ENVIRONMENT: Go! And watch like a hawk. You never know what you will see!

Sometimes you just need to Go!

...even when there isn’t a destination. Perhaps it’s the weekend, and you don’t have your normal commute or you have all the groceries you need and no other errands to “run.” Yet, you see the sun falling lower in the sky. An early spring day. Imagine the bright day stretching past 7:00 pm now and, if you live in the north, the temperature edging to that just-warm-enough-to-wear-shorts mark or, if you live in the south, likely it is that perfectly mild warm breeze. Don’t wait.

I often wait until I finish that one two-minute email, which becomes 30 minutes (or more) from my “I should do that too” list.

Don’t wait to grab a 10-minute social media fix. Go ByCycle! Just for fun.

Tonight, was one of those late March days; I rode just for fun, with only light gloves, long sleeves, a wind-proof vest, and (yes!) shorts. I picked a route with roads I frequented at least weekly until four years ago when I changed jobs. Always an enjoyable route, this one typically has empty streets – many of which are lined with only trees. After a few minutes, I took the shortcut through a parking lot, offroad up a small grassy hill, and popped out on a dead end. Although I live in suburban Chicago, this street feels more like rural forest land. I guess it should not have surprised me to see…. “How many was that?” I asked myself, peering down a narrow opening the trees, only intending to look (not directly) toward the setting sun. Biking just a bit farther, I glimpsed again in that direction when I reached the next opening, past the 100-yard-deep wooded area along the road, into the same field; Five…? No, at least seven deer silhouetted against the bright orange sky. More than affirmed in my use of time tonight, I road along, into a more classically suburban area, past a middle-schooler doing skateboard tricks.

I recall the first time I saw that mailbox – shaped like an arrow, fletching and all, protruding at an angle 10 ft out of the ground. “Honey for sale” the sign read (still does). I have bought honey there exclusively for almost a decade now (thanks, Nancy!).

Turning, now my back to the sun (more easily visible by cars headed in my same direction), I almost missed a red-tailed hawk, not more than 15 ft from the road, perched in a dead branch, as they so often do, scanning the adjacent field for dinner. I slowly swung back in a U-turn, trying to pull my phone out and capture the elusive moment. The powerful and inquisitive looking bird let me roll by, now on the closer side of the road and soak in the view. Unfortunately, the camera (or was it my gloved fingers?) didn’t cooperate as well as the hawk. By the time I slowly U-turned again (in the direction I was originally going), she was gone. I failed to photograph; yet, I hope you can capture the image in your mind.

And, more importantly, I encourage your “hawks” to capture similar moments in your memory!

-Go ByCycle