Old Man Winter

Wow is all I can say what an awe-inspiring day.  

Old man winter was in full force it was very cold, in the teens, and all was still in the frozen silence.  We left on our steel steeds in the early morn before the sun had raised its tired eye and were pulled towards the old growth forest out my back door.  The sky above was gray, it was cold and the wind was sharp.   It was so sharp that it cut into our face like a sharpened knife; the frigid air pained our fingers and toes. Old man winter was not happy we were outside. We were taunting him, so he pounded us in his furry.  The winds sounded like a tornado or jet engine and those gusts bent the old growth forests to its core and blew the leaves into magical mathematical formulas of swirling maelstrom like patterns that went on for eternity. Large limbs and entire trees cascaded all around us and thundered onto the hard land of winter – death was easy to meet on this day

So onward to our mission we went.  Deep into the forest we traveled on our steel steeds.  Our wheels were spinning around on the tiny spindly trails that snaked their way to eternity.  We forever were attacking the hills, and on the downhill’s sparks flew from the wheels.

DSCN1661

Finally, the sun raised its sleepy eye and we watched golden beams of light stream through the old growth forests and dance about of the forest floor. The sky opened up and life was restored.  We raced across the bridge of no return and viewed the magenta colored lake driven to furry by the wind.  The angry lake was filled with white-capped waves and they crashed upon the shoreline covered in rocks sending spray all around in a mighty and colorful display.  When mixed with the beautiful light from the omnipresent sun that showered us in its every lasting light, it was refracted through the spray into a dream like kaleidoscope of colors that entered our minds and bathed the hillsides. 

Geese took shelter in the many coves that were reflected the sky above like a prefect mirror.  These special coves allowed the geese and ducks to forage for food, unobstructed by the cold or wind. We watched and listened to the geese and ducks talk to one another and watch them dive for food. We saw an eagle pass over head.  IT was looking for its next meal and as it passed us by we looked at each other in the eyes and then it drifted to the horizon.  The cold and the wind continued to hound us – they both let us know we were alive and well!!!

The forest was also not happy we were out there and it set traps for us in the rather deep piles of leaves which hid those denizens of the deep (downed logs and branches and rocks) – they knocked us off our steel steeds a few times just to let us know they really owned the forest.  It was SCARY and dangerous also- the wind in the Meadow, 1 hour later a tree had fallen directly where we had been.  The Wind:  I saw you toss the kites on high and blow the birds about the sky, and all around I herd you pass, like ladies skirts across the grass, I saw the different things you did, but always you yourself you hid, I felt you push I heard you call but I could se yourself at all. (RLS)

We crushed the downhill’s  – its was awesome flying down those hills with sparks coming from the wheels while floating over the forest floor – like a ghost rider on horseback flying through the forest. 

Most things were hunkered down and we saw few animals except for the deer and squirrels they were fast asleep waiting for the sun to bring some warmth – 

We rode continually for 3 hours and we ended with the forest and old man winter all together