Finally! Fall~

 Rain!  Welcome Rain!  About 5 a.m. I woke to the sound!  A total of .54 - but it was Wonderful & just enough to give the lawn the little burst of moisture it so badly needed.  A year ago, the weather had been so similar - dry, dust & dirt.  We'd yet to see rain then, so I was more than happy with what we received.

Change happening!

Mari Jo's morning trail report wasn't encouraging.  She mentioned the trail being sticky & soft in places.  The wind was light & it was a beautiful afternoon, so I decided to make the drive & if it wasn't rideable, possibly go to Lake Manawa.

Harvested Fields~

Starting out, once I rode off the concrete, the surface was fine!  Just one soft spot a short distance from town, but otherwise in the best condition it had been in, in weeks.  The rain had settled the dust & the air was so fresh & clean!

The Big Cottonwood by the Trestle~

It was one of the first fall days, or any day in a long while I would call perfect!  I was at the trestle in no time.  I hadn't seen a single person the entire way.  As I stopped, the quiet was intoxicating.

I took the video above, there was absolute silence...  

Boehner Pond, Malvern

I stopped as usual at the covered picnic area to call Butch.  With no Canadian Geese to be seen, it was even quieter than usual.  We were having a conversation when suddenly - I heard a loud noise - right behind me!  It startled me - I turned to find a man with his bike, not three feet away.  He hadn't announced his presence in any way. (I've become more protective of my personal space, without the field of vision I used to enjoy.)

With the entire park empty & plenty of places to sit, I thought it somewhat rude & nervy of him to come so close without a word.  I jumped up, told Butch we'd talk later & couldn't get on Smokey fast enough! As I was leaving, he said in a loud voice; "What's the name of this place?"  I tossed the name over my shoulder & kept going.  I will never again sit with my back to where the trail enters the park. 

Northward bound~

The incident had given me a nice adrenalin rush which I used to my advantage.  Smokey covered about 3-miles before I felt comfortable stopping.  The beauty of the day soon smoothed my ruffled feathers.  

Poison Ivy~

The Poison Ivy, usually a highlight of color, isn't as pretty as it was last season.  It still shows up so bright against the bark of the trees.  Back at the trestle, a few clouds were rolling in.  It was the first ride in weeks where the temperatures were so moderate.

Smokey on the trestle~

Butch is doing his best to make it back home in time for our planned Anniversary trip, but as of our conversation, it's not looking promising at all.  If he isn't dispatched directly home from Salt Lake, he won't be here on time & I'll be working to change our reservations.  He had been promised this time off if he stayed out five-weeks, but now it seems that isn't going to happen.

A very large widow maker!

About three miles from Silver City, this tree lost a huge branch.  I gave it a wide a berth & hustled underneath!  Back at Happy Trails, I had a bag attached to my bike rack!  It was full of the most beautiful green peppers!  Now I wonder where those came from?  :-)