Discovering a new hobby or sport
has a thrill that a lot of us often experience. It doesn't matter what age we
are at when we stumble across this new awareness, but it certainly sweeps us
with excitement and passion off of our feet and we embrace it with open hearts
and minds. The older we get the more enticing it is to actually find that
spark, and I have found myself a new one: Cycling. Throughout all my life I
have been an active person; I seek adventure like a hunter looking for a prey
to catch, eyes wide open to observe the surrounding and to seize that one
worthy prize.
So what is it exactly about
cycling that makes me jump up and down? An excellent workout or calorie burner maybe?
Or getting to know a new community of fellow bicyclers. Is it doing a good deed towards environment by saving on car emissions, aka "Going Green"? Supporting a good cause to
charity? All of these are very good reasons indeed but what sets me off is
different: I just love challenges and love conquering them. Every route we cycle whether new or repeated has its own set of challenges; such as weather conditions, road
elevation, distance, crazy drivers, harassment, etc… I kid you not, some of
these reasons are worth quitting for; imagine cycling in a temperature of 35 C
and it’s only 8 in the morning or avoid side-walking people who actually try
to grab you by the arm while passing by!
But that undeniable and unmistakable sense of achievement when finishing the route is what makes me willing to go for it again and again and again; it is the reason to my broad smile during the cycle ride, knowing how I will feel at the end: PROUD.
But that undeniable and unmistakable sense of achievement when finishing the route is what makes me willing to go for it again and again and again; it is the reason to my broad smile during the cycle ride, knowing how I will feel at the end: PROUD.
We do have our set of precautions:
Helmets are mandatory for every cyclist, sunscreen, lots and lots of water, bananas (they are an
excellent source of potassium that helps with preventing cramps) and a support
car or two along the ride with a first aid kit and a certified EFR person. We make
stops on the road to catch our breath if needed and we never leave someone
behind, after all we are one family.
After the ride we go have a
hearty breakfast together, chit chat and laugh about what went on earlier, make
plans for the following ride or just sit back and relax our muscles
before we call it a day and go home.
Once home I am almost always thirsty, the dehydration kicks in and I want a cold refreshing drink. Recently I discovered a new favorite juice: lemon-mint slush. I tried making it at home but it didn't quite taste the same (was quite bad actually) so I went for an alternative: lemon-grape juice with frozen grapes. This is really a tasty extra-cold beverage with barely any calories in it.
Lemon & Grape juice
Makes 2 servings
5 medium sized lemons (peeled & seeds removed)
1 cup (200 gr) sweet red or yellow grapes (washed, stems removed)
1 tbs white sugar or honey (more/less according to taste)
50 ml boiling water
1 cup ice cubes
handful of frozen grapes (min 2 hours)
Recipe
Dissolve the sugar in the boiling water completely; set aside to cool. Using an electric blender, mix together the sugary water with the grapes and lemons, strain through a fine thieve and then blend again with the ice cubes. Serve in whatever glass you like and add the frozen grapes to it to keep it cold until the last drop, then enjoy eating them.
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