255: Cycling ’round the neighborhood

Country road

Exploration comes easy on a bicycle, the unknown is everywhere.

~ Daniel Behrman

If you take a right out of our driveway and go half way around our country block (about 2 miles or so), you’ll come to a road that runs behind the woods that start at the back of the pond.  Our part of the woods extend back about 100 feet or so and there merge with the neighbor’s part of the woods until they come to the road.  There is a little bridge where you can follow the creek out of the woods.

The creek coming out of the woods

The creek goes under the bridge and then out into the openness of a field.

Following the creek

Meeting the creek on the other side of the woods was the start of my cycling adventures on Friday morning.  Rather than go to a bike trail, M and I decided to get out and explore our neighborhood.  It was a good way to practice going up hills as the route I picked was decidedly hilly.  I am happy to report that I only had to walk up one hill (I managed to stay on the bike for the rest of them), and that was because I’d gotten off midway up the hill to take some photos.  Once stopped, it’s very difficult to get the bike going uphill again.

A tree on a hill

It was a beautiful day for a bike ride.  The temperature was blissfully cool (we had to wear light jackets), which worked out nicely as I still managed to work up a sweat after a few hills.

Mother and child

There are quite a few farms out this way.  Some farm the land and some have farm animals, and some have both.   We stopped for a little while to admire the cuteness of the baby cows.

Hello!

Then it was on to one of the hilliest roads around here.  I’ve driven the road many times and should have realized how hilly it is (up and down and up and down and up and down), but I didn’t think of that when M asked which way I wanted to go.  Instead I was thinking of the beautiful white horse that lives on that road and how I would finally get a chance to photograph it.  Alas, the white horse was not out standing in his field that morning.  I’ll have to go back another day.  It will give me more hill practice.

There are a couple of farms along this particular road, with some interesting barns.  To be honest,  I find most barns to be interesting.  The only thing better than a barn is a silo.

I would like to have a silo.  No particular reason why.  I just like them and think it would be cool to have one.

Looking through the barn

The ride was lovely with the added bonus of being a good workout.  All in all, we went close to 8 miles, round trip.  My bicycle is now about ready for its first (and free) tune-up.  The gears started to skip a little which is what I was told to watch for as the cables stretched during the first few rides.

Wheat field

Heading home on one of the few flat stretches of road

It is by riding a bicycle that you learn the contours of a country best, since you have to sweat up them and coast down them.

~ Ernest Hemingway

In other news…

We had a great time yesterday.  The day was hot and breezy, eventually ending in thunderstorms.  We picnicked on the porch, after which some folks went fishing and others pedaled around the pond.

The much-needed rain didn’t move in until it was nearly time for our friends to leave (they had a bit of traveling to do to get back home).

Sunbeams and storm clouds

Once everyone had left, the rain came pouring down.  Having been feeling a little overheated for most of the afternoon, I finally decided the best thing to do would be to go out into the rain and cool off.  It was wonderful.  The rain gave me a very creative looking hairdo as well, something I couldn’t achieve on purpose if I tried.

Silhouette at sunset

M and I stayed out until late evening, enjoying the rain, the breeze, and the sounds of the frogs.  We thought we heard the spring peepers as well, but that could have been the tree frogs.

Today's view of the pond

Today’s outdoor time has been spent sitting on the deck, pedaling around the pond, and generally relaxing and enjoying the day.  It was nice to have a day with no plans and no work that had to be done.  A day of rest.  Joyful, joyful.

Floating

How beautiful it is to do nothing, and then rest afterward.

~ Spanish Proverb

A willow leaf pretending to be an origami bird

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