• bicycling,  Poudre River,  quotes

    I want to love this world…

    December 21, 2024

    I have a love for nature and all the gifts she offers. I have a love for my prayer and meditation and the gifts they offer. I have a love for all the relationships I have and the gifts they offer. I have a love for photography and all the gifts it offers. I have a love for bicycling and all the gifts it offers. I have a love for life and the gift it offers in these later years of my life. Each day is precious! I like how Mary Oliver says it: “I want to love this world as though it’s the last chance I’m ever going to get to be alive and know it.”

    Canada Geese enjoying sunshine on the Poudre River yesterday afternoon.

    We are enjoying temperatures above 60°. So, Thursday I rode 13 miles along the Spring Creek Trail and Friday I rode 24 miles along Spring Creek Trail and the Poudre Trail. This is a scene along the Poudre Trail.

    One option I did not want on my ebike was suspension. It adds weight to the bike, adds more potential maintenance problems, makes pedaling more difficult and is really designed for mountain bikes. I’ve been happy with that decision except on two occasions, both were on 20-plus mile rides. My tushy was a bit sore at the end of rides. Near the end of the ride I felt every bump on the trail and this makes the ride home seem longer. I need to split those 20+ mile rides into sections to give my body a break or just keep the rides to 15 miles or less. Probably go with the latter option. Both Saturday and Sunday look to be good days for riding so I’ll probably get in more riding. I am headed to Windsor and have coffee with my friend Eric. Enjoy your weekend!!

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  • bicycling,  quotes

    Thanks

    December 12, 2024

    Whoever invented the bicycle deserves the thanks of humanity.

    Lord Charles Beresford

    It was 23 degrees when I rode my bicycle to the coffee shop. I missed the past two mornings because it was below 20 degrees, windy, and humid. I’m not tough enough to go any colder. This image was taken from a foot bridge on the Mason Trail over Spring Creek. As I’ve mentioned before I am able to stop almost anywhere along the trails for photo opportunities, which I can’t do in my car. I also am closer to nature scenes on the bicycle trails.

    In reference to the quote I am at a place in life where I have much more appreciation for whoever invented the bicycle. There are several claims on the invention but the first verifiable claim for a practically used bicycle belongs to German Barón Karl von Drais Sauerbronn1, a civil servant to the Grand Duke of Baden in Germany. Drais invented his Laufmaschine (German for “running machine”) in 1817, that was called Draisine (English) or draisienne (French) by the press. Karl von Drais patented this design in 1818, which was the first commercially successful two-wheeled, steerable, human-propelled machine, commonly called a velocipede, and nicknamed hobby-horse or dandy horse. I wonder what he would think of the e-bike and our bicycle trails. Anyway, I offer thanks to whoever!

    1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_bicycle ↩︎
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  • bicycling,  clouds,  landscape,  quotes

    Morning Clouds

    December 9, 2024
    Clouds seen from the Mason Trail on my bicycle ride yesterday morning.

    If you learn to love books, you will never be lonely. You will always have something to look forward to at the end of the day, first thing in the morning, on a trip, at the beach or anywhere else you can read.

    Anne-Marie Slaughter, The Velocity of Being

    For me, I would include coffee shops, natural areas, city parks, laying in bed or my recliner, and as she says, anywhere else I can read.

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  • animals,  bicycling,  quotes,  shadows,  wildlife

    Happy Friday

    November 15, 2024

    “I wish it need not have happened in my time,” said Frodo.
    “So do I,” said Gandalf, “and so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.”

    The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring

    A brisk 31 degrees this morning in Colorado. I met Jeff for coffee and conversation. When I got home I found out I had an issue with my website. After a chat session with Bluehost all seems to be working again. I find myself feeling overwhelmed with technology even after years working in engineering. I know some of that is immediate panic and a voice that says “I’m screwed now.” I don’t consider myself a techy person but prefer sharing stories of our lives with a friend, reading a book, journaling or enjoying the few moments with this nice buck I saw on my bicycle ride this morning. Each of those is about what I am doing with the time that has been given me while living in these times. Happy Friday!!

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  • bicycling,  coffee life,  landscape,  sunrises

    Damn, it was good!

    November 13, 2024
    Sunrise at the CSU Oval with a dirty lens

    I received an interesting email this past week from attorneys in California “demanding” me to remove images from my website because I was infringing on copyrighted images belonging to their company. They had a link to a file listing the images but the link was incomplete. I did some research on the attorneys and discovered they deal with estate and trust litigation. I was sure it was a scam of some sort because as far as I know I have no images on this blog that are not mine. I was concerned that I may have posted a quote or poem that someone was wanting me to take down, which I would do, so I called them. I found out they were aware someone was using their company name and that I could ignore the email. So confusing that people can think of doing something like that, then acting on it and never see the results. Anyway…

    The other morning at Mugs I discovered one chocolate eclair sitting in their pastry case. I was flabbergasted because they normally do carry them except in the downtown store. I knew immediately some poor unsuspecting customer, maybe even a friend, was going to see that eclair and be tempted buy it. So, I quickly made the sacrifice and bought it, thinking only of them of course. Damn, it was good!

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  • bicycling,  fall season,  leaves

    Sunday Turkey Trot

    November 3, 2024
    Fallen leaves at the CSU Oval

    My ride to coffee this morning was an enjoyable 10.1 mile round trip. It was 38 degrees by the time I headed out the door, at 6:40 am. I’m enjoying riding enough that the cold has not deterred me from getting out there. Bundling up along with the exercise are a couple of good things for my health. Colors are still vivid in many places which brings on a smile. As leaves were falling like gold and yellow snowflakes it reminded me that it won’t be long and white snowflakes will replace them.

    Mallards on Spring Creek

    I stopped to spend some time at the small concrete dam and gate area along Spring Creek. The water was smooth, blues skies reflected in the water and I had the time to stop. Three mallards felt the need to get in the image so I let them.

    Sunday Turkey Trot on Spring Creek Trail

    Most Sunday mornings I will encounter walkers, their dogs and bicyclists, all using these wonderful hard surface trails. This morning I needed to stop because a bunch of turkeys were taking their time as they trotted cross the bike trail. They seemed to think it was all theirs. So I let all 13 in the group have the right of way. About 1:00 pm they wandered across my front yard, which is about 2 miles from where I took this image. I’ve never seen them this far in town. Do you suppose they are looking for a place to hide? Hope you had a good Sunday!

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  • bicycling,  clouds,  landscape,  natural areas,  poems,  reflections

    Love and Respect

    October 27, 2024

    How beautiful our mother, the earth
    And how worthy of our love and respect.

    Steven Charleston, Spirit Wheel

    I took a pleasant bicycle ride yesterday along Spring Creek Trail and the Poudre Trail. It was 31 degrees when I got up but we reached a lovely 70 degrees by mid-afternoon. Blue skies and a spattering of clouds brought a smile. I was not the only one out riding and walking. Just to my left was a women with a painting easel, sitting on a stool and an umbrella to keep the sun off while painting this very scene at the Cattail Chorus Natural Area. I agree with Charleston’s poem, we do have a beautiful Mother Earth and my prayer is we all learn to love and respect her. ❤️

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