Cycling the Seasons: Fall

Autumn – Early Winter (Vata):

The blustery winds of fall bring change. As nights grow longer it is important to prepared for the unexpected. Just as squirrels tuck away treats for Winter, cyclists need to start storing more “Just-in-case” gear in your bag.

On your bike: It is a good time to get a tune-up. Prepare your bike for winter with fenders, bike lights and pack extra layers as the evenings get chilly.  I am a huge fan of always having extra socks, gloves and sometimes, a change of clothes. Bike lights become essential. I am a terrible bike light owner, I lose them, I drop them or forget to charge the batteries, etc. So if you can afford it I highly recommend a Dynamo hub for the front wheel. The hub converts the energy of your wheel and powers your bike lights. I also like that the lights are bolted on.

It is also important to have enough food to energize you on bike rides. Nothing is worse than realizing your are totally exhausted, starving and five miles away from your destination. Bring snacks, even if you end up not eating it, there will be those moments when you are incredibly thankful for them.

On the mat: Fall is this great time to re-establish a routine. In my weekly classes I start to see the studio fill up with people returning back to the mat. Yoga is an incredibly grounding practice and can help you find a little bit more balanced in all elements of your life. In Fall, especially around the equinox I like to focus on balance. Balance is more like a dance with breath. We are always moving, always breathing, balance is not statue still. To have good balance is to dance with pose. Accept the shaking ankle muscles getting stronger as you hold Dancer. To have good balance means sometimes you fall down, but you get up and try again.

To learn about how to cycle through the rest of the seasons grab a copy of my book Pedal, Stretch, Breathe: The Yoga of Bicycling