The First great Cycling Vacation

Today’s world is full of fatal diseases such as heart diseases, diabetes, cancer, bone and joint pain, mental illness, obesity, and many more. A recent study showed that almost 80% of the diseases are directly related to a sedentary lifestyle. Hence, it becomes necessary to do some physical activities in order to reduce the chances of having such diseases and to strive for a better physical and mental life. There are many physical activities to check out but the one physical activity which has the most number of followers is cycling.

Cycling, which is basically riding a bicycle, is a fantastic physical exercise to try out. Cycling or biking, as we call it has many benefits. It protects us from various severe diseases like heart stroke, obesity, arthritis, mental depression, diabetes, and many more.  Also, cycling does not require any expertise as it is a very easy exercise. Moreover, cycling or biking does not usually cause severe injuries or harms. Biking can also be used as a form of recreation and therefore it is a fun way to get fit.

Although I had cycled in my neighborhood, I always wanted something adventurous. The summer vacation was also near and I and my best friend were discussing going on a cycling vacation. I had never gone on a cycling vacation and it was a good time to have some fun. So, without a second doubt, I was prepared to go for my first cycling vacation during the summer break.

Well, first I thought that I would go alone on my first cycling vacation but then I pondered that the fun would be doubled if you have nice a friend accompanying you to your first cycling trip. So, I convinced my friend to go with me to the cycling trip. At first, he was hesitant. But how long could he deny his best friend? My pal was finally convinced and we were ready to go to our first cycling trip.

Prior to two days of our first cycling vacation, we had to decide where we had to go. So, I made a full-proof plan for our cycling vacation. It looked something like this: First, we would go to a forest near our hometown. When we would cross the forest we would aim for the hill located in front of it. After passing the hill, there would be a straight highway that would lead to our homes. So, the map of the cycling vacation was made and we just had to make arrangements, before we could hit the road on our bikes.

ARRANGEMENTS BEFORE THE TRIP

The preparations for the trip started from the day when we decided to go for the cycling vacation. I started practicing to ride a cycle. I would cycle about two kilometers a day in my neighborhood to get fully ready for my first cycling trip. Well, the day before the start of my first cycling vacation, I packed all the required items in my bag. First I packed the food items such as sandwiches, apples, oranges, oatmeal, eggs to get some proteins, and an energy drink to get refreshed. Moreover, I carried a camera to keep all those memories of my first cycling journey with me always. I also carried ample water to stay hydrated throughout my journey as water is very necessary to ensure that the balance of body fluids remained intact. I also packed a tent cloth, a torch, and a lighter in my bag.

Now I had to make my bike fully organized for the trip. It was the most important thing and I had to make it look absolutely clean and clear. I filled the air in my bike tires and checked the brakes. Everything was alright with my bike. Hence, I went to sleep and waited excitedly to wake up the next day.

THE START OF THE EXHILARATING JOURNEY

I took a sound sleep the previous night and woke up at 4:30 a.m. I was feeling very excited as well as nervous about my first cycling vacation. Well, I controlled my nerves and gave a call to John, the night owl to wake him up. But I was surprised that he had already woken up and was getting ready. So, without wasting a second, I started getting ready. I went bathroom to freshen myself. I took a bath and brushed my teeth. I took out my biking helmet and got dressed up in my shorts and comfortable biking t-shirt. I wore my lucky socks and my favorite biking sports shoes. I was all set and went to John’s house, located in front of my house. He was already waiting for me at the main gate of his house and we together set out for our first adventurous cycling journey. We cycled through the roads of our hometown. It was a fresh morning and we made our way through the fog and mist. It was a very cooling experience. We stopped for some time to drink water. We also met a few people who were jogging early in the morning. Going through the nicely built roads of our hometown, we reached the forest, which was our first milestone.

The forest roads were a bit bumpy. But it was absolutely wonderful. With amazing creatures and greenery all around, the forest made it clear that our experience in the forest would be fantastic. We cycled through the roads and observed the magical experiences between the trees. We even heard the sound of the chirping of the birds’ species that we would have never encountered in our hometown. We breathed in fresh air while cycling through the paths of the forest. Besides, we came across various kinds of animals in the forest such as deer, bulls, raccoons, and many more. We also witnessed various small animals such as lizards, frogs, bugs, squirrels, etc having fun in the green forest. I took a few photographs of these animals without disturbing them. These pictures would serve as a remembrance of our first cycling vacation. Then, we took a small break for our breakfast. We put a cloth on the forest floor and sat down for our breakfast. Our breakfast was comprised of oatmeal, sandwiches, a few eggs, and apples. We enjoyed the beautiful scenery while eating delicious food.  We cycled throughout the forest and observed each and every part of it. The forest provided us with exactly what we wanted. Now, it was time to go to our second milestone, the hill. 

