Get on your bikes and ride!!!!!!

I am a keen bike rider and have ridden most of my life, since I was taught, as a child, how to by my father in the garden! I always have about 3 or 4 bikes in my garage. At present I have three mountain and a road bike plus my wife's bike. 
There have been periods when I have not ridden but I have always returned to it and in recent years having bought a road bike, ridden almost every week and even have an indoor trainer. More recently I have restored my sons  mountain bike, that he had left with us and have taken to riding it for local errands instead of using the car. Not only does it save petrol but it tops up the exercise! 
I am fortunate that my wife is a fitness consultant and teaches spin bike classes at a local health club (Overstone Park), It  is a great workout and a good way of turning the pedals especially if the weather is not conducive to outdoor riding!
I ride both on my own and with my closest friend Peter. We ride for pleasure and fitness. We have developed a number of routes around the Northampton area. I am no Bradley Wiggins, indeed I would probably not keep up with a fair paced club ride and have particular difficulty with hills. I have an excuse for this, due to a serious illness some years ago my lungs were slightly damaged! 
I enjoy the therapeutic solitude of the road, it places no pressure on you other than the traffic and the need to spin the pedals. It is a pure physicality of movement and whilst you can appreciate the scenery at that pace, it is not something personally I dwell on. Even on quiet country roads, you have to have your wits in tune with the passing vehicles, most are considerate but there are those who appear to use you as a target! I have noticed that since the Olympic success on road and track there does seem to be more awareness by drivers of us pedal pushers, with the possible exception of "white" van man who generally has no consideration for any other road user!
I love the camaraderie that Peter and I have when we ride together, although I am usually some way behind especially on the hills! A shared effort over a route, sometimes in adverse conditions, creates a bond of enjoyment and a special connection with your fellow rider or riders!   Even though your legs are tired, you push yourself and this brings a sense of well being, that you have to experience for yourselves. 
Humans are not sedentary creatures, in spite of the evidence that passes before us daily. Effort is good for our bodies and our minds, exercise is necessary. Overweight people are, by my observations, reaching epidemic levels and I speak as a man who could do with shedding a another 10 kilos or so!
I thoroughly recommend cycling as a relaxation and exercise, whether you want to ride round a safe enclosed environment at leisure or go out on the roads and put some miles under your wheels. Local cycle clubs often provide a good place for riders of all abilities and are always welcoming to new members. There are websites where riders in a local area can contact each other and ride together.
Whichever way you want to ride I urge you to get on a bike and ride.
And I make no excuse for repeating EXERCISE IS NECESSARY!!!!!!