Monday, September 28, 2009

Sunday on a Bike Trail with Moose

Hi and thanks for stopping by. We had a low key weekend.

It rained for most of last week which forced us indoors. Normally, we love to be outside in the fresh air and sunshine. We ride our bikes, walk around a nearby lake, work in our yard and play with our rabbit who doesn't really like the outside as much as we humans do.

It's funny, but we have to force Buddy Rabbit to stay out for an hour a day. He takes that time to use the bathroom and run a bit, but he wants to go back in the house pretty quickly, even if we're outdoors. He spends his time outside thumping his displeasure.

Yesterday, though, I left Buddy inside the house. He likes to snuggle under the computer desk and nap during the day; so he was happy.

In North Carolina during the fall, it seems we get a lot of rain. We get very little during the summer months, so we need the water by September. But I hate rainy fall days. They are gloomier than when it rains during the summer. Also, during the summer rains, there is the possibility that I can be entertained with an occasional bolt of lightening and roll of thunder.

We still get a bit restless though being closed up in the house and after a solid week of rain, cabin fever set in. But the rain finally left by about lunch time on Sunday.

To celebrate, I grabbed a quick sandwich from a nearby shop then headed out to the bike trails.

My favorite bike trail follows a creek through a low lying area. Most of the trail is paved, but dirt accumulates in spots from flooding of the creek. Erosion adds the mud because the trail is much lower than the neighboring subdivisions. My point is that, after a week of rain, the bike trail was very messy; wet, dirty, muddy with spots of standing water. It was perfect for a dirt loving country boy.

The only real issue with riding in such wet conditions is the snakes that normally stay closer to the creek were out on the trails seeking the safety of higher ground. There is nothing like running up on a copper head unexpectedly to put a tinge of fear in me.

With all the water on the trails, the ride was a bit steamy so I ripped my t-shirt off to cool down a bit after riding about six miles. The sun felt good on my back as the mild September air cooled my chest as I continued to ride.

Like I said earlier, the trails were pretty wet, but the knobby tires on my old mountain bike gripped the dirt and in many places, mud; flinging it in wild abandon back on me and the bike frame. I didn't care. I was just so happy to be back on my beloved bike and on these trails I've ridden hundreds of times; I didn't mind looking like a mud monster.

It was a great ride, but I couldn't help to think about the coming months. Months where it will be too cool to ride outdoors. Months where it will be too dark when I get off from work to ride. Months where I'll have to get my exercise in the confines of a gym. But Sunday on the bike trail was a little piece of heaven, even if I did get pretty dirty.

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