On the exercise front, I’ve still been walking or biking rain or shine daily.
Actually, I took two days off recently. One because I went on a 2 hour bike ride the day before that totally did me in, and two, because I decided to stay home one evening and pressure wash the front driveway instead, which also promptly did me in.
How in the world can pressure washing be hard? I mean, you just STAND there and hit everything inch by inch. But it is hard after hours of it. For me anyway.
Regardless, the sun has officially broke out lately, and we are having those hot summer nights, and you can BET my bike came out tonight, no matter what!
And am I ever glad I made the effort. What came next had my jaw hanging open.
I’ve been doing something different lately. Because one foot is giving me some grief when I walk a lot, I’ve jumped back on the bike moreso, but this time, I’m pushing myself.
I’ve always called myself a lazy bike rider. I coast, stop, take pictures, and coast some more. Not much of a work out…
But we all have to start somewhere, and I was pretty much at the bottom.
So lately, I’ve been pushing myself to sweat. I’ve even changed my attire so I don’t mind sweating!
That makes a difference. I use to try NOT to sweat. How dumb is that?
I also threw on some clear safety glasses, since the bugs are out in full force. And since I don’t own sunglasses (the darkness bugs me), well, I looked like a woodworker on a bike I suppose.
Ah well, who cares. It worked fabulous!
Because of my increased endurance, things are changing. I do feel stronger and leaner, although I don’t think I am leaner. I just feel like it. Strength makes you carry yourself differently, which can change your appearance as well. I’ll take anything I can get!
I can also now bike further. I had no idea how many walking and bike trails we had out here. Crazy. But they keep going. Twisting and turning along the river, running into forests and wetlands. It’s amazing!
So today, because of pushing myself just a little more, I cut new ground.
And landed in what I deem the Garden of Eden bike ride. Oh my goodness…
It’s a unique territory. These wetlands run along the river, so there’s a little of both.
Today I found so many private tranquil mini beaches with barely a trickle of water to be heard.
The foreground in the above shot is basically where my childhood farm resides. So all this beauty edges along the country.
This shot does not capture what I experienced at all, so I’ll try to explain what I saw.
When the sun was setting, it was like the evening glow electrified the ground cover,turning it into glow in the dark neon.
It was stunning! It was Narnia. Or Avatar. Or something.
After discovering this new trail, I rode it 4 times!
Back and forth. Those poor people with that dog… I don’t even wanna know what they were thinking.
I never knew clumps of grass could look so gorgeous in water. It looks like something you’d see in some far off land. BC, you’re kinda beautiful!
The Therapy 101 part
And there are other beautiful things to report. During my last therapy session, I was given ‘a gold star’. Wow. 🙂
You know how when you work at something so very long, but nothing ever seems to change? Sometimes you just have to keep trying when something is new, because…well, it’s all new.
But when I started noting repeat performances, that’s when I upped my boundary territory.
I guess I can be a real mush ball at times, because I’d rather rock in my chair and recite, “Everything will be just fine…”, hoping the bad stuff stays away.
I mean, if it works, great! Until it doesn’t any longer.
Standing up to your boundaries is not for the faint of heart. But if you don’t, who will?
Call it tough love. Or drawing a line in the sand. We all know inside what feels right to us and what doesn’t. So that’s the part you have to put to the test.
It’s actually ok if someone gets angry with us. That’s the part I was always trying to avoid.
So anyway, confirming what my boundaries even were was really important. Then being vocal about them even moreso. That sets sound structure into place, so no one is guessing any longer.
This may all sound kinda obvious, but it can be a lot harder than it seems, due to certain circumstances one may have to deal with.
Life can just be messy.
However, thanks to my newfound endurance, the Garden of Eden bike trail can make it more beautiful in about 15 minutes…
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You can check out more pretty Bike Ride Adventures HERE
and a little more Therapy 101 HERE
If you have the right therapist, it makes a great deal of difference. You also may want to explore a book written by Eckart Tolle, who lives in Vancouver. It’s called “The Power of Now”. Brilliant.
I was in BC last summer, and it looks like you live in Hope?
Thank you for sharing such a lovely experience and wise words. There is such power in slowing down to see what is around us and listening to our inner voice. I treasure those quiet moments 🙂
Blessings!
-Michele
So glad you are doing so much better in different areas of your life. Recognizing our weakness and our strengths helps, and sometimes it takes input from others for us to identify them. Spring is a time of renewal and new beginnings, and it would seem even more so for you on a personal level. Blessings.
when making those boundaries, it is important to remember that it is not just what is best for you – you are modeling healthy behavior for that other person by taking care of yourself. It is so hard sometimes, the easy thing would be to sit in that rocking chair…
Absolutely beautiful and the fact that you can get there by a bike is so much cooler. I would say the bike ride and locations are in tandem (no pun intended) with where you are in your journey of self discovery! congrats donna! Yes, breathable fabrics make all the difference in breaking a sweat! laura
The photos are stunning. I’d ride my bike 4 or 5 times down the same trail too if it looked like your photos.
