First Ride of October~

 I have been so terribly sick for nine days now.  It started the morning after Butch spent a night at home on the 25th.  I woke without my voice & my throat raw.  I hadn't been sick in years & worried it was a cold.  I called Butch the following day.  He had no symptoms.  I called my friend Doris, who thankfully also had no symptoms.  She mentioned allergies.  I'd never had allergies either, at least not to this extent!  

Explorer & Shadow~

No sleep, constant cough, wheezing, etc., I was miserable enough to call the Dr. on Monday & went in for an appointment that afternoon.  Of course, they thought I had Covid.  Instead, I was diagnosed with allergies.  I didn't have a fever etc.  Doris had been right. 

Directly in front of our house~

The sewer project had moved onto Coolidge a week before & was working full blast in front of our house on the 20th.  Piles & piles of dirt & constant construction traffic right outside my front door.  When the wind blows, we have dustornado's!  Our new windows can't even keep the fine, fine layers of dust out.  Outside, the dust would poof up when I walked onto the porch.  

Hum...  I wonder what was causing all my distress.  The Dr. prescribed an allergy pill & cough medicine.  Even with that, I'm up & down all night every night.  I requested a water truck many times to no avail.  I wrote letters to each member of city council & not one responded.  I wear a mask when I go out to water.  As far as I've been able to ascertain, the end is nowhere in sight.

Spectacular afternoon~

As of today, I've been breathing in the constant dust for over two-weeks.  We haven't had any rain since early September.  The drugs are finally helping, so even though I had a coughing fit in the new local grocery, embarrassing myself yesterday, I decided I was going to try to ride.  I'm just plain sick of being hostage in my own home.

Coming to E. Manawa Drive~

The air up at the Lake was cleaner for sure!  I had one coughing fit on the drive up, one on the trail, where the park was doing road repairs (dust in the air) & one on the drive home.  I consider that an improvement, since I usually get one an hour.

In the old campground~

I stopped to recover in the old campground, it was so beautiful there & the leaves are starting to turn.  A lady walked by & asked if I was ok.  I managed to convince her I was.  I keep cough drops in every pocket.

Bridge over Indian Creek~

It was so good to be out again!  I didn't want to ride the Wabash, due to the farmers harvesting.  Without any rain for so long, the dust is even worse than it was last year this time.  The Pirate bugs too, are horrid.  (They had been the culprits taking hunks out of me my last ride there.)  I think they've been in the fields & now that the fields are coming down, they're taking refuge along the trail.

Virginia Creeper~

Even with most of the trees only showing the slightest signs of gold/yellow, the Virginia Creeper above had me hitting the brakes!  It was on my way to Picnic spot #7, which I had to myself.  It was warm enough I sat under the picnic cover in the shade to breath in the moist air coming off the lake.

Shadow, Lake Manawa~

My favorite part of the entire ride, I enjoyed it so much.  I put in a call to Butch, reminding him that a week from today we will be away from all of this for a few days!

Virginia Creeper on a huge Cottonwood~

I hope getting away for a couple days will allow me to breathe again, my throat to heal & voice to return.  If that happens, then I revert to the misery I've been suffering through when we get home...  Daughter Jentry has offered me a spot; I may have to accept...