The Last Sunday of Summer

 When I opened the curtains this morning & looked out, a tiny Hummingbird was checking out the flowers in the pots by the bedroom windows.  I couldn't think of a nicer way to start the day.  We were down to 45 degrees this morning.

It was too beautiful, perfect for a ride.  After lunch I drove to my usual starting spot, Silver City.  I stopped in to say "Hi" to Mari Jo before I left.  There were quite a few bikes in town, several parked in front of the newly opened restaurant "Silver Spokes".  I hadn't been there long, before Mari Jo had a customer.  He had parked his bike in front of the shop windows & left his music blaring.

Into the Shade

As I entered the trail, I actually felt a chill!  The first time in months!  It didn't last long & before I was to the Trestle & decided to take an electrolyte.  The humidity isn't nearly as high as it has been, but I still worked up a sweat.  

Harvest Equipment in the fields~

The harvest equipment is already in the fields.  Before long, all the corn will be down & our wide-open views will return.  We used to laugh when we heard people comment on this - but now understand the sentiment.

After my little fall a week ago Friday, my upper back is still giving me fits.  (I was pulling the mower backward, stepped back & tripped over an old narley honeysuckle stump.  I fell backward & hit the ground hard!) Every time Smokey rolled over a transition from gravel onto a bridge & off, it hurt.  I was happy I hadn't broken something.  I did make good time getting to Malvern.  I rode a loop around town before returning to the park.

Goldenrod~

I took my usual short break.  The geese decided to move from one side of the pond to the other.  I enjoyed watching them take off, then almost instantly land in the water before swimming to the other side.  They could have flown across of course, but obviously taking the water route was more fun.

Bright yellow Cottonwood leaf~

The Cottonwoods are starting to color & drop their leaves.  Such bright yellow spots along the trail.  There were more people on the trail than usual.  With the nice weather, everyone had the same idea.  I was passed by a couple riders - again blasting their music.  They didn't have to bother hailing as they came up behind me.

From the inside, looking out~

Later in the afternoon, I had the trail to myself.  I stopped on the Trestle & it was so wonderfully quiet.  I could almost hear the hum of the earth.  I averaged over ten mph for the third ride in a row.  I think I've reached my peak for this season.  

Back at Happy Trails, Mari Jo had a rider waiting while she repaired his bike.  I said a quick goodbye before heading home. It's the time of year I enjoy most, with more moderate temperatures, cooler nights & beautiful evenings.  I hope these days last a while!

Eating Dust!

 An old horseman's saying is;  "Make dust, don't eat it!"  Well, today Mari Jo & I ate a lot of dust!  Harvesting is in full swing in the fields along the Wabash Trace Trail!  We could hear the equipment in the fields, even if the trees hid the work-in-progress.

Mari Jo stops so I can get a picture~

Of course our state is way behind in rainfall & it's the driest I've seen it since we moved here almost six-years ago.  June's preceptation was 3.75", 1.51 below normal for the month.  There was some improvement in May, but that changed in June according to Iowa DNR. SW Iowa is the driest in the state...  August marked the fifth month in a row of below normal statewide average preciptitation.

Harvesting soy beans~

At the clearings though - we could see the farmers hard at work.  The air was so full of dust it was almost hard to breathe.  We hadn't picked the best of days to ride, but the weather has been wonderful, if not for being so dry.  Of course now - I think of wonderful as any day that's 80 degrees or below - without our summertime high humidity.

Loading into the truck~

It was fun to watch as the work progressed & the fields were stripped of their crops.  At one point on our return to Silver City, Mari Jo pointed out a tiny, young opossem in the middle of the trail ahead of us.  He was frozen to the spot, but when we stopped, he finally scurried off into the timber at the trail's edge.  I felt sorry for him & the other critters who make their summer home in the fields.  Time to move out - that's for sure!

Smokey in front of fall color!

We took our usual short break in Malvern, before heading back.  Not far out of town, was this area of blazing color!  Of course the bright reds are posion ivy - but its certainly a standout this time of year!

Harvester at work~

This picture gives a better idea of how much dust is stirred up as the fields are cleared. Of course we had a decent wind out of the SE & a few good gusts pushing it our direction.  We've very lucky that even with the lack of rainfall, the crops in our area anyway, have managed to produce.  Area's in Nebraska & other parts of Iowa haven't been so lucky.  Of course the numbers on the crop yeilds have yet to come in.

Back at Happy Trails, we were both ready to go home & shower off the dust!