sacrificial water bottle
Cold air and dramatic skies today; I went for a bicycle ride at lunch. Headed south rather than north, to the Parkway Lakes. I've become a bit complacent in my same-two-routes world, so I decided (despite puddles, mud, etc) to take a new way, and rode around the back of a small lake.
And around and past the 'don't go past here' sign. I'm not a car, it doesn't mean me, right? :-) No one else out there. Coulda used more air in the tires.
The lakes were very placid; the kinda still reflective quality that makes me either want to meditate (save I would've frozen my ass off) or get behind a big ski boat and cut the biggest swath of spray possible (which I haven't done in over a decade, but it's an ingrained desire!). There were a scattering of bigger birds in the lake, pelicans and such, mostly sitting solo or in twos, wings tucked town, looking very wintry.
And on around. The brush got thicker. Ok, it was wapping me about the head and shoulders. And then it caught me entirely, webby thin branches in face, spokes, everywhere. I managed to kinda hop off sideways without falling. Pulled out some shrubbery, lifted the bike over some fallen stuff, and kept on... it was a long way back at that point.
Came to a trail up... and could see the closed and locked gate. Ditto a little while later. Oh well, the overpass bridge was near, there had to be a way up there...
Same story.
Kept walking, pushing the bike. At this point, I'm on a kinda outside ledge, nice muddy slip down and down. Oh well. Look forward. Finally the trail widened again, and I was able to get back on, ride a bit til I found an open gate. Up we go, and begin the longish ride back. I was tired. And warm! It was a very fine adventure. :-) Only sacrifice: my water bottle. Caught, no doubt, by those hungry branches. Ah well.
Saw two hummingbirds today as well. One out there in the middle of nowhere, the other closer to here (work) on the trail. More promises of spring, red-headed and darting.
And around and past the 'don't go past here' sign. I'm not a car, it doesn't mean me, right? :-) No one else out there. Coulda used more air in the tires.
The lakes were very placid; the kinda still reflective quality that makes me either want to meditate (save I would've frozen my ass off) or get behind a big ski boat and cut the biggest swath of spray possible (which I haven't done in over a decade, but it's an ingrained desire!). There were a scattering of bigger birds in the lake, pelicans and such, mostly sitting solo or in twos, wings tucked town, looking very wintry.
And on around. The brush got thicker. Ok, it was wapping me about the head and shoulders. And then it caught me entirely, webby thin branches in face, spokes, everywhere. I managed to kinda hop off sideways without falling. Pulled out some shrubbery, lifted the bike over some fallen stuff, and kept on... it was a long way back at that point.
Came to a trail up... and could see the closed and locked gate. Ditto a little while later. Oh well, the overpass bridge was near, there had to be a way up there...
Same story.
Kept walking, pushing the bike. At this point, I'm on a kinda outside ledge, nice muddy slip down and down. Oh well. Look forward. Finally the trail widened again, and I was able to get back on, ride a bit til I found an open gate. Up we go, and begin the longish ride back. I was tired. And warm! It was a very fine adventure. :-) Only sacrifice: my water bottle. Caught, no doubt, by those hungry branches. Ah well.
Saw two hummingbirds today as well. One out there in the middle of nowhere, the other closer to here (work) on the trail. More promises of spring, red-headed and darting.