5.29.2011 Ride: Renewed Excitement

I didn't realize just how wiped out I was yesterday until I woke up this morning feeling much more rested, despite again waking up at 4:30.  I lumbered out of bed around 5:00 and felt eager to get on the bike and take advantage of the cool of the morning and the low traffic of an early Sunday morning.  I took a quick walk and was greeted by a thin crescent moon on the eastern horizon with Venus just down below to the moon's right.  I've always thought that the configuration would make for a great brooch.
I made several attempts to take a picture of both the moon and Venus by steadying the camera on a post.  But with the low light and the wind blowing hard, I was not able to capture a crisp image.  I did manage to get one of just the moon.

 

 The sky was not this dark as dawn was breaking and the moon certainly looked brighter but I still like the way this came out.

Back to the house where I quickly geared up and grabbed a quick bite.  It felt good to feel so enthused about hopping on the bike.  Getting out by 5:45, the road seemed especially quiet.  I had the big hill down Highway 45 all to myself, a rarity.  Just before Goshen, the sun peeked up between a grove of trees.

I will never tire of sunrises even if they aren't that spectacular.  If I do, it will be time to take me out and shoot me.


I rode about 10 miles east on Hwy 45 and only 3 cars passed me going in the same direction.  I was very vigilante when they passed making sure they crossed over the center line away from me.  The thought of one of the drivers being drunk was very fresh in my mind as Patrick Pilkington and I came across just such a situation the other day when we were headed up to Joplin.  A car sat parked just off Hwy 45 on our road.  In the car was a young man who was passed out.  We got out to see if he was all right, finally arousing him by banging on the window.  He attempted to start his car but was unable to.  We thought something was wrong with the car but once he rolled down the window and we smelled his breath we could see that he was so drunk he wasn't even able to start the car.  We were hoping to get him to pull the car out of harm's way and eventually he did get the car started but continued on up our road.  We had to leave and I called the Sheriff's Department to make sure he did not end up back on the main highway.  How he got as far as he did was beyond us.  When we arrived home that evening, the car was gone and I have no idea what the end result was.


But riding this morning, the road was basically my own and it was nice not to have to worry about cars. 

In the past, I have thought of stopping and taking a picture of this house.  The outside intrigues me about what is inside.  Looking closely, a light can be seen in the window.  That light has been on every other time I have passed.  For some reason, that seems to add a bit more intrigue about what is going on inside.

Probably if this feather was lying flat on the ground I would have continued on without giving it much thought.  But standing up as it was grabbed my attention.  After taking the photo I did take the feather.  I'm not sure if it's a crow or vulture feather.

Today's Ride:  1hr 46mins.  22.06 miles.  71-76 degrees.  14-25mph winds.  Miles YTD:  3,328.02