• bicycle rides,  bicycling,  landscape,  sunsets

    Nice Gentle Ride

    I took a nice gentle ride early yesterday evening along Spring Creek Trail to Spring Creek Park. There is lots of natural beauty along this trail, so I hope to be able to show more photos as I ride this trail. This photo was taken shortly before the sun set around 6:55 pm. I am gathering with a few high school classmates today for an ‘end of summer’ picnic at 11:00 am. It looks like we will have plenty of sunshine and I assume more than enough food. I am taking a crockpot of barbecue pulled chicken for making sliders and a roll of Tums. I hope you enjoy your weekend!

  • bicycle rides,  bicycling,  natural areas

    It was on the way…

    It’s been a quiet Labor Day for me and hope you have enjoyed your day. I began the day with an Old Town Mocha and wonderful conversation with Jeff at Mugs. About mid morning I took a nice ride along Spring Creek Trail and Poudre Trail. I rode 23.4 miles and returned with tender buttocks. The trails were busy as people were out enjoying the weather before the cooler fall temperatures move in over the next few weeks. This image is one of 5 small ponds along the Spring Creek Trail on the east side of town and part of the Cattail Chorus Natural Area. Just behind these trees is the Poudre River and the 12.3 miles of hard-surface trail which follows the Poudre River from North Overland Trail to East Drake Road and connects to CSU Environmental Learning Center. About a half mile from this location I connect up with the Poudre Trail. After the ride I treated myself with a Turtle Pecan Cluster Blizzard at Dairy Queen. After all, it was on the way.

  • bicycles,  bicycling,  Transportation

    New Wheels

    So I purchased some new wheels, a Class 1 electric bicycle. I have been thinking about one for a while but never seriously did anything about it, allowing it to remain a fantasy. It has been a part of the idea of simplifying my life and reducing my carbon footprint. I was also highly influenced by a book titled Curbing Traffic that was recommended to me by one of the baristas at a coffee shop. Over the past few years I have driven my car less , using the city’s mass transit and walking. I primarily use my car as an escape from the city, bulky groceries, traveling longer distances or when cold, or inclimate weather convinces me to take the car.

    On the advice of a friend and since I had never ridden one, I decided I would take one out for a test ride. Fortunately or unfortunately, it was love at first ride. I handed them my credit card when I got back. I even liked the color! 😁 I made the purchase on August 9th and have already ridden over 200 miles with it. Hopefully, over the next few weeks I’ll share with you information about how it’s working out for me and what I’m learning. So far everything is positive, almost feeling like a kid again. Even though I’ve ridden bicycles throughout my life, this is turning out to be a new experience. I’m 74 years old and wondered if I was too old for this; primarily my strength, balance and reaction time. I am also discovering that an e-bike rides differently, so there are plenty of lessons to learn. Pedaling on….

  • bicycling,  clouds,  landscape,  nature,  quotes,  reflections

    A Time in Wilderness

    “It is a commonplace of all religious thought, even the most primitive, that the man seeking visions and insight must go apart from his fellows and love for a time in the wilderness.”

    Loren Eiseley

    Fort Collins is a Platinum-rated Bicycle Friendly Community and maintains more than 200 miles of dedicated bike lanes and 50 miles of marked or signed bike routes. I have been riding them the last week or so and finding gems everywhere. You may be seeing more images taken along these trails and blog posts about them. I can be on the Spring Creek Trail after a short 2 block ride from my condo. Yesterday evening I headed east on the Spring Creek trail then connected to the Poudre Trail. I had the pleasure of having a white tail doe and her two fawns pass in front of me, and squirrels and rabbits darting in front of me. The fawns were still in their spots. It will be interesting to ride these trails in the different seasons and watch how things in nature change. I am realizing how easy it is to be close to nature within this city when on these trails. Enjoy your Sunday!!