No Rush

Yes, I rode to work today.

And . . .

Again, I took the longer way into work. Traffic was extremely light. It was almost like it was a holiday. One of the women who I see at breakfast also commented on the traffic. It works like that here. But, even on the days when the traffic is "heavy" it isn't all that difficult. The only people who complain about how bad the traffic is here are people who haven't lived in another major city.

I didn't rush home either. There is so much to see in the City. This wall was new to me.

And I had to find some Halloween flamingos.

I'm headed to Michigan for the next few days. It has been too long since I stood on the ground I learned to walk on. I'm overdue.

• 42F/5.5C and clear for the ride to work.
• 58F/14C and a few clouds, but nothing very dramatic for the ride home.

A Dark Ride

Yes, I rode to work today.

And . . .

It was a dark ride in, overcast with no visible sunrise.

I rode in under the light of street lamps.

Last night's rain had moved on sooner than expecting leaving just a puddle or two as evidence of its visit. Oh, and in places, a carpet of wet slippery leaves. Autumn riding has its own dangers. It's wondrous how different my commute can be from day to day. It is a living part of my day.

It was supposed to clear off slowly during the day, but when I came outside for my morning break I was greeted by blue sky.

I admit it would be nice to have a window near my desk, but most days I'm happy not looking at the lure of the clouds and the dance of the trees. Torture.

The home ride was much brighter.

• 59F/15C and overcast for the ride to work.
• 65F/18C and clouding over for the home ride.

Sunrise

Yes, I rode to work today.

And . . .

It was all about the sunrise.

The temperatures weren't too shabby either.

• 65F/ and absolutely stunning for the ride to work.
• 81F/ and overcast for the ride home.

Tomorrow rain ... maybe.

Friday

Yes, I rode to work today.

And . . .

It was a short day for me. Heather at an eye exam this afternoon. Her eyes were going to be dilated, so, I got to play driving Miss Heather. I was still hope in time to head to the Park to do some interval training. The weather was again simply stunning.

Head wise this was so much better of a week. I'm grateful.

Hope you all have a great weekend.

• 52F/11C and cloudy for the ride to work.
• 68F/20C and sort of cloudy for the ride home around noon.

A Few Clouds

Yes, I rode to work today.

And . . .

There were actually some clouds in the sky. I'm still leaving early to miss the sun on the horizon. Shortly after I took this photo, all those parking places were filled.

When I walked into the Courthouse one of the Deputies said, "This is your kind of weather isn't it?" And, he is right, but Billie, being air cooled, likes the cooler weather even better.

• 40F/4C and a few clouds for the ride to work.
• 64F/18C and pretty cloudy for the home ride.

The Process

Yes, I rode to work today.

And . . .

The moon was just a sliver in the Eastern sky as I rode toward Downtown. It was beautiful. I pulled over to try and get a photo. As I'm trying to make the a photo, a guy comes out of the house I'm parked in front of. He has shoes in his hands and starts pounding them together like I would if I was trying to get mud off the soles. He notices me and stops. He stares at me. I point toward the sky, "The Moon," I yell. He laughed, shook his head, gave his shoes a couple more pounds, and then went back in. It's moments like these when I'm particularly glad I ride to work.

The photo? I suspected none of them would turn out. I was right. It was too dark and I didn't have the right camera and . . . and . . . and . . .

Here's the best of them.

It's blurry and the moon is little more than a smudge. Today the reward was in the process not the product. Most things are.

• 41F/5C and clear for the ride to work.
• 63F/17C and clear for the home ride.

More About Becoming A Native

Yes, I rode to work today.

And . . .

Again I made it Downtown before the sun made its appearance.

As I was parking Billie, Chieftain Rider came to get something out of his bike. He confirmed he had a couple of stops yesterday and had run late. Of course, I had to show him my new lights. He humored me. Why was I there earlier than normal he wanted to know. I mentioned the sun on the horizon. What was my route, he asked. When I told him he showed surprise I'd come the way I do. I pointed out how all the stop signs weren't a problem for me, rather they worked in my favor. They kept traffic speed down. I shared how I saw many of the same people nearly everyday and many now waved to me, and how I now knew some of them by name. "You're a damn ambassador!" he said, laughing. I understood what he meant, but, truthfully for me riding in the neighborhoods is more about becoming a native.

On the way home I found myself behind this Prius. I would have liked to have figured out a way to get in front of it so I could point out my 100 mpg sticker. Alas, the opportunity didn't present itself. Pity.

• 48F/9C, fair and calm for the ride to work.
• 66F/19C and fair with a slight breeze for the home ride.

Yep, it was beautiful day in the Heartland.