The Birds and the Bees (and the Bikes)

A couple of days ago I was riding along Washington County farmland towards the hills, for a training ride, when suddenly I was overwhelmed by a wonderful scent. Ripe strawberries. I looked to my left, and across the street was a field covered in strawberry plants, and I could see the bright red dots of the ripe fruit among the dark green. I had the same experience last month on the 600k brevet, when I was riding on the roads south of Santa Cruz, and the wind would carry the scent of ripe strawberries to me, before I could see the fields. And I loved the scent of the artichokes as I rode past field covered in plants as far as I could see, in that hot California day.

Feeling the scents around you, being immersed in the experience of the fields and the forests you ride through, is something that is easy to miss when you drive along the same roads in your air conditioned car.