In Which There Is a Boy and Sunshine

Early in ride, inspecting Dry Creek on C Avenue.

I rode about 16 miles today, a 12-mile evening ride and a 4-mile afternoon ride. They were very different rides, but both very nice, too.

The earlier ride was shorter and slower—and the more fun of the two. I took one of my grandchildren, a 4-year-old boy, on a short trail ride in the neighborhood.

He’s been my biking buddy for a while now—but last year was able to sit in a toddler seat in the front of the bicycle. This year, he’s grown too tall for that seat, and rides a Tag-A-Long seat in the rear.

I use the same seat for many grandkids, and one thing I like about it is that is suits children ranging from this 4-year-old up to children completing a decade on the planet.

Collecting dandelion seeds.

As usual, after about a mile or so, the grandson wanted to know when we would be home. I told him there was a bridge ahead on the trail, and he could throw dandelion seeds into the creek from there. That seemed to do the trick. The 4-mile ride was a tour of three bridges—early in the ride we paused on C Avenue at Dry Creek, and then crossed the same creek again, once on the Boyson Trail, once on a little side trail. On both trail bridges, the grandson stopped, watched the water, looked for ducks and tossed sticks or dandelion seeds.

Bike parked at bridge on Boyson Trail.

Duck seen from C Avenue (above) and from second trail bridge (below). Grandson was pretty excited to watch the duck.

They sky was cloudy, the day breezy and a bit cool, but slightly warmer than yesterday. He and I both enjoyed the ride. I love riding with grandkids, when they’re willing, and today’s bridge adventure was a good example of why.

Later, after supper, I went out again for my usual evening quick trip. This time, the great adventure was that there were a few breaks in the clouds and a bit of sunshine for the ride. I headed down to the Mount Mercy campus, shot some images there, and then headed over to the trail south of the closure to circle Cedar Lake.

The rides today were a nice change of pace. A ride with a young child and a ride in the sunshine—both, I think, were good for the soul. Images from the evening ride followed by computer summary:

Bike parked in sunshine at MMU campus. Rode to campus tonight, so I made it down to Cedar Lake, avoiding closed trail.

Flowers along Cedar River Trail.

Early in evening ride--Clouds finally having some breaks in them, sun will shine a bit.

Cedar Lake.

Other side of Cedar Lake.