Heat!!

I Love IT!! Yes, it's been quite warm for the last couple of days and I'm loving it. Since it's the weekend I didn't want to go up fishing with all the people at the lake so bike riding has been on tap.

Yesterday I rode out Wingfield road to Janesville and over to visit Tom and Helen. Along the way I noticed this creature in the ditch by the road and it didn't run away. I immediately identified the critter as a bobcat but it was acting funny. I have worked in the woods all of my adult life and have seen lots of these guys but they are always moving at a high rate of speed so this one was one to be wary of. It jumped up on the bank and sat there looking at me so I got my camera out and took this picture. This was the only one I got before he did what they usually do and ran away.

So today I decide to drive up into the forest and ride out in the Squaw Queen Creek area and over 15 Minute Hill. It was a wonderfully hot day and it wasn't bad due to a pretty stiff breeze most of the time. The meadows up there are so nice and lush this time of year and there were lots of pretty flowers. Some of the yellow ones growing in the road are dandelions. I was surprised that not only did an ATV come by on the trail I was following, but there were many vehicles out in Squaw Valley. At the top of 15 Minute Hill I stopped and talked to a couple of old guys who had lawn chairs and were just hanging out. They were a little surprised to see me and they didn't hear me coming.

So, way more people than I usually run into. My normal up there is to either not see anyone in a day of bike riding, or occasionally I'll see one vehicle. My ride yesterday was 35 miles and today only 16. Tomorrow I'm thinking fishing...