What I Know

I got on my bike this evening after work. It was the first time in several weeks due to my little lungs suffering through a bit of pneumonia.

As I drove home part of me wanted to bike, but most of me just wanted to crash in the living room and watch a movie. But something moved me along once I got home, and the next thing I knew I was slowly making my way along the dirt road from my house to the asphalt. This post was initially going to be me lamenting over the slow pace at which I had to ride over said dirt road, and the advantage the no-seeums took of that. And while I will be incorporating a head net into my bike accessories, the focus of this post changed while I was biking.

I realized I was no longer tired, but rather quite full of life and energy...and peace.

There are so many things in life over which we have zero or little control. The future and what that holds is one of those things. The future has been on my mind quite a bit lately. The future, and trying to figure out what it will look like, and what I need to do to get there, and how it will all work out. I have no doubt we all do that from time to time. But despite all our efforts and planning and scheming, the future is never quite what we expect.

I thought about this as I biked along the road, watching the incredible sunset that is so much a part of Great Salt Lake. And it occurred to me - I really have no idea what the future holds for me. None. There are too many unknowns. Too many variables. But what I do know is that it will include this...

Great Salt Lake Sunset

And this...

Biking

And this...

Antelope Island

My next thought goes right along with that - I have no idea who will be a part of my future. I have hopes, and wishes, and desires, but I really don't know. What I do know, and what was made very clear to me is that it will include them...

Thousands of birds

 

and Him...

The Lord

and yours truly.

Me enjoying birds, the sunset and biking

 That is what I know. This is what I felt quite clearly as I let the peace of the evening wash over me and settle into my heart and soul.

And so of course my future will also include moments like this...

Bison in a cabana

Thursdays are becoming my after work bike day. I rather like it. Today I just did the 6 mile loop from my house, around the Visitor Center, past the beach and back up to my house. It's only 6 miles, but it had me feeling pretty queezy. Nice head wind, and a few short but intense hills about did me in. Not to mention the cool breeze penetrated right into my ear canals, and about froze them all the way down to my brain. I'm rather out of shape on my bike. It will be nice to see how that ride progresses as the summer goes along.

Anyway, my point of all this is that I was able to pass by the beach as the sun was setting lower in the sky. The gulls and other birds were out just having a marvelous time making all kinds of noise, no doubt enjoying the setting sun as well. I took this short little clip - again with my phone, so not the best quality, but hopefully you get the idea.

It really is pretty awesome out here right now.

Birding by Bike

I finally put air in my bike's tires and headed out to see what might be winging it along the Jordan River Parkway.

It was actually pretty quiet. Not a lot of activity. But just being there was nice.

A double crested cormorant was doing a little fishing at the pond.

And a kestrel flew by to do a little hunting in a near-by field.

A new twist

I know my blog has never been strictly a blog about nature, but that was the initial focus, and it is what occupies the majority of the entries. And it will continue in that direction, no doubt.

Often, however, there are other things going on that I would like to record here. If not for my followers, then just for my focus. So I've adjusted the title of my blog ever so slightly and given myself permission to include "other things".

One of those is my efforts at taking care of my body better. I have never had problems with my weight or my health. My body has done a good job at taking care of me. But I have been kind of a slacker at taking care of it. Not by neglect so much, as by no real focus on it. Okay, okay. Sometimes I foucs on getting into better physical shape. And I do watch and monitor what I eat. I guess my body is just asking me to be more consistant. And I'm listening.

So I've set myself some goals. I really enjoy biking...when I get motivated enough to get my butt in the sadle and go. Which happens far less than my body and I would like. So this year, I will be biking in the Salt Lake Marathon Bike Tour in April, and in August I will be riding in the ULCR (Utah Lake Century Ride - 100 miles around Utah Lake).

My body is slowly getting used to the idea of moving more. For the past two days, my roommate and I have gotten up early (by necessity), went to the gym, came home and ate breakfast. Today that was followed directly by a nap that stretched from the intended 30 minutes, to 2 hours. I guess I'm asking a lot of my good body here. But we'll all get used to it. Tomorrow is a workout break, then the rest of the week the workouts are in the evening. 

Other than needing that 2 hour nap, I am already feeling the benefits of consitant movement and good food intake. Our bodies are pretty special. I hope mine continues to take care of me for many more years.