the environment by using one less vehicle on a weekly basis.

[kermit]

Being able to do something for myself, all alone. I also think the roadie tan is just cool! First thing in the morning, along the ocean, the smell alone is energizing.

[sundial]

Just being outside in the fresh air with sunshine on my cheeks makes for a very pleasant day.

[indysteel]

There are a number of cyclists on TE who do some serious distances (that inevitably involve a lot of climbing) who inspire me. I want to be them when I grow up!

[indysteel]

There are a number of cyclists on TE who do ultra-distances (that inevitably involve a lot of climbing) who inspire me. I want to be them when I grow up!

[Iris616]

The feel of the wind and the sun on my face always makes me smile.

It's the time of day when I can feel like a kid again.

I work with people who have a lot of cognitive and physical challenges due to various accidents. They inspire me to ride my bike (and run and swim) and be thankful for my health.