A Warm and Showery Ride with the Three Great Things

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Butterflies dancing over rain-washed roads
Curious cattle with questioning eyes
Comradely waves from two Harley riders

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After last weekend's cold spell, the weather has warmed up again. Temperatures are summery, and only the angle of the sun betrays the dying year. The thermometer reads 84º.

As I pump up Iris's tires, Mr. M calls out, "20% chance of light showers!" I'm not concerned. It hasn't rained all day.

No sooner do I turn the first corner than fat drops of rain begin plopping on my back and bouncing off the road. A large grey cloud is looming up. For about ten miles, the showers come and go, then the sky above me clears as the clouds pass on into the east. (But rather like King Charles's head, they manage to work themselves into most of my pictures.)

Asters are popping up everywhere. These beauties, of palest lavender, are growing just outside town at the edge of a marsh.

See what I mean about the clouds?

I pass a large patch of flat-topped goldenrod...

...but most of the fields are lined with the more traditional kind.

The county mowers have been out, and all the roadsides are littered with these sad little seed heads.

I see quite a few of these birdhouses at the edges of fields. I'm not sure what type of bird they're designed to accomodate.

I wonder how long that stone has been there? It's cradled pretty snugly between those four trees.

Stormy clouds behind tornado-blasted pines - a perfect setting for Heathcliff or some other gloomy-browed Victorian anti-hero.

And still more dramatic clouds. I love the contrast between the grey and white. This road is very popular with motorcyclists, and at the bottom of the hill I am passed by two friendly Harley riders who give me the traditional motorcyclist's wave - hand out and down at an angle.

I see these cattle in a field and stop to take a picture. Being the curious creatures they are, they crowd up to the fence to give me the once-over. I couldn't have posed them better if I had tried.

I meant to take a picture of the drying corn, but those clouds will keep hogging the limelight.

Some miles later, I cross a bridge over this lovely chuckling stream. It's so hard to capture the charm of moving water in a picture.

I love this barn. I don't know why. Every time I pass it I want to take its picture - so today I do.

Huge old oak standing solitary guard over the soybean fields, which are beginning to take on their Packer colours of green and yellow.

And around the corner, a wild apple tree I never noticed before, loaded with ripening fruit.

Amtrak was on schedule today (there it is, flying through the center of the picture, going too fast for me to get a good shot). I love being passed by trains. It makes me ride faster.

One last cloud picture. I see a giant (in profile) with rather nice hair, large fluffy eyebrows, and a pronounced chin and lower lip. Smoke is coming out of his mouth as he flies with outstretched wing-like arm.

Time to put away the camera and finish the last five miles. I'm starving, and there's pizza dough rising at home, waiting to be introduced to some fresh tomatoes, zucchini and mozzarella.

A very nice ride followed by an even nicer supper.

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