Boundaries: In the past, and to some degree now, I’ve had problems setting boundaries especially with my adult children. Two years ago, I took charge and shook things up. It was hard, hard, hard. Kudos to you!
I think your bike rides are wonderful. My only concern are two cautions….please carry identification on you in the event of an accident and also hopefully a cell phone that has coverage. I personally know two people who had accidents while out riding alone and one died (no ID and was in a coma in the hospital for a month with no way to reach family) and the other landed in water and could have drowned but was saved thankfully by a passing cyclist.
Just a motherly caution!
Thank-you Toni, very good advice!
I always carry my fully charged cell, and even a travel charger. I also have my emerg medical info added where you don’t need a phone password to access it. ID is with it all as well.
The only thing I have overlooked is getting a spare tire tube and mini tire pump! Stocking up this week sometime.
Road ID’s. You can put what you want on them.
https://www.roadid.com/builder/id/default.aspx?styleid=346&trk_msg=8TQ80I6TMSJ4LE4PG7R17ES6VS&trk_contact=T79A9Q09AT6B5CK6CTNLH7PG9O&trk_sid=NFD1JHCJJBDESU78PB8QHMGUKO&EmailToken=bGhhdGhhd2F5QGh6Zmxhdy5jb20%3d&referrer=56896&utm_source=LTK&utm_medium=Email&utm_term=Slim+2+Gold+and+Rose+Gold&utm_campaign=Yo+mama+is+sooo+GREAT!+Show+her+this+Mother%E2%80%99s+Day.&utm_content=56896#/style
Never underestimate what these tools can do to our bodies. I was weed whacking last week and finished in tears. Then a few days of unbelievable pain.
So glad you have these bike trips to help sort out life. You’re right, it’s messy but worth it. Our pastor says. “Remember this is not the end of the story but only the middle.
Your pics are so BEAUTIFUL! (I think you took one of my favourite bench which is my destination point when I can fit in a walk after work but I think I have bike envy & am dreaming about one! Lol). Also, thanks for sharing your ‘Journey’; you really seem to be taking all the right positive steps and that takes courage! I’ve been enjoying your ‘Funky Junk’ style for awhile now and decided to post for the first time. ?
Glad therapy is helping. Boundaries have always not been my thing. I struggle. It takes a lot of time. You’re in a good place getting help. Take care.
Good for you! (on all of it)… don’t know what it’s all about (your therapy, boundaries, etc) but sounds like you’re gaining ground and making major improvements – gotta be good! Don’t try it alone tho. Surrender fully to Jesus & what He has for you- the way will get even easier 🙂 Loved the ‘garden’ tour…
Hi Donna
What a beautiful ride. Don’t you just feel so sorry for those people that don’t live in the gorgeous Fraser Valley of “Beautiful British Columbia”?
(That’s what our license plates say.) “Click” to many more rides.
Hugs C.
what a beautiful ride! happy to hear you’re putting yourself on the list…it feels so good when we do!
Congratulations on the therapy break through. I love your site and especially enjoy the nature photographs. The pictures of your homeland are a real balm for my eyes as I live in the American southwest, so when you write of rain and snow, I can only sigh. Always greener on the other side, right? In this case, it so so so true.
Love the nature pictures. It looks so peaceful – a nice place to just “be”. I have a hard time setting my boundaries for others also. I’m so willing to please others that I find that I’ve put myself on the back burner. One day I thought these people need to start doing things for themselves and then I realized that by me not saying “no” to them, I wasn’t doing things for myself! Kind of a paradox. It’s never easy for me to tell someone no, but it must be done sometimes. Know that you’re not alone!!
Living close to that kind of beauty would feed my soul on so many different levels. It’s beautiful Donna and you will always be your own best friend. My mom always used to tell me that if I empty my soul jug by worrying about bad things then I would have nothing left to give to good things. I hope your soul jug always stays more full than empty Donna <3
So glad you are finding a way to heal and take care of yourself! What a gorgeous trail you found. I know that I’m not taking advantage of the beautiful area I live in, and biking is an adventure that I could get into (and definitely need). Thanks for sharing!
Oh my… I cannot tell you how much nature just takes me away. All for free too… if you don’t yet have a bike that fits you like a glove, go get one TODAY. It’ll change your life.