If there's one thing I love about summertime, it's bike rides. I think everyone should go on bike rides. Nobody should be missing out on this wonderful opportunity for fresh air, sunshine, exercise, and yes—in some cases, even free stuff.
Think of all the time you could save. No lying on the porch (or in a tanning bed!) for hours to get tan. No driving into town to spend an hour working out, only to drive back home. No retail therapy required to "get out of the house". No need to spend an hour watching television to "unwind". Think of all the money you could save. Again, no tanning bed, no gym membership. You'll save more on gas, mindless shopping, television subscriptions and even herbs, if you're into buying that kind of thing. If you live in the right state, you'll find free money in the form of recycle-able aluminum cans and plastic and glass bottles. I currently ride a free bike that my parents gave me before I moved out. Suffice it to say, I'm in the market for a new bicycle. When we were first married, Hubby helped me put a rack on the back, so I could carry my foraging purse and some water. He helped me replace the inner tube so now I didn't have to pump the tire up every other day. When our first child was old enough, he helped me mount a kids' seat on the back so she could come with me on my rides. It's a little harder foraging and can-collecting, but we can gather anything in arm's reach of the bike. All in a Day's Bike Ride We live in a gorgeous area, and I feel like every ride is a trip to one of our state parks. I love biking our local roads. There are a a few blacktops, but plenty of dirt roads as well. Tree lined roads, beautiful old homes, fields and woodlands abound. On a warm day, the scent of wild phlox rises with the heat. It's like perfume, but all-natural. On two of our routes we pass small creeks. Of course these are fun to point out to kids, but they also tend to grow a lot of jewel weed on their banks. Sometimes I'll pick some and bring it back to our home as a poison ivy remedy. And unfortunately, we do have a lot of poison ivy on the property. I use my bike rides to keep note how different plants and flowers appear in each season. Each season conducive to biking (spring, summer and fall, if you're wondering) brings about it's own bounty. In the springtime, we pass short, white bloodroot flowers and another small, white flower called Spring Beauty. During the summer, especially in June, we see a lot of St. John's Wort, and later on we se several different fruits; for example, wild apples, mulberries and black raspberries. When it seems like there couldn't possibly be more potential for foraging, along comes autumn. This is the time to forage for roots and fruits. And by "fruits", I mean seeds and nuts. Hickory nuts, black walnuts, burdock root, dandelion root. While it may not be safe and/or ethical to do you foraging beside the road, regular bike rides allow you to cover a lot of ground to see what's "in season" at any particular time. Make a mental note while you're on the road, and then when you get home you can go out looking for the goods. Of course, useful plants and recyclables aren't the only things you'll find on the road when you go out a couple of times per week. I've found plant pots, clothing, things marked "FREE" like books or furniture, or even unopened food items. Of course you have to use discretion when decided what to take home, but usually about half the time I find things still in usable condition. On our last trip I picked up a Visa gift card. It was pretty beat up, but the number was still readable. I took it home to see if there was any balance left on it. There sure was; a whopping $0.20! It's not like I've become rich by ditch-diving, but each dollar saved helps. In a year I can usually earn $80.00 or so returning cans, and another $10.00 or $20.00 on herbs, edibles and random items. Bike rides are a great way to stay in shape, save money, de-stress and have fun. Oh yeah... and you can GO places as well! June is one of the best times to start YOUR biking habit. Warm, sunny, and full of flowers, every ride is sure to be an adventure. Happy biking! ~Prudence~
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About PrudenceI am a Christian homemaker who lives in the Midwest. I enjoy sewing, gardening, reading and thrifting. Archives
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