Little Snippets of Fall

Fall has been wonderful. Here are a few pictures from my bicycle adventures this season.

Looking down on the Black River Valley in the fading daylight.

Seeing the stately green forests suddenly splashed with frantic color fills me with wonder. It feels like a whole new world.

Lately I have been rebelliously riding my road bike where no road bike should be forced to go. I don’t leave the house planning to go off paved roads…but it somehow happens anyway.

My bike and I have also been quietly stalking foxes through fields.

But the best adventure of fall happened a few weeks ago when my mom and I were able to go on a mini, three-day bike tour. We were dropped off in Rome, NY by my dad and then spent the next three days riding along the Erie Canal. It was the first bike tour my mom has been on since she and my dad rode down the Pacific coast, 34 years ago but she was an old pro. We took our time each day to wander 30-40 miles along the canal, chatting the whole way. My mom even braved cold rain on the last day just to ride with me! 

There are a lot of wonderful things in this world but I must say, bike touring with someone you love is right up there at the top of the list! We ended our tour happy, excited and with hopes of possibly riding the entire canal trail (360 miles) together next year.

But in the interest of complete disclosure will end this post with a confession.

Yes, fall has been splendid. But I am getting downright antsy. I don’t even think it is my fault. Not at all.

It is the fault of everyone constantly speculating about how we are going to have an early winter, a cold winter, a really snowy winter.
It is the fault of the mornings that fill my lungs with stunningly, bracing cold air.
It is the fault of the trees for beginning to lose their leaves. The barrenness is begging to filled with something.

November is almost here…why can’t there be snow?