Spring Ride and What I Saw and Heard

First flower on Mount Mercy campus, an iris-like crocus (or crocus-like iris) near Basile Hall. And a goose guarding trail by Cedar Lake.

I rode to Mount Mercy today to print off some papers I need to grade, and on the way there and back, I used the Cedar River Trail. It was cloudy, but nice—a good day to be on the trail. Among other things, I saw:

• A goose who was very territorial when it came to the trail. He honked and was generally hissy, but didn’t actually attack, which I know some do sometimes.

• The first crocus blooming at MMU. The same pretty blue one that is seen each spring near Basile Hall.

• The first crocus blooming in my front yard. I've had some in back for several days, but now the ones in the front lawn, which I planted just last fall, are starting.
  

• Lots of people, joggers and walkers and bikers. Had to stop for a tot on a bike who wasn’t wary enough, but safe biking is no accident.

• The first robin. Granted, it’s been so warm this winter and early spring that I’m sure robins have been around since January, but it’s the first one I saw. Actually two, since it was a pair of contentious males.

• A bike brake shoe with pad lying near 42^nd Street. Hope whoever lost this was able to stop.

Anyway, it was another beautiful spring day. A great sadness of modern life is all the empty parks you see—kids don’t play outside as they did when I was a wee lad. It was great to see some people out there today enjoying this fine weather.

Riding on the trail definitely gave me the itch. I’m leaning more and more towards the whole week of RAGBRAI—and decision time is coming within a week!

A slide show of what I saw today: