Equine Art Ride

I don't usually give myself Christmas presents, but I did this year.  Recently, my friend Karl posted about several equine sculptures in Madison, where he lives.  This sounded like the perfect excuse for a bicycle ride.  I checked the daily forecast, and Wednesday, Christmas Eve Eve, looked like the best bet weather-wise.  Work cooperated to let me take most of the day off.  Time to ride!

I planned my route, about 70 miles out and back.  After going to the office briefly that morning, I headed out to ride around 11:30 AM.  That would put me in Madison for a latish lunch and get me home before sunset.  (These short winter days are a drag!)

I rode out of Monticello on Post Road.  The Jasper County Community Food Bank is a few miles outside the city limits.  As I rode by, I saw several cars queued for a special holiday food distribution.  I waved to them - I was wearing my cool smiley face gloves - and sent them wishes that they would have enough to eat and have the resources for their other needs.

Farther down Post Road, several miles of pavement were being replaced.  I got in line behind two cars, waiting for the flagger to signal that it was our turn to use the single available lane.  We didn't have to wait long.  Maybe half a mile later, the two cars turned into a driveway.  I continued pedaling on brand new asphalt.  I zoomed down a hill and approached the other flagger as I started the next ascent.  Several cars were waiting on that side.  The drivers must have wondered why the flagger sent through a single cyclist!  I waved with my smiley face gloves, hoping to diffuse any ill will they might have had.

It was an absolutely beautiful day for December.  Temperatures were in the 60s, and the sky was bright blue.  I relaxed into the ride, setting aside for the time being my mental to-do list.  I passed some friendly live equines - the best art of all!

I arrived at the Morgan County Cultural Center at 1:30 PM, right on schedule.  Horse sculptures!

Brighter colors from this angle

Thanks to Karl, I knew that their heads move!

I sat at a nearby picnic table to graze with the horses.

Karl arrived right after I sat down.  We had a nice chat for a few minutes.  He lives just a few blocks from the cultural center; it was nice of him to come over to say hello.

A short ride to the west side of Madison took me to Lambert Park, home of the new mule sculpture.  It's beautiful!  Sculptor Tom Prochnow fashioned small pieces of metal to form the mule.

Hi

Mule lean

I needed to throw away a piece of trash.  As I walked to a trashcan, I was delighted to find this extremely cool stone map of Morgan County.

Time to head back home.  I took a slight detour around the portion of Post Road that was being paved - no need to push my luck.

When I got back to Monticello, I stopped by the office to say hello to Robert.  I was smiling like a jackass eating briars because it had been such a fun ride.  Or maybe I was smiling like a Cheshire cat.

with Ashes the World's Best Office Cat