Recently I saw a photo on Frugal Average Bicyclist that struck a chord, it said; “you’re only one bike ride away from a good mood.” There’s never been truer words spoken. Sometimes I end up in a mood. There’s no rhyme or reason, it just happens. When it does, I find it best to pedal that sucker it out!

The other day was just that. I was in a grump and just couldn’t shake it. Instead of taking it out on anyone nearby or simmering into my coffee, I forced myself to kit up, grabbed the time trial bike and wheeled myself out the door.

The new rear wheel cover from EZDisc really sets off the “look” of the bike. Does it make me faster? At the speeds I travel at probably not, but when you wind that sucker up past 20mph the “whomp, whomp, whomp” sound it makes as you motor along is totally worth it!

That foul mood soon dissipated as my legs filled with lactic acid. . There’s something about riding right on the limit that clears your mind. The only thing that matters, the only thing you can think about, is how long you can tolerate the burn in your legs and lungs. Everything else quickly melts into insignificance.

The faster I went, the better my mood got. An hour or so later I returned home with empty legs, a clearer head and in a far more productive state of mind. Job done.

When in doubt, pedal it out!

* Yes, of course you can simply go for a gentle spin or a lazy pedal around the park. Any bike ride is a mood booster and great for your mental health. It just so happens that sometimes I need to ride myself into the ground…