October 8, 2014

Tranquility

I'm not keen on biking long distances in the dark.

Vasona Lake, looking toward the boat dock in early morning light.With daylight savings time still in effect, I have felt discouraged by the ever-later sunrise. At the far end of the day, there isn't much light left for the long ride home, either.

I could afford the luxury of a slightly later start today; no rush to get cleaned up in time for a morning packed with back-to-back meetings. [Yay!] In the afternoon, I could leave early enough to arrive home at dusk.

A later start, though, means heavier traffic. What if ... what if I cut through the local park, instead? Having optimized my route, and being a creature of habit, I had never tried this variation in the morning. It would add some distance and subtract some climbing.

Trees with red and yellow leaves along the shore of Vasona Lake.
How did it turn out? Well, you be the judge. [I'm biased.] The surface of the lake was as smooth as glass, and the changing leaves [yes, in California] were vibrant in the early morning light.

Tradeoff: traffic for tranquility.

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