Eileen had some fun activities at the Art Museum, so I headed out to Lake Monroe, a quick 10 miles to where I like go swimming. I geo-tagged the photos of the ride, but don’t believe it, I don’t want everyone to find this spot! When I got there there were boats all over the lake, it was busy for October, but then again it was over 80 degrees even in the late afternoon. As the lake has been at normal pool level for several weeks (538′ amsl), I knew our favorite tree trunk would be out of the water for diving.
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| From Last Swim Ride of October |
It’s been underwater for all summer, and was slippery as heck. WhenJojo and I were here during last year’s drought, the longest branch was dry and several feet above the water, but today, it was covered with slippery stuff, and about 6 inches out of the water, but that didn’t matter, and I dove time and again, marveling at how cool the water had become, even at the top. In midsummer, you have to dive a few feet down to find cool water, but it was all cool today, let’s say it was refreshing.
I was a bit worried about the CO’s showing up, but that did not happen, the boats avoid the little point, they can see the log, and don’t want to get close. I don’t know why, but the water was much clearer than a few weeks ago, I could see several feet farther under water, and it was lighter farther down. I think because so little water has been coming in, that the suspended solids have had a chance to fall to the bottom and clarify the water.
I finally got out and dried off, the air was still warm, though it was about 7pm and the sun was beginning to fall below the ridgetops. I rode back up the hill and didn’t break a sweat, and then the quick 10 miles home. It’s funny how long it seemed to get there, but I can barely remember riding back through the dusk, and yes I had my lights on. It will not be till next May that I will be swimming again, so now I am waiting for the lake to freeze so the ice riding can begin!
There are several horses living along Harrell Rd, right where I stopped to look at the sunset. They saw me from across the field, and meandered in my direction, but horses are spooky, and even though I was talking nice to them, the kept their distance. Then I noticed how short the grass was in there field, and it was just as short for one horse’s neck length past the barbed wire fence. But for a foot or so along the road, the grass was long and green rather than short and brown.
So I turned my back on the horses and started ripping up the long green grass, and when I turned around, all the horses were at the fence, ready to make friends. They no doubt heard me pulling the grass, and they could tell it was the good stuff, of this I am sure. I fed them all several handfuls, petted, patted and hugged the big creatures, then said goodbye, carrying their unique body odor in my memory.