Wednesday, May 26, 2010

Day Three, TWWS

Wednesday 26 May 2010. Got started a little later, 5:30am. This morning was a lot like the previous two, weatherwise. Again, the wind has been very light and not a big factor going or coming. The sun was a complete orange circle floating above the horizon, clouds off to the sides. I decided it was nice on these rides to have a ritual part (a loop of Meadowbrook) that was the same and then an exploration part. At the cardinal flower place I looked on the other side of the path, into the center of the prairie, and saw more violet-blue spiderwort than I could have imagined, spreading out in two dimensions. The little bit of fog over them made it even more lovely. Then I noticed one, two deer near the path. Pretty as a picture!

This morning’s exploration was east to Philo Road and then south. I thought I remembered from the bike map that a route went through a subdivision, so I turned into one near Myra Ridge. The houses were new and the trees poor little sticks with a few leaves. The "path" didn’t go anywhere; shortly I was back on Philo, out in the country again. On the west side of the road was a crop I didn’t recognize. There was a plot with spaced out plants and lots of little colored flags among them. Further down were plots of it growing thickly: long thing grasses that made me think of sugar cane.

Saw only one farm house (“What a good dog you are! You’re such a sweet doggie!”). Philo Road ended at Old Church and I turned east. There was a rise that blocked the view of the landscape and looked so stark. Visually something like the Sahara, except for the telephone poles.

On a bike one knows that Central Illinois is not completely flat. Some mist collected in the low places—the subtle undulation was lovely, as was the silence, even with dry ears. Out on the road I noticed I missed my fellow swimmers and the water and also loved the air and the solitude.

Turned back at Rte. 130, went to Race rather than back to Philo. At one intersection I wondered if I was supposed to have turned (what if I get lost?!?) and paniced for just a moment. Came back on Race street and noticed with a smile the rock that looks like a couch.

No comments:

Post a Comment