Yesterday I went on my first bike ride of 2003 (and it’s still officially winter here in Wisconsin). Temperatures this weekend were in the balmy mid-60’s which forced me to dust off my bike and head outside. I rode for about an hour yesterday and about an hour and a half today. I’m sure my leg muscles will be feeling it tomorrow — not to mention my bum.

As I was riding along the Milwaukee County Parks Oak Leaf Bike Trail I was thinking about how fortunate I was to live close to such a nice trail. I hear a lot of people complain about paying property taxes, but what about the benefits that come from tax revenue? I’m happy to pay my share in taxes if I also have access to a beautiful parks system and other things that enhance the quality of life in my community. That’s money well spent in this biker’s opinion.

Sometimes I feel lucky to live where I do. Tonight after supper I took myself outside and hopped on my bicycle. Just a short three blocks away and I’m riding along a parkway, more specifically on the Oak Leaf Trail here in Milwaukee County. Just a few miles later and I’m pedaling along the part of the Oak Leaf Trail that goes through Grant Park — one of my favorite bike trails to ride on. On this section of the trail you ride through numerous combinations of woods (including a few with a delicious pine scent), open grassland and along bluffs with beautiful views of Lake Michigan. While cruising along tonight I was fortunate to see a beautiful sunset in the west and a blue heron sitting with his head high in the middle of a pond. And to think I was considering not going out for a ride tonight because it was too warm and muggy…