I’ve been riding on the road more this week. I haven’t done any lengthy rides since my ride around Lake Monroe on Saturday, but aside from a ride on Sunday, I haven’t been mountain biking yet this week. It’s been hot (above 90), and I’m trying to force myself to get out there anyway to hopefully help my body to adjust to the heat.

I rode my Water Works route yesterday. It was a good ride, and the heat didn’t bother me as much as I expected. I was sweating a lot, but the UnderArmour Mesh Skullcap I got has done a good job of keeping the sweat out of my eyes and face; that’s been a source of frustration in the past, especially when sweat gets in my eyes and they burn, or it runs down my glasses and I can’t see. This was a fairly typical ride, but there was a scene I had to photograph.

Stone picnic table

It was kind of a zen moment riding along, looking up and seeing that stone picnic table illuminated just perfectly by the sun, which was getting low in the sky, casting long shadows and giving everything a warm glow. I would have stopped to rest there, but it seems pretty clear that it’s on private property. Alas. I’ve had a few moments like this on that street, Shady Side Drive (here’s another, with a photo of a view of Lake Monroe). There are many really cool houses there as well, including one with a bunch of pine trees in front. I’ll have to photograph some of the houses sometime.

Tonight, I rode on Mount Gilead Road, another routine route and a routine ride, except that I attached my camera case to the stem and took a number of photos as I rode. Here are some highlights.

One of many patches of Tiger Lillies

Tiger Lillies are Sarah’s favorite flowers, and they are all over the place right now. I know this isn’t the greatest photo, but it’s the only Tiger Lilly shot that turned out. I stopped at one patch of Tiger Lillies and stole one for Sarah, putting its stem in my saddle bag. It survived the trip home surprisingly well, and Sarah put it in the blue vase I had given my grandmother when she was alive. It looks beautiful there and makes me think of Sarah, and my grandma too — two of my favorite women.

Mount Gilead Road

The roof is purely decorative

New Unionville Baptist Church

State Road 45

Field with some trees and a house further back. I’d live there.

File under: Bicycling, Nature, Photography, Road Biking