Sunday afternoon, my shadow as I leisurely ride along the Lowe Park Trail in Marion, Iowa.
Dry Creek runs behind my house, but this is east of there in Marion, Iowa. I rode a short leg along the side trail to the Boyson Trail on my way home as the light faded. Creek looks pretty as day fades.
Fred Zelt, who runs the Social Distance Cycling Club on Facebook, recently posted a TED talk by a man from the twin cities who credits biking with making his life healthier. The speaker in the video lives with Crohn’s disease, and credits riding his bicycle with easing his symptoms.
Well, cool. And also, cool. He lives in St. Paul and works in Minneapolis. I live in eastern Iowa, a bit south of that area. It’s November now, and we’re a month away from the darkest day of the year, which means days are getting shorter and shadows longer.
Still, we’ve been blessed with good weather. Sunday the sky had some clouds now and then, but by the time I was ready for a short afternoon ride to shake off the cobwebs, the sky had turned a pretty pale fall blue. It’s not quite the vibrant blue of a summer day, but I’ll take it.
Third Street in Marion, biking towards Lowe Park. I like the color contrast of the crabapples and the blue sky, tree right beside the street.
This and next two images--geese in the pond at the corner of Tower Terrace Road and Irish Drive. There were a huge number of them, maybe around 100, at this little pond--probably on their way somewhere.
Milkweed blowing in the wind near east end of Lowe Park Trail
It was cool enough for a jacket over my sweatshirt, but after a few miles, I stowed the gloves in my pocket and put the hood down. Biking made me too warm for those.
Lowe Park is a pretty place to ride at the end of the day, and did not disappoint this fine Sunday. I read recently (again, courtesy of SDCC) that 20 miles is the ideal length for a bike ride. I started riding around 2:30, and rode fairly slowly, pausing to make images of the fall beauty. It was getting dark by the time I got home, and I only rode 15 miles, but it was a very nice 15 miles. So maybe not the ideal length, but a good length on a good Sunday.
Bike at east end of Lowe Park Trail (above and below).
Buffalo sculpture along Lowe Park Trail. Late afternoon light makes it's metal coat seem like hair.
How long has this reflecting ball been along Lowe Park Trail (above and below)? It's new to me. It's been some weeks since I have ridden this trail.
Tonight, 3 inches of wet snow are expected, followed by a day of cold rain. I didn’t have time this Monday to go for a ride, so it looks like the Thanksgiving bike week won’t amount to much—but biking is still something I definitely have gratitude for.
So, thanks, inventors of the bicycle. It feels like a kind of technology that does not inevitable (who knew humans could balance on two wheels that way?). And thanks, Mother Nature, for whatever bike days I get at this time of year.
Leaving MMU campus on bike ride home Thursday night. Worked from home Friday.
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