With summer quickly coming to an end… and quite possibly done here in Chicago,
it was great to see this little “soldier” trying really hard to make a go of it. This
marigold wasn’t there earlier this summer… but a stray seed found its way out
into our back alley, and nestled itself into a small crack at the bottom of our wall.
Quite determined. And a welcome morning surprise… keep going, keep growing!

This past weekend was the Hilly Hundred bike ride down in southern Indiana.
Traditionally my favorite bike ride of the entire year! It always seems like you’re in
good shape after riding all summer, the Fall foliage is always stunning and the route
always has a lot of hills! Hence the name… So once again, we drove down to Bloomington,
along with over 5,000 of my fellow bicycling fanatics, to rides some hills!
After I dusted off my bike…

This weekend was no disappointment. In fact, it was one of the best ever!!!
Generally the weather for the Hilly is cold, chilly and crisp. This year… it as hot!
Both days were up in the high 80’s – and we loved it. Plus, we had a new route on Saturday
covering new roads and new hills! Averaging about 5,000 feet of vertical climb each day,
we loved the challenge – and loved the downhills! In fact… my favorite might be rolling hills.
Get some momentum started and you can fly up & over the hills… so much fun!!!

Plus the colors were spectacular this weekend. Driving down to Bloomington, I was a little
concerned that the trees didn’t appear as though they had changed yet. A lot of green
between Chicago & Bloomington. But once we got there, down around Brown County
and the Morgan-Monroe State Park, the colors exploded for another stunning weekend!

On the new route Saturday, we also passed a road marked as a “special photo op.” Never
one to miss a good “photo op,” Chris and I quickly decided to follow the road to see what
was going on. And we found a beautiful trestle bridge – still functioning and wide spanning.
Apparently it still works and the train crosses slowly twice a day. And it is “allegedly” the
largest trestle bridge in North America, and the third largest in the world. Plus, it had
all of my favorite things… rusty metal, geometric repetition and Fall colors all around!

As we continued to pedal, the scenery continues to impress. I feel very lucky that I’ve
gotten to play outside two weekends in a row in perfect Fall splendor!!! Up & down
the hills – some long, some tall, some steep. With about 5,000 feet to PEDAL UP
each day, it takes a lot of focus & determination… and the guarantee of a wonderful
downhill ride. This weekend, my top speed downhill was 44.3 miles per hour! Yippee!!!

So once again, it was a wonderful Hilly Hundred. With the surprisingly warm weather
being a huge hit – and the spectacular Fall colors. A wonderful weekend of biking!…
A lot of hills. A lot of fun!

After a wonderful weekend up in the Northwoods of Wisconsin with my friend
Amy Higgason, it was bittersweet to pack it up and head home. The Fall colors were
incredible. The art tour was a lot of fun. Playing with Amy was great. And I hope
that I helped make her weekend a bit more fun, enjoyable & successful!!!

After four days of the beautiful Northwoods…
it was fitting that the drive home would be equally as beautiful.

Just some more pretty pictures.
The Fall colors were so incredible while I was up in the Northwoods…
I took HUNDREDS of photos!!! Everywhere you looked, it was gorgeous…
and I had to take more & more photos at every turn. Here’s just a few more!

After the Northwoods Art Tour had come to an end, May and I had Monday
to hang out and play. We started the morning again with an early morning hike
along The Raven Trail. It’s a beautiful trail, quite different from the McNaughton
Trail – a little curvier, a little hillier – and some art installations to boot!

Apparently, a couple years ago, there was an art installation project in the woods.
Many of them have been removed – but there were a couple still there to enjoy!
Most notable, an incredible “basket” built around a tree which was my favorite!!!

Further down the trail, there was an incredible, moss-covered bog…
and I do love me some moss!!! The color, the texture, the everything! Love it.

Not to be outdone by the frosty-frozen boardwalk area… just like a Christmas card!
Straight out of a Currier & Ives catalog… an early Fall morning with a frosty finish.

Further down the path, Amy and came upon another beautiful lake that still had some
morning mist floating above the water. In beautiful contrast to the colorful leaves!

Towards the end of the hike, we ran across these incredible white fungi growing off
and decomposing log. Almost flower-like, these mushrooms were beautiful & intriguing.

And

Just when you thought it couldn’t get any more beautiful…