In Which Dinosaurs Prove Elusive

I could hear them and see them—at one point, in a group of about 5 or 6 males, chattering in the bushes, flitting about—but scattering when I unlimbered my camera. Even with a long lens on the good camera, I didn’t do well in photographing them.

There were birds on the bike ride Friday, but elusive ones on this warm winter day, including this elusive flock of male cardinals who were there, but preferred not to be photographed.

The best shot I got, just one of the boys hiding in the bushes, Cedar Valley Nature Trail, Jan. 4, 2019, maybe 10:30 in the morning.

I was scheduled to take my wife to the airport that afternoon, but Friday morning I took advantage of the sunny January day—temperature in the morning in the 30s—to ride north on the Cedar Valley Nature Trail. My original plan was to circle the city park in Robins and head back—but the side trail to the park was too shady to be cleared of ice and snow.

Maybe with my mountain bike, I might have persisted, nonetheless. But in this case, he did not persist because he was riding a road bike.

The trail to the park in Robins does not appear road bike friendly.

So instead, I just made a quick ride up to Tower Terrace Road before turning towards home.

Shortly after I turned back, a hawk that had been on the power line took off to soar across a field. Aha—another photo opportunity! But alas, my phone rang just at that second, and like Pavlov’s dog, I gave my conditioned response, although not a slobbery one. “Hello,” I dryly said.

Am I in the market for cheaper health insurance, the robo lady inquired. No, in fact, I would pay much higher taxes to have a national health plan that covers everybody so nobody would have to ask that question, but that’s a rant for another blog.

The hawk did not wait. In the few seconds I was pointlessly listening to robo caller, the dinosaur slipped away.

Well, even if the dinosaurs on this bicycle ride proved elusive, at least the sunshine did not. It was a very pleasant morning for January, and I did ride about 16 miles or so. It was a morning well spent.

What the Cedar Valley Nature Trail was like Friday morning--mostly clear, a few other bikers and walkers out, very sunny which made the winter drab even a little pretty.