Your Favorite Thing on the road?

[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.