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I went for a good long bike ride yesterday. It was likely my last ride for a while. With the unseasonably warm weather this last week, I have been riding every chance I get, because I knew change was coming. When I put the bike away last night, I knew I would likely be done with it for a few months.
Yesterday’s high was 60. Today’s was 20, as a winter storm rolled through. This is the kind of storm that is a game changer in Nebraska — the kind that says winter is settling in, so I may as well get used to it… so the bike went up to the rafters.
I am not a big fan of the cold. I would much rather be on the boardwalk at Mission Beach in San Diego. For the last several years when winter set in, I could move from some of the things I love to do outside, and go into a gym and watch my kids play basketball. For several years that kept me pretty warm. Those years of coaching and watching them play were as good as it gets. When our youngest graduated from high school this last year, I knew this winter may be a bit colder.
Biking for me has always been great therapy. It is a chance to get alone, get quiet, think, get a good workout, and enjoy the sights and sounds of a ride on one of my favorite trails. I always feel better, more refreshed, often more inspired after a good ride. But for the next few months, I will need to find a replacement: something to fill the gap, something to replace the bike… and the gym.
This will not be easy.
I need some ideas, maybe some perspective. So what do you do to get out of the doldrums? How do you bring some joy, refreshment, fun, exercise, and inspiration into the cold and gray of winter?
Snowshoes! I have gone out to Holmes and Pioneers 6-8 times the last two years. In my imagination I can see the Rockies as I tromp past the pines. With my playlist going and the beauty of God, I get recharged.
Where did I buy mine? http://www.orssnowshoesdirect.com
Music. It just sounds better in cold weather.
East TN winters are nothing like the ones in Nebraska, but it definitely can stop outdoor activities. There’s nothing I love more than warming myself in a music venue, coffee shop, or someone’s house accompanied by live music.
Find the live music in Nebraska and go.
If you want to immerse yourself even more into live music, start hosting some shows. Find a venue or even a great house to host a “winter concert series” and invite your favorite local/regional/or even national songwriters and bands to play. Going to shows are great, but there’s nothing like hosting one.
I started doing that a few years ago. I decided that I no longer wanted to travel to see my favorite songwriters so I decided to book them myself and host my own shows. It’s so satisfying.
Or, it might be time to start that listening night that I told you about.