The Ninth Month

If it weren't for one smart Italian who drafted the Gregorian Calendar in the 15th century, November would still be the ninth month by Roman calculation. Not that it would change a thing in weather though.

The nights bring frost, the mornings are cold and damp and often foggy, and even with the sun shining the temperatures only make it randomly beyond 5C (41F) these days.

With the spousal unit back in town we took one of the last opportunities to ride together this year. Bella didn't get a lot of exercise lately, but she started without hesitation and was eager to get on the road.

The cold temperatures changed the colours of the cranberry shrubs. A lovely contrast in the otherwise bleak harvested fields.

I had my camera resting in the GPS cradle, and wondered what it might look like when I would take a picture out of that perspective while riding. Here's the result:

We rode out to Golden Ears Provincial Park and stopped at Alouette Lake for a stroll. (Alouette is French for lark, but Lark Lake would have sounded less eloquent.)

This time of the year the park is nearly abandoned. Not many people seem to hang out when the season for boating, swimming and other water sports is over.

Occasionally we had deer crossing our path, but that wasn't the only lingering danger in this area, where temperatures could easily drop a few degrees due to altitude and shadowy forests.

Black ice warning signs were all over the place. Besides a pile of wet leaves yet another menace a two-wheeled traveler has to watch out for on the road this time of the year.

It was about 4PM when the sun light faded and we decided to move homewards, with fingers cold, and body craving for a cup of tea in front of the fireplace.

How many days will we have left to scoot around? Soon the trees will have shed their colourful dresses.

And the warning signs for slippery conditions and black ice will have to be taken very seriously.

But until then we will take any opportunity to stretch out the riding season and let it roll.