47/52: Cycling the covid kilos

Rediscovering the joy of freedom is simply wonderful.

6 weeks ago I made a goal to drop 5 kgs by Christmas - a conservative 500g per week. Everything started well, but due to the magic of 2020 I'm now nearly 3 kgs heavier than when I started. What the? It's not rocket science, I'm eating too much and drinking too much and not exercising as much as I used to. So, rather than do the sensible thing and restrict my calories, I've decided to work on burning them by cycling as much as possible. On these cycling trips, I've suddenly found myself in awe of some of life's simple pleasures.

This week has been a wonderful week of cycling, beginning with the scene you see above - hot air balloons rising over Kew Boulevard on Tuesday morning. We then pedalled down to the Yarra and on to do laps of Albert Park Lake. Wednesday, more Boulie laps with a side trip to Ivanoe's The Boulevard - Marvelous. Thursday - over to Williamstown and Altona Beach before Friday took me down to the Mornington Peninsula to tackle Arthurs Seat and the back roads of Portsea.

Cycling in Melbourne is a joy at this time of year. The weather is warming and the mornings are light and bright, nice and early. I'm looking forward to re-visiting some locations I haven't cycled since the beginning of Covid: Mt Dandenong and surrounds; Kinglake; Wildwood; Bellarine Peninsula; Lorne and surrounds; Macedon; Baw Baw; Bright and more.

Whether you're cycling, walking or hitting the gym, I hope you get the chance to soak up the little simple pleasures around you...and in the process, we might all drop a few of those covid kilos!