Variety vs. Serenity

I didn't realize I was making the choice. At least, not this particular choice.

When I ride to work, it's through the Baylands Nature Preserve and Shoreline Park, then along the Stevens Creek Recreational Trail. Especially the part that's all but right at the Bay shoreline is a lovely way to start the day. Often, the sun's shining (these days, it'll be not far from just having risen!), there's no wind, it's quiet, there are very few others out on the trails, the shorebirds are feeding close-in to shore, often in large clumps, and it's remarkably peaceful.

For a change of pace, I rode up to Foothill Expressway and then into Los Altos. I used to ride along Foothill occasionally, when I biked frequently back 25 years ago (before my wrists made bicycling on a diamond frame very uncomfortable), and lots of people ride along Foothill today. The road's fairly flat—a few rolling hills, but nothing that even pretends to be steep, an important characteristic of a route these days, while my legs figure out just what to do with a 'bent.

Wow! Talk about a jarring experience. I'd forgotten what it was like to have lots of traffic whizzing by at 45-50 mph just a few feet away. Whiz, whiz, whiz, whiz, whiz. And traffic wasn't even terribly heavy!

It might just be "the same old route" over and over, but until I'm ready for bigger hills that are a bit off that beaten path, I think I'll stick to the serenity of the Baylands and Shoreline!