I love the things I see when I bike. These things aren't necessarily hidden from those on other modes of transportation, they're just harder to notice where metal, glass, and speed put barriers between you and your environment.
I love passing the fountain behind the Legislature, with its peaceful roar of water and its nighttime luminiscence. It's silent now, but it'll be a sign that spring has come to stay when it's turned on again, and will signal it's time to hunker down for winter when they turn it off.
I love smelling the flowers in spring and summer, again, by the Legislature, where the smell of the Shubert cherry blossoming in spring is enchanting.
I love the palpable quiet on snowy days when the white blanket muffles sounds, lending the streets a veneer of peacefulness.
I love the view of downtown from the Norwood Bridge at twilight when the fierypink horizon deepens to a deep purple dome behind the grey towers. Or the view of St. Boniface with the trees along the banks of the river covered in hoarfrost as the silent cathedral facade stands stately to the side. And the skaters and pedestrians moving slowly along the river trail in winter.
And I love stumbling upon interesting "urban wildlife" which I likely wouldn't notice in a car. I saw the CMU president striding purposely through downtown, dressed as someone travelling on foot or bus, not car, and I respect her for that.
And it made my day to see in Central Park, on a vibrant but tiny patch of soccer green -- the only surface not road or sidewalk that had so fully thrown off its snow cover-- a bunch of young soccer players (half of whom I'd likely have recognized from homework club had I stopped to watch them play). Enough of hockey. This is a true sign of spring -- when the soccer players return to the parks!
I love passing the fountain behind the Legislature, with its peaceful roar of water and its nighttime luminiscence. It's silent now, but it'll be a sign that spring has come to stay when it's turned on again, and will signal it's time to hunker down for winter when they turn it off.
I love smelling the flowers in spring and summer, again, by the Legislature, where the smell of the Shubert cherry blossoming in spring is enchanting.
I love the palpable quiet on snowy days when the white blanket muffles sounds, lending the streets a veneer of peacefulness.
I love the view of downtown from the Norwood Bridge at twilight when the fierypink horizon deepens to a deep purple dome behind the grey towers. Or the view of St. Boniface with the trees along the banks of the river covered in hoarfrost as the silent cathedral facade stands stately to the side. And the skaters and pedestrians moving slowly along the river trail in winter.
And I love stumbling upon interesting "urban wildlife" which I likely wouldn't notice in a car. I saw the CMU president striding purposely through downtown, dressed as someone travelling on foot or bus, not car, and I respect her for that.
And it made my day to see in Central Park, on a vibrant but tiny patch of soccer green -- the only surface not road or sidewalk that had so fully thrown off its snow cover-- a bunch of young soccer players (half of whom I'd likely have recognized from homework club had I stopped to watch them play). Enough of hockey. This is a true sign of spring -- when the soccer players return to the parks!
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