photo
7
Oct 20
And just like that, the last color of the year fills the air
The least nature can do before turning to monochromatic grays and whites is to give us this. And you have to be perfectly fair here: this turn of color is impressive.
Saw that tree on the walk to the car after work. It was a quiet day on campus, a lot of them are just now, and it’s a shame that we aren’t able to have large outdoor activities because the backdrop would be … something:
Went for the Wednesday afternoon bike ride, and fell behind pretty quickly. Which gave me an empty road in front of me to shoot from the hip:
Not to long after this I had another flat. I was taking a turn and the back of the bike slid out from underneath me, which was the first sign. It was low. So I pumped it with my hand pump enough to get over the next hill, by which time the tube was flat again. I pumped it once more and when I got back on the tube said, and I quote, “You’re kidding, right?”
We were moving on toward dusk by then. And while I wasn’t far from the house, taking the time to put in another tube and limping home would have meant darkness, so I texted The Yankee to come pick me up, which she kindly did.
And now I’m throwing out that tire. I bought some more tonight, I’ll put an old one the back wheel until they arrive. Begging the question: what was wrong with that old tire, to keep it from being on my bike?
I took the offending Gatorskin — which has served me for a good long while, but has been a part of flat after flat after flat this year — out with the garbage tonight. I told it that no longer sparked joy, it was the weakest link. And I have a big stack of ruined inner tubes, and another truncated ride, to prove it.
5
Oct 20
Autumn showed up
Enjoyed a little bike ride in the warmth of Saturday afternoon. We are in that season where it is too chilly to want to ride in the morning. And the evening cools off just in time to go back inside. But, in between, it can be perfect.
So we had the usual bike ride weaving through the nearby neighborhoods and around the eastern side of town. No legs, but plenty of heart, some good smiles and a fine amount of fun.
Not too much fun, just the proper, moderate, amount. Not so much that you overdo it, but enough to make you want to go try to have a similar amount of fun. So, sometime in the next week, I’ll go have another ride with the appropriate amount of enjoyment. Nothing gluttonous, mind you, something perfectly unassuming.
But if I pile on the miles I can collect a personal best for the year.
What to do, what to do.
In addition to this being Catober, it’s also leaf season. It’s a bit dry just now, but maybe that won’t keep us from a nice, long leaf turn. If it hasn’t rained in a while maybe it’ll hold off for another month or so. It’s dry, but rain is nature’s big achoo around here. One shower and the leaves are everywhere. And trees don’t wear masks.
So, as long as it lasts, be warned: the photos around here will be soothing and/or reflective for a while:
The and/or construction is seldom used with great effect, but, I have found, it works when discussing the transitory nature of trees.
There’s also that sky rolling in, the one I dread for most of the next six months or so. The first real indication of that rolled in yesterday.
Autumn isn’t worth it, but I have no say in these things. It happens whether I want it to, or not. I am in the middle of it whether I want to be, or not. So, cheerily, one must find ways to rationalize it and take whatever advantage you can.
The maple in the backyard gives a nice going away present, at least.
It’s weird. You spend the summer dreading the autumn. I don’t mind autumn itself, but it’s signal. When the skies get gray and the tempers swing wildly and the leaves go, I know I’ll spend the autumn dreading the winter and “spring.” There should be a better way to look at that. Yet to find it.
