Month: May 2025

On Today’s Bike Ride: New Trail and Blue Heron

After a brutal, snowy winter followed by an exceptionally wet spring, Freida and I are hitting the trails again. I was able to add a new experience to my new experiences list today thanks to the city adding a new section of trail into the network.

The Perche Creek Trail branches off from the MKT and eventually will extend to allow easy travel.

Paved bike trail approaching a bridge. Sign says Perche Creek Trail.

Oh, look! One of my favorite things–a bridge!

Paved trail bridge with tall rails on either side.

Scan the QR code to learn more. Phase 2 is scheduled to be complete in 2027.

Sign on bridge: "Perche Creek Phase 2 Development.
Anticipated opening of phase 2, Fall, 2027.

But for now, if you don’t want to lift your bicycle over a guardrail and continue on the road (which I know people have and do), it’s kind of a dead end.

paved trail ending at guardrail with road on other side. Red pickup on road.

But it’s a pleasant ride, and I got to see a blue heron.

Great blue heron in mud at edge of large puddle
Pondering

I hope to get out for a ride at least once a week and build my stamina back up. Today’s ride was 13-14 miles or so roundtrip. Not too bad. Here’s to more pedaling adventures!

Two Thousand Miles – Mother’s Day Poem

Well, my two kids grew up, and I’m not sure why they did that to me. I still love them. Anyhow, here’s a little poem I wrote for Mother’s Day.

**

Two Thousand Miles

There was a child who used to cling to me
as if he were made of suction cups
Now he lives two thousand miles away

I inched away with stealth from the bed where
he slept to have a moment in my own skin
Now he lives two thousand miles away 

I drove through the city in the dark more
than once to bring him home earlier than planned
Somehow now he’s two thousand miles away

I turned my head, and he inched with stealth
then leapt so far so fast to find his own skin
and landed two thousand miles away

I want him to be where I see him on my phone
the mountains, the beach, a life of his own
I pretend it’s not that far—two thousand miles away

**

Happy Mother’s Day to all the moms and mom figures, whether you are in the thick of child raising, empty nesting it or something else.