What a perfect day.
For the first time in a long while, I finally felt like spending it all on my own… for the right reasons. I was the only company I needed, because I knew today I was going to be a good, uplifting and wholesome one.
For the first time this year, I revisited one of my favorite routes: from Freiburg to Breisach am Rhein and back. I had been missing bike sunsets. Living in beautiful Basel has many advantages, but opportunities like these to explore around my dear Freiburg, the Schwarzwald region, and lovely Oberrheingraben are rare and hence, golden.
So, I put on my neglected cycling gear and the most random, cheesiest female only pop hits playlist I could find on Spotify, and hit the road.
I only actually realized how long it had been since the last time I picked that itinerary because it felt better than I remembered. Particularly the bit past Opfingen, the ascension to Merdigen, and the lookout over the Weinberge from Tuniberghöhenweg. It was cloudy, but the kind of cloudy I like: puffy and porous. With enough cracks between clouds wide enough for the sun to reach through and touch the ground with a special kind of selective kindness, enhancing soft textures and bringing out the best of those lovely sunset pastels. There was barely anyone out as I passed through familiar empty fields, industrial areas and small towns, all wrapped in that mystic warm flair of this beautiful summer sunset.
My legs and my pumping heart worked together to propel me (and me) forward and up in every possible sense. How freeing and satisfying it is to go at my own pace, to take whatever turn I want, to make mistakes and reroute however I please. 358,50€ worth of balayage and styling from this very morning carelessly covered by a sweaty helmet directly after, and no one to frown at my choices or priorities. Underneath my blonde hair, a brain full of nothing but exhilarating thoughts and emotions for 3 hours and 50 km.
Ecstasy. Heat, the outdoors, open spaces, gorgeous sunlight, wide empty roads, colorful music, solitude, sustained physical effort, speed, freedom…
Once it was over, I looked into the mirror and saw another thing I’d almost forgotten about: a collection of tiny bugs plastered all over my sunscreened face. A tan, sweaty and smiling one.
Today, I had two mayor cravings that increased the thirstier I became once I ran out of water: fruit and ginger ale. Couldn’t find the latter, but the size of the fruit salad I devoured just now makes my cycling spandex asphyxiate my abdomen with passion.
Now, as sweaty, sticky as I am, typing all this is just another source of pleasure and joy to end the day.
Everything is so... peaceful.
I must be seeing through rose-colored (cycling) glasses again.
Quite literally, too.
And that's why I smile
It's been a while
Since every day and everything has
Felt this right
🚲
(Avril Lavigne – Smile – My Random Cheesy playlist.)
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