This December has been pretty sweet as far as weather. We here in Michigan aren’t exactly getting the warm sixty-ish degree temperatures that some of the east coast states are getting, but for these parts in December, forty degrees and no snow is just as good, and in many ways my rides have felt more like those done in late fall and early spring rather than winter. Having said that, I feel the need to add: THE SUN COULD SHINE ANY F*CKING DAY NOW!!!
Even with the cold winds that have been blowing during my past couple rides, it’s hard to complain, and I’m not, I’m just saying some sun would be nice and I’m pretty sure it’s been well over a week since I last saw any more than a brief glimpse of the sun’s rays. Fog, rain, mist, and dark low hanging clouds have been the norm as of late, and while I love not dealing with snow and ice, I am REAL close to preferring five inches of snow and a few days of clear, sunny skies to this warm bath and razor blades shit. I was used to this back in PA, here not so much!
It was dark enough Thursday that most of the streetlights struggled to turn off until early afternoon, I didn’t even think about being on the (paved) roads without a blinky on, and my camera–which I had set to Auto ISO with a max limit of 6400–was routinely kicking out some HIGH daylight ISO numbers.
The time from Thanksgiving to New Years is usually crammed with travel, family commitments and crap weather, so just getting out to ride a couple/few times a week has been a HUGE shot in the arm. Still, I find myself talking to the sun, pleading with it to shine a little light*.
As I headed uphill on a stretch of dirt road I passed a dairy farm. The tractor seen above was idling with a large wagon attached near the entrance to the cow barn. From the size of the wagon, the shovel on the tractor, the small front loader in the bay of the barn, and the warm, pungent smell of manure in the air, it was clear that they were preparing to literally shovel shit. Just as I snapped this pic, a farmer came walking across the road from the building to my right. As we exchanged hellos I noticed that he was heading towards the tractor eating a large sandwich for lunch. I guess when you work around cow shit that much it does little to affect your appetite!
Thursday’s ride south of town wasn’t all that long, just a quick twenty miles in the dark, chilly, dank air to say I did SOME sort of physical activity and to snap a few pics. Hoping that the coming days offer a few more rides… hopefully in some sun!
* Speaking of some shining light… before I go I’ll leave you with one of my favorite sad bastard songs ever– Shine a Light by the band Spiritualized.
This song has always been one of my favorites to listen to while lying drunkenly (or not) alone on the floor in the dark with the volume turned up to ear shattering levels while being swept away in the beautiful sad bastardness of it all. HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!
Time to get some work done and then head down the shop for some shit.
Later.