Another nice day in the swamp

About 6:40 as I begin, not a single trick or treater yet.

Today was a pretty nice day, temperatures reached nearly 50. We have now reached the point in the season where complaining about 40s is totally no longer reasonable, 51 is the average high for today.

Some days I end up just taking my camera for a ride. Today I started out and got to what I perceived to be an interesting photography opportunity after less than 4 miles only to discover that I had neglected to put my camera in my pocket. I was out there NOT taking my camera for a ride.

It's OK, I have a couple of these that I have taken on my travels over the past couple of weeks, Halloween is here.

That one is in Saint Paul, just across the border from Falcon Heights.

This one is in Shoreview, above Snail Lake, nearly all the way to Highway 96.

It looks like a lot of work, I hope they are having fun.

I circled back home and picked up my camera before riding farther to the north. I thought this corridor was kind of interesting.

That's along the Grass Lake Trail. Apparently having paved the trail the park authorities feel some additional upgrade is appropriate. They are engaged in a program of slashing back the undergrowth in the woods, perhaps to create a more urban park environment.

So I was sitting at home at about 5:30 looking out the window as the day dwindled down thinking that a couple of weeks from now that is what 4:30 looks like. We are doomed.

End of month data dump: With my ride today I amassed more miles in October 12 than I rode in October 11. That was a primary goal and I got there but not really by much. At the end of September I was several days behind last year's pace and I still am.

But, last year my last ride before it snowed was on November 18. And then the snow went away and I rode on the 28th, 29th and 30th, although notes in the log indicate that all three days it was too cold.

But, concentrate on the 18th, that seems possible again. Two and a half more weeks?

The doorbell just rang at 6:51. So no shutout at least.

It is just over three months since we got home from France, in fact three months five days. 97 days. I have ridden 1,998 miles in that period of time, a bit over 20 miles per day considering all days. 18 more days of that? Another 360 miles? Extremely unlikely but not impossible. All I know for sure is that the weather forecast for tomorrow is for a day not unlike today, I think I will be riding.