"A Beach Life", oil, by Debbie Miller

I am exhausted. I just returned from a one hour bike ride out to Watch Hill and back, during which I pumped hard most of the time. It was a perfect afternoon for riding – easygoing temperatures and a cooling breeze off the shore. I felt wonderful as I pedaled along. The sunlight was dappling the road and the roadside houses and lawns, making it seem like I was riding through a beautiful movie. When I arrived at the beach, I flopped down, took some healthy drafts of water, took off my shoes, and waded in the refreshing surf. It was a proper reward for a hard 30 minutes work. On the way back, I worked just as hard. I had promised myself that I would take it a little easy, but when I came to the little hills and rises along the way, the gung ho instinct took over, and I lowered my head and pumped for all I was worth.