Over the last month, I spent many days traveling outside of D.C.– away from Felkerino, the office, and the daily bike commute.
I suppose a change of scenery is a good thing. It’s always interesting to have a brief window into life outside the city.
Generally, though, my time away made me homesick. I longed for the freedom of bicycling or running around under my own power.
I missed my daily conversations with the Potomac River. We don’t generally talk at length, but I always like checking in.
The gardens along the Mall kept growing without me, and I couldn’t keep track of which flowers had been recently planted.
Sometimes I think we’re conditioned to despise routine. “Get out of your rut!” people say.
But routine does not always translate to rut.
The longer I live in D.C., the more I appreciate its simple pleasures–
an unobstructed view of the water,
the wildflowers some call weeds,
tranquil early mornings by the monuments,
the sweaty warmth of work commutes before midday’s “heat emergency” temperatures.
I know these pleasures because I live an immersive existence in the city– on my bike, on my two feet.
Nothing separates me from my surroundings. Little changes are noticed.
Pavement does not limit my path, and routine does not become rut.
I’m free in the city, exploring the ever-changing everyday.
A BikeDC homebody. It’s so nice to be back.
chasingmailboxes.com 
Well spoken! This post resonates with me. In former life as federal agent, spent life traveling heavily, living in hotels/motels/rental cars/airplanes for years at a time with a weekend maybe every 30 days to return home in time to catch the redeye out Monday for the next 30. Now, I supervise the humming birds in the morning, feel whether the flowers need watering, commune with my bikes. The sweetness of routine, its intimacy, is way underrated! Thank you for sharing. Jim Duncan
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I cannot imagine that kind of travel, when life is basically on-the-road. I think it would be tough to maintain balance. I like that the travel I do now is not a regular part of my work. It helps me appreciate home, but it’s not so much that I become resentful (for the most part!).
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I had to laugh at “heat emergency”! But it’s true. I used to live right below you, In Richmond. That summer heat is oppressive and dangerous.
Over the last month I’ve been working out of town 5.5 days a week. Being home for a day and a half sucks. I try to squeeze in a ride through some of my favorite haunts to unwind, and remind my cats that they do still have a human, then I’m back on the road. Unfortunately when this project is done I have to move out of state! So it looks like coming home to familararity is going to be a ways off.
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Heat emergencies are daily now :). That is so much movement. I hope that things eventually settle for you.
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