I appreciate that this picture isn’t exactly inspiring. Despite what it might look like, it was actually taken in the dead of the night as I rode home along the Main Yarra Bike Trail in Melbourne, Australia.

journey was one of those ‘long way home‘ moments, similar to those I would have back when I lived in the UK, blazing a path into North Wales on my way home from the gym, turning a 5 minute journey into an hour-long open road ‘roof down’ drive in my MG. This time, however, I was on two wheels and the asphalt ribbon I was following was a cycle path rather than a Welsh country road.

This is one of those pictures that will mean more to me than it will to you. I’m posting this picture to remind myself of what turned out to be a surprisingly great ride. The air was thick and humid following a heavy rain shower in the morning. The moisture around the bike trail had been slowly evaporating throughout the day and the smell of eucalyptus filled the night air stronger than I’ve ever encountered before.

Usually a busy trail in the daytime, the Main Yarra Trail was completely deserted as I rode by the light of the moon. As I left the glow of street lights and ventured onto the path, I switch off my flashing bike lights to let my eyes adjust to the darkness. Fruit bats flew above me, their journey silhouettes silently flying overhead but for their squealing chatter. I stopped several times just to smell the air, look at the stars, and soak up the moment.

Strange as it may seem, I often take the long way home, or venture down an unfamiliar road. After all, routine is the thief of time, the undetected thief that steals moments from us like pennies from the profit.