Heat Wave

 

“Always choose beauty over money.” That was my motto, my maxim. I coined it when I'd had a chance to cross I-80 at night, to get my load off early and thus set myself up for another load, and more money. It was peak autumn and with plenty of time on the load I chose to sleep through the night and run the highway in the daytime. I'm glad that I did, it was sooooooooo beautiful; across the “endless mountains” in their autumn glory.

So I was torn when, after single stop load to South Bend that got me back to Plainfield early, at noon, I was given the choice to take a North Vernon load, or not. There was an angel and a devil sitting on either shoulder whispering in my ear. Then I remembered my motto and chose the angel. Hell sank in disappointment, defeated.

I'd been wanting to take a bike ride. I'd meant to over vacation but was so busy with those cats that I never did, other than just up and down the road. I didn't want to leave the trap for too long, in the midst of our heat wave, which has thankfully broken. I got home and set out on two wheels. But damn, it seemed like I was working awfully hard. It was an effort to pedal the bike on the flat let alone the hills. “I'm really out of shape!” I thought. “I didn't ride far last week, but I did ride, what's up?”

I was disappointed but figured I'd better not get off the ridge top or I might have to walk the bike back up, so I went every which way except out on the highway, turning around each time at the brink of the hill. It was a nice ride, and I explored the side roads that I usually pass. At some point a light went off in my brain and when I got back home I checked my tire pressure. Both tires were 20 lbs low. Duh. I told you I was a novice rider.

It was too late then to go back out for an extended ride so I mowed the lawn. Both heaven and hell feel a little better for having gotten that done. Whew, with the heat and humidity I nearly overdid it though. I might have had to walk the bike up the hill anyway.

But like I say, the heat wave has broken. The palpable humidity, that a chainsaw wouldn't cut, has relented, and I just got back from a nice little ride. Funny; the trash truck is in my neighbor's drive. It passed me way back on North Shore Drive. It took this long for him to work his way around to here. But my point is that it's sooooooooo beautiful! The corn is high and the wildflowers in riot abandon. With all the rain we've had GREEN is still the color of the day, and the neighbors have a right to be proud of their gardens. For those of you that don't know the area let me assure you there is a lot of mature hardwood 'round these parts.

My vacation was very nice, just what the doctor ordered, but I'll come back to tell you about that, perhaps...