Happy Thanksgiving!

On a recent Flickr hunt to find a specific photo taken several years ago, I came to a conclusion that I hadn't realized until the evidence was right in front of me. Apparently, I have a "spot" in which I like to stop to take photos while out riding. I'm sure it's not as uncommon as it may initially have seemed to me, but I found it interesting that with nearly every bicycle I've owned (that wasn't used only as an around-town bicycle), I have stopped to take a photo at some point in almost the exact same location.

This photo originally stood out because everything seemed so green for the time of year.

It could be proximity to home (the location is only about 8mi/13km away), making it an easy stop off spot on most routes, or perhaps it's simply that I am drawn to something in that particular area that causes me to veer off and stop. I tend to shy away from routine, so it rather surprised me that I have developed an unconscious but regular habit of stopping in this spot - for whatever reason seems to grab me in the moment.

When I came upon this picture of the Velo Orange, I realized it was the same spot I'd stop with the Crown Jewel above to take a photo.

I suppose it's true of many things in life though. It's easy to develop routines without even realizing it's taking place. The older I get, the more I realize it's a part of life and unless I remain vigilant and aware, I can easily fall into habits - whether they are positive, negative, or neutral. Sometimes though, I cannot help but wonder if routine is really so bad.

The water was disappearing from the lake in this picture, but it is, once again, the same spot I'd stopped for so many other photos.

With Thanksgiving upon us, I understand that it is the start of the holiday season for us in the United States. Some look forward to it with great anticipation, while others dread these final weeks of the year for a variety of reasons. I think most of us have traditions or routines that we expect during this season though, and I find myself very aware of my own expectations and habits.

This looks like a different location, but it's actually just a few feet around the corner from the same spots photographed above.

Today, for example, I baked pies in anticipation of Thanksgiving. This year, it was decided that pumpkin and apple were the flavors of choice. We, in our household, do not have a "usual" for this holiday, with the exceptions of making a few homemade pies and having a good workout at some point in the day. I have always enjoyed that our tradition is non-traditional, but it seems that we have still managed to find ways to sneak the expected into our routine.

Not the pretties of apple pies, but it smells good! :)

It has reached a point today that our non-traditional drill has become the tradition and routine of our home, so, even trying to bypass the expected habits we have inadvertently created our own, making a different-from-some-others holiday, yet still somehow routine. It may not be the same as others will celebrate, but I love our developed-over-the-years traditions, and I look forward to getting on a bicycle at some point during the day, even if it's just to wander the unusually empty roads.

Wherever your Thanksgiving finds you, and whatever traditions (or not) you may have, I hope you find enjoyment and peace and that you are able to celebrate, if only for a few minutes, on a bicycle. Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours from the Endless Velo Love household!