Autumn Leaves

The skies they were ashen and sober;
The leaves they were crisped and sere--
The leaves they were withering and sere;
It was night in the lonesome October
Of my most immemorial year:
-Edgar A. Poe


Did you ever have one of those days where you felt as if your legs had endless energy? Where those killer hills seemed somehow smaller? Where you normally stop your ride, but this time felt like doing it all again?

That's what a great fall ride can do for me. When it gets brisk out, when the humidity falls away, when the sun hits the leaves just right I feel like I can ride all day.

Took a great ride yesterday that reminded me of how much I love the fall. I started my normal loop and before I knew it I was atop the first major hill. I usually have to rest there, but this time there was no need. I turned on to the next section of trail and was just amazed by the colors of the leaves that the sun was bringing out, but this may have been the last good weekend for the leaves. The deer are in their rut, and I saw several large buck charging through the woods at the sight of me. I almost ran over a garter snake sunning itself on a rock in the middle of the trail. The sound of dead leaves crunching beneath my tires. For all of these reasons and more, I love riding in the fall. But alas, the fall reminds me that winter is not far behind...