The other morning, I was resting in bed, skimming a favorite website. I stumbled upon an article about taking a bike tour of Sydney, Australia. I was fortunate to spend a summer in the beautiful city about 10 years ago. Of course, reading the article had me longing for taking such a trip and jealous of the author. I was reading at about 6:30 a.m., while the rest of the house was sleeping. In the spirit of Paradise in Front of Me, I grabbed my bike and decided to take a bike tour of my town, Roanoke, Virginia.
I encourage everyone to do something like this on a morning when very few people are out and about. Exploring my town by bike, early on a Saturday morning, was a unique experience. It was quiet and relaxing, and I found that I noticed subtle beauty in places I've passed a hundred times in my car. Take your camera. I find that the simple act of carrying one encourages me to slow down and look for something special. My favorite picture in this sequence is of the white house. Throughout Roanoke, and cities all over America, are homes like this one. What stood out to me, though, was the orange sign plastered on the front. It says, "Restoration in Progress."
In El Paraíso, I learned the value in embracing my community. It's easy to find faults in any place. but to spend time harping on the flaws will only make getting out of bed each morning that much more difficult. So, as spring approaches and the weather warms up, dust off the bike, roll out of bed early one morning, and find the hidden gems lurking around your town. On my tour, I didn't find a Harbour Bridge or anything resembling the Sydney Opera House, but I did enjoy the subtle beauty that makes Roanoke it's own, unique city. If you are so inclined, share a picture or two with us of something new and interesting you discovered on your tour. Or, just sleep in and enjoy these pictures of Roanoke. Either way, thanks for reading.
I encourage everyone to do something like this on a morning when very few people are out and about. Exploring my town by bike, early on a Saturday morning, was a unique experience. It was quiet and relaxing, and I found that I noticed subtle beauty in places I've passed a hundred times in my car. Take your camera. I find that the simple act of carrying one encourages me to slow down and look for something special. My favorite picture in this sequence is of the white house. Throughout Roanoke, and cities all over America, are homes like this one. What stood out to me, though, was the orange sign plastered on the front. It says, "Restoration in Progress."
In El Paraíso, I learned the value in embracing my community. It's easy to find faults in any place. but to spend time harping on the flaws will only make getting out of bed each morning that much more difficult. So, as spring approaches and the weather warms up, dust off the bike, roll out of bed early one morning, and find the hidden gems lurking around your town. On my tour, I didn't find a Harbour Bridge or anything resembling the Sydney Opera House, but I did enjoy the subtle beauty that makes Roanoke it's own, unique city. If you are so inclined, share a picture or two with us of something new and interesting you discovered on your tour. Or, just sleep in and enjoy these pictures of Roanoke. Either way, thanks for reading.