an ode for mike vandeman

Yo' Mike! I haven't forgotten you. I just thought I'd give some of the
other groups you annoy a break by not responding to your posts. But never
fear. I am keeping my pledge.

This is for you, brother Mike:

Today I took another ride; another summer swelter. I took extra extra
cran-water along and went the river route. The wild grass seems to be
growing like.... well.... a weed. It's at least a meter high in places. The
landscape is a riot of green, sprinkled with the various colours of
flowering plants, red, purple, yellow.

Dragonflies must have hatched recently. They seem to be everywhere. They
buzz along the path in front of me for a bit. It reminds me of dolphins
riding the pressure wave of a ship. As soon as one dragonfly veers off from
the trail more join up. They look like nature's little bi-planes. I guess
I'm the squadron leader.

I take a new [to me] trail branch up and down the side of the river
valley. It's a mix of two lane access road and single track. Much of the
single track is almost tunnel-like with the profusion of greenery. Bushes
and branches slap my arms and face.

Finally I come to THE BIG CLIMB. It is a ~5 km stretch that climbs out of
the valley by way of a challenging and twisting up & down climb. I feel like
I am swimming in sweat. When I reach the top I am rewarded by a beautiful
view from a lookout. A good place to rest and re-hydrate.

I noticed in past rides that someone had built an inuksuk [Inuit stone
symbol] at the lookout. It's still there. I rest and reflect and drink, and
perspire.

The descent is steep and stark. There is no winding trail here, just a
sharp rocky decline. The main trail back is a recovery ride until I cross
Stone Rd. whereupon I resume the hillside switchback trails.

The wall of hot humid air assails me I am grateful for the convection
cooling from velocity. It gives me reason not to stop. There is wind as well
and I thank dog for every bit of air movement. The air hitting is not just
hot and humid. It _smells_ of green. It is as if the plants are exhaling
their hot moist breath smelling of chlorophyll into the air.

At the far end of the river trail I head south again to home, hugging some
more 'tunnel' trails for shade as well as aesthetics.

--
I am working on creating an internet that is off-limits to
Mike Vandeman ("pure habitat"). Want to help? (I spent the previous 8
minutes fighting trolls and spammers)