Rain and Horses

Last night rain clouds loomed, so by 4pm I thought I'd better try and hit the road. When I went to get the bike out of the store room, the back tire was flat. So much for leaving early. I picked the chunks of glass out of the tire with twizers I carry, and I recall all the glass everywhere from the ride in. This flat could have been worse--I could have eventually flatted on a busy road while getting soaked. For now I just got on the road and got rained on.

The Rain was not quite enough to keep things cool, but enough that when I made it to the car, I had a thin layer of grime covering me.

But as I road by the UofA farms there on Mountian Ave and Prince, I could smell the fresh cut hay, and smell a hint of the horses down the road. I can sometime hear them and I think one day I'll ride over and see what's up with them.

I think it was yesterday morning when I was nearing where the Mountain bridge ends, and the bike path cuts through a wash and then onto Mountain Ave, where I saw the huge pile of horse shit right in the path. Most of the stables are on the other side and I see the animals there standing in their stalls looking half dead it seems. In the evenings coming home, sometimes I see young girls brushing them--but rarely do I see people riding. It would be like if you went out and bought a really expensive road bike and it just sat in the garage.

When I had my two horses I road them all the time--rain or shine--hot or cold. Kind of like biking, there's sweat, grime, shit, bugs--and the possibilty of breaking a collar bone or rib (I should know) but you're outside, with friends, and physically--and sometimes emotionally--you are invigorated by brushes with danger and your own dumb-luck.

Allure Libre!