I am used to getting my cardio, cycling exercise in because I have to cycle in order to get somewhere, if you see what I mean and then cycle home again. Well that all changed with lockdown and I found myself trying to get my cardio in by riding aimlessly around, to places I have been already. Forcing myself to cycle for a minimum of at least 30 minutes, boring! Till I thought to change my mind set.
I thought to myself I recently moved to this area and I don’t even know it very well. What if I set off on an adventure each time, instead of cycling around the areas I know just to get some mileage in? An adventure to explore my surroundings and see what is interesting and what is not. What is nearby that I wasn’t aware of, what is different and what I did not know.
That is what I started to do and what a difference an adventure makes. I discovered I live near to Wormwood Scrubs the prison and the expanse of greenland named Wormwood Scrubs, who knew?! Which is next to Hammersmith Hospital! Yes, I had cycled from the Borough of Ealing, London into the Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham.
On another trip I eventually found out how to get to Gypsy Corner, I can see it from my window, where the travellers live near me. Their dogs barked and ran me out of there, luckily I’m not scared of dogs! I named the area five minutes cycle away Mini Manhattan, due to the mass of very tall buildings all clustered together and in the picture below rising up out of the grave yard.
Even the canal trail leads somewhere, Wembley to the left and Ladbroke Grove to the right but then I knew that already. Make an adventure of your running or cycling explore, look around make up names (mini manhattan) for areas you like or notice or which interest you. However try not to end up on grounds, areas you are not allowed!
Happy lockdown adventures, stay safe!