Rides, ramblings and rants on a motorcycle.
- We are scientists, too!
5.02.2007,12:38 PM
Riders on the Storm
North Texas has been plagued, or blessed (depending on your point of view), with rain, rain, electrical storms and more rain. My five acres of grass are now impossible to keep up with. Regardless, I am enjoying my large reflecting pool: the pond.
For the first time since I moved onto the place, the pond is not only full but nearly overflowing. It sits like a large liquid mirror amidst a savannah of tall dark green grass. And like any mirror, the reflections change throughout the day and from day to day. The few hours of sunshine and blue sky are converted into a vision of deep blue-black on the mirror, and the setting sun dances with colors across the surface and silhouettes of the trees bordering the pond.
Driving my truck is becoming economically prohibitive with the current price of gas. I drove it Monday and Tuesday because of the electrical storms. But this morning, only a mist covered the world outside my house, like a liquid silent blanket.
I rode the bike for today's commute.
Riding over the tall grass is.......interesting. I can feel the grass pull at my pegs and boots as I round the house and access the gravel driveway. My country road is usually heavy with other commuters as they use it for a shortcut to the interstate ten miles to the south. This morning I encountered only one vehicle on my road. And my commute on the notorious I-820 was unusually free from traffic and the typical morning rush hour hell. I was beginning to wonder if perhaps I had mistaken the time again (see my Tennessee trip report from last week).
The mist was not unpleasant. And as I sit here on the 13th floor in my lab overlooking Dallas, it's almost welcome. Perhaps because it compliments my current contemplative mood. Of course, the latter may be resultant from the lack of sunshine and continual rain for four days.
A mixture of country, small town and highway roads, my commutes vary from relaxing to irritating. This morning, the commute on the bike was pleasant. And when I pull off the tarmac road onto my private gravel road at the end of the day, I search for the pond and smile.
All despite the misting rain.
The research assistant in the lab asked me this morning why on Earth I would want to ride a bike in this weather.
I smiled and replied: "I don't think you would understand."
For the first time since I moved onto the place, the pond is not only full but nearly overflowing. It sits like a large liquid mirror amidst a savannah of tall dark green grass. And like any mirror, the reflections change throughout the day and from day to day. The few hours of sunshine and blue sky are converted into a vision of deep blue-black on the mirror, and the setting sun dances with colors across the surface and silhouettes of the trees bordering the pond.
Driving my truck is becoming economically prohibitive with the current price of gas. I drove it Monday and Tuesday because of the electrical storms. But this morning, only a mist covered the world outside my house, like a liquid silent blanket.
I rode the bike for today's commute.
Riding over the tall grass is.......interesting. I can feel the grass pull at my pegs and boots as I round the house and access the gravel driveway. My country road is usually heavy with other commuters as they use it for a shortcut to the interstate ten miles to the south. This morning I encountered only one vehicle on my road. And my commute on the notorious I-820 was unusually free from traffic and the typical morning rush hour hell. I was beginning to wonder if perhaps I had mistaken the time again (see my Tennessee trip report from last week).
The mist was not unpleasant. And as I sit here on the 13th floor in my lab overlooking Dallas, it's almost welcome. Perhaps because it compliments my current contemplative mood. Of course, the latter may be resultant from the lack of sunshine and continual rain for four days.
A mixture of country, small town and highway roads, my commutes vary from relaxing to irritating. This morning, the commute on the bike was pleasant. And when I pull off the tarmac road onto my private gravel road at the end of the day, I search for the pond and smile.
All despite the misting rain.
The research assistant in the lab asked me this morning why on Earth I would want to ride a bike in this weather.
I smiled and replied: "I don't think you would understand."
Labels: musings
