Reflecting

I was driving back from errands and set my odometer to check mileage for a possible bike route. This one will be challenging as it has a couple of big hills.

I was thinking about my ride earlier today and realise I failed to mention some benefits of being out on a bike. Riding in the countryside, you get to see plenty of Mother Nature's bounty and treasure. Birds are flying south, I saw a couple of flocks of geese. The birds have also been in full song and are best heard when riding past the woods. The trees still aren't at peak yet. Probably midweek or so and I'll miss most of it sitting in an office building in the city. But you can spot several trees here and there that are full of yellow or orange. I've seen a few that have a burgundy hue. The sad part is I've seen only a very few red ones. The maples exist, but I worry the drought has made them turn brown before red. I could be wrong and I hope I am. ;-)

At one point while riding I heard rustling off to my left. When I looked, there was a big fat groundhog scurrying at the edge of a field back to his burrow. I passed several small farms, one had cows that were laying in the sun at the edge of some shade trees. Another had goats with their bells clanging around their necks.

The saddest part of riding in the countryside is when you see the roadkill. I hate to see or smell any dead animal. When you are on your bike, the smell is much stronger than if you were in your car doing 50 mph. I got very sad when I noticed just off the road in the grass someone's puppy. At first, I had this fleeting thought, he's sleeping. But I knew better. You couldn't see any signs of trama and there was no smell yet, so I have to assume it had happened within the last day.

Now that I'm more and more confident on my bike I am able to observe what is going on around me. People tinkering in their garages, others setting up yard sales, decorating for Halloween, mowing the grass, children playing. I'm also paying more attention to the cars and motorcycles. The vast majority are very courteous. There were 2 today, however, that made me come a little unglued. Someone driving a small car with no patience barely passes me, get this, when another car is coming in the opposite direction! Now, I'm sorry but what is 2 seconds to hold back? The other was a work van. I don't think there was a full 12 inches of clearance when he passed by me.

Hope tomorrow brings another ride full of sights, sounds, smells. I'm sure I'll be reporting back - boring everyone.

Until then, be good, do good, and try to commit one random act of kindness before the weekend finishes.