And I’ve always said… “One of the best parts about biking is stopping!” And so I do… frequently. For a good photo… for a kid’s lemonade stand… for a historical marker… for homemade pie… or just to sit back & relax. Life is not a race. Slow down. Enjoy your surroundings. Appreciate nature. Breathe.

What a beautiful day… blue skies & the feeling of “freedom” all day on my bike! At least until you get to this sign… that makes me laugh EVERY time!!! Yes, the bike trail LITERALLY stops right there!!! Dead end. No more cement. Done. But if you know how to navigate around it, you can easily make it all the way to Waukegan in time for lunch & ice cream! Of course, after several stops along the way… especially for all of the Fall wildflowers along the north shore & Openlands Lakeshore Preserve just south of Fort Sheridan! Enjoy… I know I sure did.

Hard to believe it’s already October! While I want Summer to last forever… I actually LOVE Fall too. And I’m ready to kick-off October with a big bowl of gourds on the table. Thanks to the folks at ART IN THE BARN for selling off their seasonal decorations at the end of the art fair. I came home with a couple bags of pumpkins & gourds! Although we all know that in a side-by-side contest… GOURDS are so much cooler!!!

Second verse, same as the first… another day just like yesterday! Not a cloud in the sky (almost) and very few people out along the lake. Just a couple bikers… and a few runners possibly still training for next weekend’s marathon? Been there, done that… glad I’m not this year! I’d rather be pedaling…