Summer----Shorter Than it Used to Be

So I've been meaning to make this post since the beginning of  June---and that right there should tell you how my summer's been going! Here it is the end of July already and summer is almost over. In the spring, I was looking forward to school getting out so I'd have more time. Now I can hardly wait until school STARTS so I will have more time.

Somehow I doubt it's going to work out the way I think this time around, either.


But I have made sure to take the time for a few fun things, though sometimes at the expense of more mundane activities like washing dishes and tidying houses.

 I made a trip to Bozeman for campmeeting---this time only as a helper, so it was way less intense than usual.

I've been swimming---count 'em----THREE times already this summer. That's about an, oh, 75% increase over the typical summer.

And I've been going on a few bike rides. Not as many as the one-per-day I'd originally envisioned for my fitandhealthy summer, but still way more than I usually take the time for.


I've been experimenting a little bit using some of the local farm tracks for my routes. This "experimentation" would work better if there were more than one of them within my seriously limited range. Farm tracks are fun to use because they keep you clear of traffic (and when you have two dopey-doodle dogs as your companions, that's important).

And as an added bonus, they are adventurous. If you are looking for solitude, a farm track in North Dakota will definitely fit the bill.

I'm pretty sure this is the dictionary definition of Robert Frost's "the road less traveled by..."

My little prairie farmhouse in all its June glory...Picture taking is very important on bike rides. Every time I am gasping for breath and feel like I can't peddle another second, lo and behold, I find something I need to stop and photograph. It works great.

My favorite (read: only) route runs north for a time and then turns west.  I'm pretty sure the west-running track is in the dictionary as the road even LESS traveled by!

Maybe one of the reasons for the lack of traffic on this leg of the trip is the ridiculous drainage ditch someone cut right through the middle of it. I mean, sure the farmers want to be able to use their fields, but didn't they even stop to think what it would do to the casual cyclist?  I somewhat regretted my choice of white tennis shoes when I had to wade through that!

This is the pond on the other side of the ditch...

And here is the view of my prairie farmhouse from the backside. The frequent reader might recognize my famous sunset tree in the cluster of trees to the right of my house. The large, bare hill is where we like to go cross country skiing in winter.

The last hill before I reach my pickup spot!

Here comes the cavalry---otherwise known as my mom and my sweet border collie sister, coming out to rescue me so I won't have to ride all the way home. I hope to be able to do the whole thing myself at some point, but since it would double the length of the route, I will have to work up to it.

If I push myself, I think I might be ready in, oh, another 10 years or so.