In Which I Go from Sunshine to Rain to Sunshine

Sept. 7--Monday, first day of classes at university where I teach. Bike in driveway before I leave home.

Morning glories blooming in someone's yard, seen on my Monday morning ride.

Monday morning--I have arrived at Rohde Family Plaza, Mount Mercy University.

Odd weather--storm, then heat wave, drought, cooler weather--some spring flowers are blooming. Lilac seen on bike ride.

Sunrise Monday morning at C Avenue pond of Collins Aerospace.

Another view, from another camera, of my bike on campus Monday morning.

The biking week in Cedar Rapids wasn’t much this past week. I commuted to work as usual Monday, Sept. 7, on two wheels.

And then it rained. And Rained. And rained. It was raining Thursday, but I was home a bit early and the weather app on my phone claimed there was a break. So I got out my mountain bike. It was sprinkling, but the weather radar said “clear” so I ignored my senses and trusted the smartphone—probably not the smartest thing to do.

After a quick ride of 3 miles or so I gave in to reality and went home.

Thursday afternoon--mountain bike ready for damp ride.

Heading south on C Avenue.

Heading east on Brentwood Drive towards the hill.

 

I drove to work Friday. As I had Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Man, commuting in a metal cocoon, cut off from the world, kind of ranks high in the suck-o-meter. Now that I’m used to bicycle commuting, car commuting feels very lame.

Saturday was cloudy and damp, but not raining for most of the day. I took a 4-year-old grandson to a park, using my bike and a Tag-A-Long seat. He seemed to enjoy it.

Grandson on bike Saturday. Cool, damp day, but it didn't rain on us.

A finally, today, glorious Sunday—aptly named, as it turns out, for the first sunshine in six days. We had a terrible derecho storm on Aug. 10, and then drought until the rains this week. I rode over to the Lowe Park Trail, then to the neighborhood where my youngest daughter has bought her first house, and then home—about 12 miles in all, enjoying it the whole time.

Well, the weather has cooled. This week should be dry, and I should be able to ride more. Or so says my phone’s weather app. I guess I should also look with my own eyes.

Sept. 13--Bike parked at Lowe Park on, finally, a sunny Sunday.