Kim & Dirt Girl -
I feel like both of you are reading my mind!

I love the bikes are like shoes analogy - although I'd have to expand it a bit. I have 3 bikes - 1 road bike, and 2 touring bikes. Well, I guess the shoes analogy still works since I have a lot more than 3 pairs of shoes, and some do duplicate function!

And I agree whole-heartedly with Dirt Girl about biking in general and in overall attitude and feelings when I'm touring on my bike. I really saw that this past summer, as I was working to get back into good riding and touring shape after the unexpected derailment of my touring season. Even when I couldn't ride as far as I wanted to - and certainly nowhere near my normal distance - riding my bike helped to keep me happy and sane. I've never been a fast rider, and while I was even slower than my normal I still love being out on my bike. I took to riding with a camera - to give me the incentive to look around more as I was riding and to enjoy the beautiful things around me.