We came out of the forest and there was a straight highway in front of it that led to the gorgeous hill. We cycled speedily through the highway. I was feeling that John was cycling faster than me. This fact compelled me to increase my speed. On the way, we were talking about the various surprises that we could get in the hill. And we were sure that the hill would provide us with an awe-inspiring experience. We reached the hill and discovered the various natural wonders it had in its gorgeous form. We cycled up the hill and on our way we encountered various small animals such as lizards, snakes, bugs, and many more. We enjoyed the beauty of the trees and plants alongside the vast wildlife. There were various flowers also. We picked two to three flowers and enjoyed their extravagant fragrance. Moreover, there was an apple tree on the road. We stopped for some time and took our lunch under the apple tree. A few sandwiches and some eggs; this was all about our lunch. We wanted to stay light so that we could cycle more. We also plucked some apples from the apple tree and ate them as dessert. We set up our tent under the apple tree and took a power nap. When we woke up, it was evening. We aimed to reach the top of the hill. We cycled along a stream that ran down from the hill.  We cycled as fast as possible to reach the apex of the hill. We arrived there in about an hour. The sunset was visible from the top of the hill and we took a memory of it in the form of a photograph. It was already dark and we thought of putting our tent in that place only. We set up a tent and wrote our respective diaries. “The day was the most fascinating and memorable”, I wrote in my diary. Now, it was the time for dinner and we ate a few fresh oranges and refreshing buttermilk. John had brought some strawberries and we ate them together. We were witnessing the elegant stars from our tent. By then, we were already feeling very sleepy and decided to go for a sound sleep. We locked our bikes and lit a bonfire outside our tent to save ourselves from the wild animals and dangerous insects. Now, we were completely safe and felt asleep.

When we woke up in the morning, we felt extremely refreshed. We packed our tents and took up our bikes and helmets. Then it was the time for the most thrilling part of our cycling experience. We had to cycle down the hill. It is a frenetic experience for many but we had the courage to do it. We cycled down the hill fearlessly. Oh!  what an experience it was! I just felt stupendous and thrilled. At first, I thought I would fall down but then I controlled my bike and performed some gut-wrenching stunts. We reached the bottom of the hill and there was a highway that led to our homes. So, here, I and John thought that we would race to our homes. Surprisingly, John who used to cycle faster than me lost to me in this race. We reached our homes and I bade goodbye to John. I was very delighted at the adventures I experienced in my first cycling vacation. It was something that could never be forgotten by me.

TOP FIVE PLACES TO GO CYCLING / BIKING

The first biking adventure of mine was near my hometown. This was just the beginning. I fell in love with biking and I would definitely bike in some of the most exciting and thrilling biking spots in the world. There are some biking spots which are my favorites and I would do anything to bike there. My picks for the top five cycling destinations are as follows:

1. CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA

Cape Town is definitely one of the most fantastic biking destinations all over the world. It has stunning roads and coastal areas which make the cycling experience of bikers a delightful one. Also, Cape Town is shadowed under the Table Mountain which makes it a perfect place for the hill bikers.

Cape Town is also known as the city of bikers. Here you will find many friends in the form of bikers with whom you can enjoy a fascinating biking experience.

2. GIRONA, SPAIN

Girona, a marvelous place located 60 miles of the north-east of Barcelona, Spain, is a perfect spot for adventurous bikers. Girona has practically everything which a biker could imagine of. Wonderful climates, long and smooth biking trails, and high mountains, all these make Girona absolutely gorgeous. It is located near the Pyrenees mountain which makes it absolutely suitable for bikers who are seeking hill adventure.  

Girona is located near the coastal areas as well. This makes the bikers access the seas and sand. Girona is also fondly called the heaven of bikers.

3. BOULDER AND ASPEN, USA

Boulder and Aspen, situated on the edge of the Rocky Mountains, is definitely one of the most fascinating biking destinations in the USA and one of the best in the world. The Boulder and Aspen are home to one of the most adventurous biking experiences in the world. With the scenic beauty of the nature boasting of high-rising hills, this place can definitely assure you some unseen thrill.

The Boulder and Aspen, which is located in the state of Colorado, also possess various luxurious resorts and long biking trails, making it an excellent love for the bikers.

4. PATAGONIA, CHILE

Patagonia, which is located in the South-American country of Chile, is a biking destination that is not for the weak hearts. It offers glacial mountains, green lush fields, fresh forests and even arising volcanoes. It has a long route, but the road is as smooth as butter, where you can ride with ease. Your biking skills are actually tested in the mountains where some get exhausted due to their unfitness.

You have to be very experienced in cycling and maintain your physical fitness in order to ride on the rough terrains of Patagonia. But after some practice, you will surely enjoy the biking experience in Patagonia.

5. MANALI-LEH, INDIA

The Manali-Leh cycling journey is known as the father of all cycling expeditions. The cycling starts from Manali (which is located in the state of Himachal Pradesh) and ends in Leh (in Ladakh). You need extensive physical fitness and cycling experience in order to bike on these terrains which are located at extremely high altitudes. The oxygen level also goes down on such high altitudes. The marvelous mountains and the majestic passes make it an amazing place for bikers, who are seeking extreme adventures. Also, there are various caves and snow deserts in this place, which can add to your adventure. All these factors make the Manali-Leh route one of the most thrilling cycling spots all over the world.

My first cycling journey was one of the most adventurous activities that I had ever experienced in my life. We all have only one life and we definitely need to seek some adventures in order to make our lives worthy and fruitful. And when you talk of adventures, cycling/biking definitely comes on the hotlist. If you have not yet started your first cycling vacation, start it today only!