I mean really appreciate it. Do you know everything it has to offer? This morning as I was on the beach after riding my bike I got to wondering how many people who live in Orange County get to actually appreciate all it has to offer.
We have miles of beaches, rolling hills, public parks and open spaces available to us at little or no cost. If any of the readers are like me, they know how easy it is to get into a routine that creates tunnel vision. Get in the car, put the DVD on for the kids in the back, turn on the satellite radio in the front, drive to work, home, dinner with the spouse, weekly meetings/practice, etc… Then rush home to catch up on all the latest reality shows on the DVR. Rinse, lather, repeat.

If anything, riding my bike most places has really opened my eyes to things I either don’t see or don’t have time to see while driving. In the past week on my days off I have ridden up and down the coast, through Santiago ^[3], Laguna ^[4], and Newport Back Bay ^[5] and Wetlands/Wildlife Sanctuary ^[6] in Newport/Irvine. The many parks ^[7] around Orange County have provided me with a place to rest, meditate, and even offered shortcuts to my destinations that would have otherwise been a daunting ride at the time. For a full list of the parks available visit ocparks.com ^[7]

As the weather gets warmer, and spring is upon us, I recommend that everyone take some time to appreciate some of the natural wonders Orange County has to offer; ride a bike, go fishing, take someone on a picnic, or just take a nap in park.