Cold Coyote Bike Ride

I haven't been on my bike in quite awhile, but I needed to do something different (than walking & lifting), so I wiped it off, pumped the tires, packed it in my car, and headed for Coyote Creek Trail. I wanted to see what the area looked like before it had a chance to dry out. I was hoping for some flooded sections, but there were none. The forecast called for a sunny day, so I left early enough to ride before the fog lifted. I didn't realize just how cold the fog would be when it hit my face.

Some might have called the day dreary, but since I planned to photograph, I appreciated the fog-diffused light. This was no time to yearn for the backdrop of a bright blue sky. When the day is gray, the photographer has to look for a more intimate landscape, and that was just what I wanted to do. Look how the colors pop in this picture. That would not have happened on a sunny day.

Even though there were no flooded sections,
there was still plenty of standing water.

I planned to ride only 5 miles out, but I was enjoying the scenery so much that I kept on pedaling and didn't turn around until I got to the Bailey Road over crossing, just over 6 miles. I had expected the sun to be out by now, but as you can see, it was not. Along some sections, I rode very slowly so the wind would not whistle past my ears. Yes, I'm sure that's why I rode slowly. I wanted to hear the natural sounds of the still morning.

On the ride back I spotted this glistening web and made an immediate stop. It was so light that any small breeze sent it swaying. What was interesting was that as I rode back, I saw fields with hundreds of them that I had totally missed on the ride out. Once I saw this one, the others became obvious.

This is a side path between two small lakes. The colors were just so pretty that I had to stop and enjoy them on foot. For most parts of the country winter can look pretty bleak. But around here, winter looks green (at least when we're not in a drought).

I loved these colors.

It's still winter, but trees are starting to bloom. I am going to ride out here at least once a week because I don't want to miss the manifestation of spring blossoms that will most certainly follow our very wet winter.

A friend told me that she didn't like to ride alone because it was lonely. Not for me. I was so glad that I could set my own pace, stop when I wanted, and enjoy the sounds around me. And I was never alone. In addition to the other riders, runners and walkers on the trail, I am always open to animal encounters, and appreciate their allowing me to share their space for even a brief moment. Some people think that seeing an animal is a chance meeting. I prefer to think of it as a spontaneous rendezvous. I was on the trail for over two hours. The sun appeared just as I arrived home.