An Anachrid of Unusual Size

Today's ride took me the vicinity of central Orem.

Saw: In addition to the aforementioned spider (someone really knows how to work with metal), some cool and creepy Halloween decorations, a missionary welcome home sign, people removing annual flowers for the season, red geraniums (reminder: plant some next year) and a plethora of yard gnomes.

Heard: The crunch of dry leaves as I intentionally rode over them. Also the crack of the occasional walnut I ran over as well (though not intentionally). Lots of dogs barking.

Felt: The cool air-it was 45 degrees when I started on today's ride.

Smelled: More dryer sheets.

I LOVE fences

Five reasons why I like fences:
1. Rottweiler
2. Rottweiler
3. Great Dane
4. Border Collie
5. Goose

Woo Hoo! A perfect day for riding! I could not ask for better weather.

Where: Roughly Orem's Cascade neighborhood, plus getting there from here.

Saw: THE GOOSE (see other post)-it is so cute!, Orem police officers helping a woman unlock her car, red geraniums, someone getting a traffic ticket, a young man and his family leaving for the MTC so he can serve a mission in Puerto Rico, a loose dog which altered my travel plans.

Smelled: Garbage Cans. It was garbage day and I rode past a lot of cans.

Felt: A swarm of clueless bugs.

Heard: Kids on the playground, my financial institution teller calling me "sir" when I was at the drive-through. He was REALLY embarrassed. I told him I hoped he said that because I have short hair and was wearing a helmet.

Tuesday's Ride

It was a beautiful fall morning as I set out on my daily jaunt around an Orem neighborhood.

Where: Orem 400-800 East and 400-800 South, plus getting there and SCERA Park. What a cute, well-kept neighborhood!

Saw: Several yards with piles of pumpkins for sale, seniors in cute windbreakers mowing lawns, Horton's tree from Seussical, a VERY large Great Dane behind two sets of fences, the sun shining through bright yellow leaves.

Felt: Bugs hitting me in the face.

Heard: The squeaking of a backyard swingset being used by two kids (with an adult pushing), dogs, a bulldozer making a fingernail on chalkboard sound as it worked on Midtown Village.

Smelled: Chili powder (?), dryer sheets, that pollutiony smell Utah Valley sometimes gets.

I can ride 5 more miles, BUT NOT IN THIS SNOW!!!!

Bumper Sticker Wisdom

Who's afraid of the big bad . . . goose??

ME! ME! ME! Fortunately, it was behind a fence. Just sitting there, honking and squawking at me. I was in the road on my bike. I was so amused to see a goose, I stopped. My stopping triggered its guard response. Those little, squatty orange legs moved that "cute" goose to the fence at warp speed. HONK! SQUAWK! repeat, repeat. It kept making tons of noise until I was far from its house. I am afraid of loose dogs while cycling, but I can't imagine meeting up with a loose goose!

Where I rode today: Orem

Sounds: mad goose, kids at school playground, man in yard telling me my bright yellow jacket will keep me from getting hit by a car

Smells: breakfast being cooked-yum!

Sights: gargoyles, a large trash bag spider with red plastic cup eyes, a wonderful Gary Price bronze in an otherwise unlandscaped front yard, a couple enjoying breakfast on their side patio, a soda pop machine built as part of a fence (put your fence to work!), changing leaves, beautiful yards

Felt: The south wind picking up with an approaching storm.

Wednesday Ride

This morning I rode around west-central Orem. As a councilmember, I like to ride through Orem's neighborhoods. In a car, I can only see the neighborhood. On a bicycle, I can hear, smell, touch and see it. Little kids were on front porches. A lunchbox carrying man appeared to be returning home from the graveyard shift. One lady was decking out her yard in Halloween attire. On the way home, I saw she had the inflatables going. There are pumpkins, straw, corn stalks, gourds and scarecrows on front porches. I heard the dogs parking and could smell someone's good cooking.

Today's neighborhoods had a lot of housing built for those who came to Orem to work at Geneva Steel. These homes are 50+ years old and are in a variety of conditions. Just a block away are new single family homes and a block away are condos. I like seeing the variety. In my own neighborhood, I live in a 30 year old home, but next door and across the street are homes built within the last 15 years. There are condos just a couple of blocks away too.

Tuesday's Ride

Fall has arrived! I had a nice ride up Provo Canyon. The leaves are finally turning at the mouth of the canyon and I just love riding through the leaf canopy.