Up Early

Dawn is something you get to know as a cyclist, and noticing its waxing and waning intensity is how to judge the passing of the seasons. From the weak dawn of April to the full dawn of July to the fading dawn of September, getting up early provides you with a time-lapse vantage point to witness the figure-8 interplay as the tilted Earth circles its sun.

Cycling in the midst of a busy life (family, work) means adjusting your schedule to fit. Getting up early is the easiest way to accomplish this.

Getting up early has a feeling of determination about it, a sacrifice that is soon rewarded by gaining the road and generating speed in the nascent sunrise, while the rest of the world snoozes. Being up early lets you see things you'd normally miss -- the furtive fox scurrying away with its breakfast, the mist hanging over the hollow of purple flowers, and the delivery trucks dropping off the baked goods that will be sold as "fresh" for the next few hours. At dawn, birds are stirring, and the scrabbling of a squirrel on a pine trunk can sound as loud as firecrackers.

Danger also lurks at dawn in the form of solar glare. Pick a road that goes straight into the sun, and you virtually disappear from the view of traffic behind you. By the time the aurora ahead diminishes enough for your shadow to become visible, any driver coming up from the rear will be too close to adjust. Ride accordingly. Best to stay in areas with lots of trees and on roads that don't crest with a great view framing the rising sun.

As the seasons cycle through their phases, darkness returns, and the point of getting up early gradually recedes. The time you can steal with this technique diminishes and ultimately disappears from weekdays. But a dawn ride on a chilly fall weekend morning can be one of the most invigorating experiences, as it starts out cold and slowly warms, and as the smells of fall permeate the air.

Get up early. Say hello to the joggers, the birds, and the delivery trucks. The warm light of a fresh sun beckons.