We Each Have Goals

 
This is a trail friend of mine, David. His goal for the day was to ride 40 miles on the Pere Marquette Rail Trail. I helped him spot his car this morning.



I assume he made it, but I think he would have been happier if I'd arrived on time. I overslept. It wasn't too hot when he left, but mid-afternoon was way too warm for an October day. I'm so sorry... mornings and I just don't do well. That's the second time in two weeks I've turned off the alarm without realizing it. That's an old, old trick of mine, but it seems to be resurfacing. Bummer.



My goals were more ordinary.

Turn in my volunteer hours to the trail association. Done, but on the very last day possible, of course.

Clean up the kitchen from all the canning and grape mess. Close but no cigar. I think one more sink full of soapy water will do it, and put a few more things away.

Write a chapter in Dead Mule Swamp Druggist. About halfway. I have time to finish it tomorrow afternoon, but I really wanted to get it done today. Not happening. My brain is fried.

Work on the trailer- fiberglass in particular. Made progress. I'll probably do a report tomorrow because I think I got one little thing done. Need to check it in the morning. I seem to be able to tolerate 2-3 batches of fiberglass resin a day before the fumes get to me.

Cut some grass. Didn't even think about it, sigh. One section has to be cut once more before winter, and I need to go over my trails so they'll be OK for skiing.

That's it...

I'm sore all over from climbing on and off the roof of the trailer, and my shoulders and wrist ache. Maybe I need a work day to recuperate!

	See Cycling with Sue and Sophie
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More from Yesterday's Ride

 
I have some more interesting pictures from yesterday, and since today was mostly a long day at work and a car repair, I choose fun pictures instead!

Sophie is always a riot on our outings. She's a dog with a ton of personality. And Sue says she particularly likes me, which tickles me pink. One really funny story from yesterday is what happened when Sue and I got to her house. I met her at work and we went there together. When she opened the door, Sophie saw Sue and started dancing around the way you'd expect any happy dog would greet her human. Then she saw me and it was the funniest thing! She pulled back her lips to show her teeth- not far enough for a snarl or growl, but just so part of her teeth showed. It looked for all the world like an extra-joyous smile. She did it over and over until all the initial greetings were made.

And as soon as her outside duties were done, she spent the rest of the time that we weren't biking parked in my lap!



Just to orient you again, we rode our bikes on the Pere Marquette Rail Trail which is the continuation of the live tracks in back of my house. They are only live as far as Baldwin, where they turn south to Grand Rapids. But the old mile markers along what's now trail show the distance to Saginaw, just like out back here.


You know I like to find beauty in the ordinary things. Here's a Queen Anne's Lace going to seed.



Sue made a really neat find, this bottle gentian. Probably the most common gentian, but not seen all that often.



I liked this old piling in the Baldwin River. It's busy turning itself into a small terrarium.


Sure we were there for the exercise, but the experience is always more than just riding the bike.



Not enough hours in the day. I'm sure you know that!

	See Marquette Rail for a mile marker in back of my house See Cycling with Sue and Sophie for the rest of yesterday's adventure
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Little Hikes, Big Fun

 
I had to scoot over to Baldwin to the Lake County Historical Society this afternoon, and while I was over there I got to do a couple of small walks. First I did a short out-and-back on the Pere Marquette Rail Trail.



This is actually the extension of the rail line that goes in back of my house. There are no longer any tracks east of Baldwin, and it's now a rail-trail. Here's one of the bridges. This is over the Baldwin River, that flows to the Pere Marquette.



And here's a little bit of the river.



Late summer flowers are everywhere. Spotted Joe Pye Weed, Eupatorium maculatum, is a common one.



Here's a favorite of mine, Groundnut, Apios americana.



And just for a special treat, here's a Ruby Meadowhawk dragonfly. Love the little diamonds along its sides. This seems to be the only red dragonfly I ever get pictures of, but it's really pretty, so who cares?



All that and more was in just a half hour! Then I met up with Sue, who had just gotten off work.



We went to the community park and had take-out salads and took a little walk on their trails. Do you need to ask? Of course Sophie Dog was with us.



They've added some exercise equipment, and we had to check it out. I don't think we did enough to get much exercise, but we probably managed to look silly. However, I had the camera, so Sue gets to be recorded in pixels. Haha!



So, this was day number two of non-stop activities. I think I'm glad I only have to go to work tomorrow!

	See Ruby Meadowhawk 2
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