My Birthday

יום רביעי י' בחשון תשס"ז

And a beautiful day it is here in Reading, PA. Taking the afternoon off from work. Planning on getting outside and enjoying the fall a bit. . . . . . When I was living in Boston a couple of years ago, REI's fall catalogue came out with this title on its cover:

No crowds, no bugs -- we love Fall!

I couldn't agree more. It's just a great time to be outside. I went for a short bicycle ride late last week -- about 25 kilometers round trip on this road (Rt 625) that follows up Wyomissing creek close to its source about 600 feet above Reading proper. I love climbing up there and then _flying_ back down to get back home.

On the way up, the creek is visible most of the way, running first through woods and then through farms and fields. It was a sunny, crisp day and most of the trees still had leaves, which had taken on their fall colors. . . . People who live on the West Coast miss the beauty of this -- the chance to see a landscape change and morph with the rhythm of the year . . . To see new views start to appear as fall goes on and winter comes with its promises of white and purity and calm. . . It's a priviledge to be able to do the same ride through the same landscape throughout the year . . . And I've come to love the landscape of Berks county -- its mix of woods and fields, its one-step-shy-of-mountainness character. . . Although I must admit that I miss the rides I had in Massachusetts. I also then had a route that ran along a stream for a good part of the way. I can picture the beauty of it running through the pure white on those winter days when I found the strength to go out in the cold.

On my ride last week, I thought some more about an idea I have -- in the cool and cold weather, why not wear a bib to block the wind? . . That way, you can leave your back exposed and sweat could escape easily (if you are, for example, wearing a wool sweater for warmth). But you still get good "wind chill" protection when you are going fast down a hill. . . I think I will try it soon, but I'm not sure what kind of bib to use.

Today, I do not plan a bike ride. But I think I will go up to Hawk Mountain and walk around for a bit.