An Aspen grove on Guardsman Pass...
This last Tuesday I had the chance to take a friend from the U.K. up Big Cottonwood Canyon to view the fall colors. And this year’s crop of colors did not disappoint. To use my friend, Dorothy’s words, they were “staggering.” The aspen and all the other colors were as intense as I have ever seen, and we had a beautiful day to enjoy them. Please enjoy a set of photographs from a gorgeous morning on Guardsman’s Pass.
Looking west, towards Solitude...
This lovely outing got me to thinking about the rhythms of time. It seems like only yesterday that I was posting photographs of fall colors from a ‘bent ride up Mill Creek canyon, and even a faster blink of the eye from when I posted pictures from the same spot only standing on 5 feet of snow! In our house, we have decorations for almost every month, and sometimes it seems that as I help Kathy with the September, October or even the November decorations, that I can remember just putting them all away! I met a neighbor at a wedding last week, and she was amazed that our kids had all grown up too! She lost track of time!
A lovely single track for Pete...
This lovely outing got me to thinking about the rhythms of time. It seems like only yesterday that I was posting photographs of fall colors from a ‘bent ride up Mill Creek canyon, and even a faster blink of the eye from when I posted pictures from the same spot only standing on 5 feet of snow! In our house, we have decorations for almost every month, and sometimes it seems that as I help Kathy with the September, October or even the November decorations, that I can remember just putting them all away! I met a neighbor at a wedding last week, and she was amazed that our kids had all grown up too! She lost track of time!
A lovely single track for Pete...
One cycling season leads to the next, and before you know it, the cycle starts again. In January I am all bundled up for cold weather riding. Soon, I'm riding in cool weather with rain and wind; and once again, riding in hot summer heat... and as the leaves turn, cycling into fall. One can look back at all my archived posts and see a certain tempo or rhythm to the seasons.
I have also noticed a certain rhythm or routine to commuting, too. Over the past few weeks, I have enjoyed having the ability and time to regularly commute to work using the train and the Klein Panzer Bike. I logged 12 train/bike rides to work in September. There is a routine to each morning ride. Up at 4:30 AM, on the bike at 5:15, three Kleenex in the pocket, and a quick spin down the hill to the 5:30 train. I always ride in the same car, with the same three bikes stacked together. An orange Gary Fisher, ridden by an engineer for BMW; A 60 cm or so red Peugeot, with a wire basket on the back, ridden by a gentleman who works at an LDS distribution center, and the Klein Panzer Bike.
Now, the routine doesn’t stop there. The tall Peugeot rider is always dozing in the same spot, near the stack of bikes, and I always park the bike and sit upstairs. When the train passes the Warm Springs Depot, the large neon sign always says: “Welcome to Warms Springs, the time is 6:02.” Not 6:03, nor 6:01, always 6:02. At that point I always head down to the bike, and get my helmet. The three of us are always there, getting our helmets, gloves and whatnot. We exchange our usual greetings about the weather and the day, and scatter to the world when the door opens. Funny thing, I never see any of them on the ride north in the afternoon. The other two riders have noticed the routine too. I missed a few days due to working swing shifts, and when I boarded the train this past Thursday, the taller rider asked me: "Where've you been?"
Now, the routine doesn’t stop there. The tall Peugeot rider is always dozing in the same spot, near the stack of bikes, and I always park the bike and sit upstairs. When the train passes the Warm Springs Depot, the large neon sign always says: “Welcome to Warms Springs, the time is 6:02.” Not 6:03, nor 6:01, always 6:02. At that point I always head down to the bike, and get my helmet. The three of us are always there, getting our helmets, gloves and whatnot. We exchange our usual greetings about the weather and the day, and scatter to the world when the door opens. Funny thing, I never see any of them on the ride north in the afternoon. The other two riders have noticed the routine too. I missed a few days due to working swing shifts, and when I boarded the train this past Thursday, the taller rider asked me: "Where've you been?"
Amazing Aspens...
The ride west to the ARTCC has had some of the same routines too. As the bike riders and commuters scatter, there is this ethereal sight of the red blinkie lights weaving out of the train area, down 200 South in the dark. Some turn up 10th west, some go straight as we all head to work. On 600 North, I always see the same rider heading east on the other side of the street. He rides an oddly configured mountain bike with aero bars, and he wears a reflective vest. I don’t know where he goes, but I see him every morning. Sometimes I feel a little bit like Bill Murray in the movie "Groundhog Day!"
Do you see rhythms in your day? In your riding? Do you often wonder where all the months and cycling seasons go?
I sure do.
See you next week.
Jim
The ride west to the ARTCC has had some of the same routines too. As the bike riders and commuters scatter, there is this ethereal sight of the red blinkie lights weaving out of the train area, down 200 South in the dark. Some turn up 10th west, some go straight as we all head to work. On 600 North, I always see the same rider heading east on the other side of the street. He rides an oddly configured mountain bike with aero bars, and he wears a reflective vest. I don’t know where he goes, but I see him every morning. Sometimes I feel a little bit like Bill Murray in the movie "Groundhog Day!"
Do you see rhythms in your day? In your riding? Do you often wonder where all the months and cycling seasons go?
I sure do.
See you next week.
Jim
2 comments:
Cool Photos Mr Jim.
I like sniggle track.
Hope you got the bit for the broken Panzer.
Pete
Wow... our Autumn looks absolutely nothing like that. I'm impressed.
And hopefully you'll be impressed to learn that I'm going to do the training with my work to do a 134km leg of the Tour Down Under - Adelaide to Angaston, up a huge hill. I'm joining the cycle club!
Post a Comment