Look Out!

            The weather pattern as we approach autumn seems to have hit a rut.  The days warm up into the week, and storms break out as the weekend approaches.  Friday night hit us with some heavy rain, and Saturday held on to large, looming storm clouds.  Luckily, the rain held off and the roads dried enough for our ride, but it does seem like we’ve depended on luck a lot lately to get a ride in.

            Since it was so cloudy, I didn’t expect to see any butterflies.  I did get to spot a monarch, black swallowtail, and a large orange sulphur butterfly the day before as my job let me spend most of my time outside.  I chased a summer azure in the grass trying to get a picture, but no luck.  I enjoyed the distraction from the heat of the day.  Saturday gave us a slight break from the heat but not the humidity.  Bill noted that just get the motorcycles out of the garage left him with a plastered t-shirt.

            But as we rode, there was enough of a breeze to keep me comfortable.  I did enjoy every opportunity to zoom a bit and increase the wind flow.  I noted more signs of autumn.  Joining the brown pine needles along the berm of the road were brown, red, and yellow crape myrtle leaves.  Among the trees, more colors beyond green could be spotted in the leaves.  Even as the magnolias kept their blooms as did some of the crape myrtles. 

            People are ready for fall.  I spotted someone with a pumpkin already sitting on their porch, and I even saw my first Halloween blow ups, including one that was a “ghoul” bus.  A “Welcome Fall” flag was flying as were several NFL team flags.  We passed through a gauntlet of parked cars as someone held a watch party for the college games.  I even saw my first eddy of brown leaves dance across the road.

            About half way through our ride, which was going exceedingly well for me—all street on the U-turns, lovely leaning in on turns—when the collision happened.  I saw it coming, and I suppose I target fixated just a bit.  Seemingly from nowhere, a maple tree seed pod came spinning into my line of sight.  By the time I went to swerve, the pod collided with my visor with a thwick before moving on.  I am disappointed in myself for not swerving.  As we head fully into autumn, I should have more opportunities to dodge flying debris.  And I can hardly wait for the chance on next week’s ride.