(Wow, check that out. I am totally like NBC right now, pre-empting my entries for athletics coverage. Or something. Or not. Whatever.)

Here are some reasons why bike riding is nifty.

1. It doesn't strain my back.

Fuck, this is so important. I spent the morning working, and my back was hurting like hell. But I went for a ride after work anyway, because I knew that it wouldn't hurt my back. (My knees aren't exactly thrilled with me, but my back is happy.)

I knew that Martie was coming over after work, and I didn't have a lot of time, but I couldn't help it. I left a note on the door and took my bike out. I happily rode for over an hour, and my back wasn't bothered a bit. (Other than residual pain from work.)

I got back, and ten minutes later, Martie was at the door. Great timing. We unloaded the dresser she brought me, a gift from Jolene, who rules. And then Mar was nice enough to let me take a shower. (Well, I smelled like coffee grounds and sweat. She probably would have forced me to take a shower even if I hadn't volunteered.) And then we went to dinner before going to see Eleanor's new play. I was craving Barney's like mad, so I dragged Martie there with me. I had a turkey burger, fries, and a fresh strawberry shake. I was absolutely famished. I then went into a food coma, which I think I'm still in. Good lord.

Wait, wasn't I doing a list?

2. I am impatient.

I am way too impatient for walking. I had this realization today. I have always hated walking places, because it takes too goddamn long to get anywhere. People might think it's laziness-- even I thought it was laziness-- but in fact, I can't handle how slow walking is. It takes forever to get to Point B. I'm from Los Angeles-- our philosophy is, just get in the damn car and go!

When I ride a bike, I feel like I'm getting somewhere. I'm moving. I'm going. It's such a psychological difference.

3. The physical sensation.

The other huge advantage of biking over walking is that the physical action of walking isn't fun. Unless it's a particularly gorgeous vista or something, walking is just like, blah, whatever, here I am, walking. This sucks.

Biking gives me the feeling of the wind on my face. The forward momentum is exhilarating. And I love negotiating my way across streets, up driveways, around pedestrians, in between poles that crop up from time to time on my bike route. (The thrill of danger, I guess, since I often feel like I'm about to crash into something or fall over.) It's fun.

Although for the record, there's a perfectly nice pedestrian path running alongside the bike path. Why pedestrians feel the need to walk on the bike path is utterly beyond me, and I may have to start running them over soon.

(Then again, I think I have anger management issues.)

4. The endorphins? Maybe?

I have no idea if this is true-- maybe someone who has experienced the mythical endorphin rush can tell me. But I get this totally blissed-out sensation when riding -- like I could keep going and going for hours. I feel like I want to ride until I'm falling-down exhausted.

I have never in my life experienced the fabled "endorphin rush" of exercising. I've exercised, and it's never been anything other than miserable. I've felt happy when it's over. I've felt satisfied with myself for having done it. I've never felt good while doing it. Except now. Now that I've discovered the Glory that is Bicycling. (Cue the inspirational music.)

Today, I decided that I shouldn't look at the odometer. The odometer obviously means trouble, since I'm such a statistics whore. I just planned to ride as long as I felt like riding, for approximately an hour at most, and fuck the odometer.

I rode to the end of the bike path, found out where it continues, and traveled along an extra little portion of the path, through this park that would be a very nice place to stop and read a book. I stopped a little ways down and turned around, leaving myself with something new to discover next time-- the path keeps going, I don't know how far.

I rode back to the BART station (I'd guess it's about two miles from the end of the path to my BART station, which is where I exit the bike path and head home.) Instead of going home, I just turned around again and figured I'd ride just a little bit more. I ended up riding all the way to the end of the bike path again-- another four mile round trip.

I was just having too great of a time; I wanted to keep going and going. I felt wonderful. I have never felt that way before while, in technical terms, exercising. Ever.

I also made it halfway up the hill to my house before I conked out-- way better than I've ever done on those goddamn hills before. And when I checked my odometer, I had gone 9.3 miles.

5. The great bike path.

It's the bike path that does it-- it's just so inviting. Every time I round a bend, there's another avenue stretching out ahead of me with overhanging trees, and flowers, and chirping birds, and wildlife signs, and happy fellow bike riders who smile at you as you whiz past.

If I lived in the city, I'd be having such a difficult time right now... the hills in San Francisco are not friendly to the novice rider, I'm sure of it. But I live in the East Bay, and thus I have the nicest bike path in the world on which to ride. I can't wait to explore it further into Berkeley or, the other direction, into Richmond. (Although that area starts to get a little shady-- I've seen a drug deal in the bushes, a crack pipe on the sidewalk, and a pimp walking on the bike path. Or at least they could be, with an overactive imagination.)

I should also give a shout-out here to the California weather. Go California, you gorgeous state, you!

6. I am working towards a goal.

When I first started riding (in those days of yore almost two weeks ago) I thought that the AIDS ride was a completely ridiculous idea. What made me think I could do 575 miles in a week? I could barely do one mile without feeling like death was nigh.

Today, after going nine miles with relative ease, I began to think that it's not such an impossible goal after all. I've gotten so much stronger in two weeks. Four months doesn't seem like a tiny amount of time, especially since I'm fortunate enough to be able to ride so frequently.

It seems like I might be able to do it after all. I just might.

7. And what have we learned about ourselves today?

I realized that for the first time in my life, I've prioritized my body over my mind.

I have always nurtured my intellect: being a well-educated, well-read, well-informed person has always been priority number one. I don't think that's a secret. But this semester, I dropped one of my classes-- and one consideration was that I'd have more time for riding.

I passed up the chance to take a challenging class so that I could take up a challenge of another sort-- a physical challenge. I was sort of feeling like I had wussed out of my class until I realized that, no, this new challenge is equally valid. Who cares if I know a little less about Elizabethan history when all is said and done?

This whole body-over-mind thing is not a familiar decision. But I am beginning to think it was a good one.

None.