"Happy Hour" on the Lansing River Trail

    Monday I took a much-needed and long- awaited ride on my mountain bike on one of Lansing's most under- appreciated gems: the Lansing River Trail. If for some silly reason you have never utilized this incredible asset of our city, the Trail has nearly 13 miles of paved trail that stretches from Old Town to MSU campus to Frandor to Jolly Road. It passes through numerous parks such as Adado Riverfront, Hawk Island, Potter Park Zoo, and Scott's Woods. It is perfect for mountain biking, roller-blading, jogging, strollers, kids, dog walking, skipping, bird watching, and being generally immersed in nature when we get a little claustrophobic in the city.

    This time of year is great on the Trail, because all along the densely-wooded areas, there are clumps of wildflowers blooming everywhere. If you peek into the depths of the greenery, you can see the fragrant blooms as far as your sight can carry.  (By the way, if you can identify these white and violet flowers, please contact me- my guides have failed to reveal their identity!) I caught an immensely beautiful bunch of Wild Columbine near the intersection between LCC's leg of the trail and the Zoo's leg, and little critters like black and red squirrels, wild rabbits, and Robins galore scurried about their woodland business gathering, chattering, and basking in the sun. I'll never forget an early morning ride about 4 years ago when I saw an elusive Mink near Moore's river Park, and any evening near the river there, you can watch hundreds of native Brown Bats scooping up mosquitoes at dusk- a truly awesome experience that I recommend to anyone with a desire to learn about   these amazing, misunderstood creatures. 

                                                                       
       Near Hawk Island, I came across the marked points of distance for the annual Hawk Island Triathlon this weekend- in chalk, sayings such as 'Finish Strong', 'You Can Do It!', and 'Almost There!' urge the participants to keep going. I enjoyed a little make-believe myself, and imagined I was nearing a finish line of my own: setting small goals for yourself as you recover from illness, surgery, or just getting started on a new commitment to health can be incredibly fulfilling as you realize the progress you have made retrospectively. For me, I considered the distance I had come since my transplant last fall, and my pulse quickened a bit as I even chanced a bit of consideration towards training for the Hawk Island Tri next summer. 

    On my way home, as I pedaled a little slower to take in the smell of fresh-cut grass, late-blooming Lilacs, and dense undergrowth along the river's edge, I looked up just in time to catch a glimpse of a billboard peeking out from behind some trees. "Clara's Happy Hour, 3-5", it read. I glanced at my watch, feeling a bit sorry for any schmuck who was sitting in air conditioning at a greasy bar on this gorgeous afternoon. I took in a deep breath of fresh air as I looked out across the swollen river surrounded by vivid green, and tiny fluffy seed pods floated lazily around me. I felt joyful, fulfilled. Happy Hour, indeed.

Comments

[Lindsey]

Wow, I have never been so close to signing up for a triathlon. Now that's compelling writing.

[bizzy]

Aaahhhh...