Enduance on a Calm Day

I was able to skip out of work early this afternoon with the idea of getting in a four hour endurance ride. The weather had finally calmed down, and winds weren’t blasting out of the northwest, so it was time. Since the conditions and the route were benign, I would again select the fixie. Sure, the miles of spinning would get to me, but they would be easy miles.

I headed east on 170th, but didn’t get far before smoke caught my eye.

With the calm day, the Story County parks crew was burning prairie. It was fun to watch from a distance:



It was more fun up close.



They tried to control it:


But it got away from them.


As fun as it was to watch the fire, I set out on my ride.

After a few miles I saw some evidence of another biker on 170th. Call me Sherlock, but this:


and this:

tells me someone else has been out here. If you recognize the blinky, let me know. I still have it.

My companions for today's ride . . . many, many dogs. They were all friendly:



By the way, 170th quits somewhere in Marshall county:


That is also where I also quit and turned for home.