Summer Cycling

A quick round of cycling today before the temperature becomes unbearable. March has only started and it's already hitting almost 40 degrees. This might be a tough summer to weather. The sun however rose almost innocuously above the horizon, pale red and clear, almost like a little child belying the terrors it would wreak later in the day.

Took just one break for about 2 mins to click a single photo for blip, which is why it is lacking in both imagination as well as execution, but it will do. Had an enjoyable time riding with M, who unfortunately had a flat tire to contend with in the end. Wrapped up about 45 km in 2 hours in uneven terrain, but it was the interesting conversation that will remain in my mind. Almost all the cyclists I encounter, apart from being jovial creatures, are turning out to be rather serious thinkers! Even while we were huffing and puffing up the steep roads, our conversation continued even touching upon Sufism and Taoism. I am glad whenever I encounter people with a curiosity to know. They are naturally good listeners and observers (how would they satisfy their curiosity otherwise?) and have loads of interesting ideas and questions. A desire to challenge what we quietly (often subconsciously) accept can be born out of a need to carve our identity as a "rebel" or a "thinker" and in some cases as a "(pseudo?)intellectual", but there are times when it stems from a genuine desire to know. It is a pleasure talking to such people who would be more like the latter. The former often exhibit far too much dogmatism, which stands in the way of quenching their thirst.

And then the bath that follows such rides is fabulous and makes you eagerly look forward to the rest of the day and indeed the whole weekend.

On an unrelated note, let me mention that from whatever little I have observed, Adda has been a bit laid back and not exactly his adventurous self of late. I find it hard to believe that the rigours of office alone would have been the cause for that. I sincerely hope I am wrong in my observation and hope to see him cycling soon.