Fall bike ride

Weekends are bike riding times for me.  I'm extremely lucky to have an inspirational and patient coach/partner who showed me the joys of cycling.  I never thought I'd be one of those pesky riders in loud spandex, I mean come on, spandex?  But it's true, I'm hooked.  Bikes are beautiful.  The geometry can be simple or complex, the materials are engineering marvels and the fluid motion of the gears and wheels are a continuous song.  And the fabulous paint jobs!  The way I see it, I'm just the rider, the bike is the machine.  Together we go far - 900 miles this year!

The season is waning.  Rides are becoming crisper and shorter.  The foliage is turning ever so slightly.  There's a spot on my ride that I've called mine, although in reality it belongs to mother nature.  It's a great spot; lush wetlands where birds, frogs and a few deer call home.  I'm going to document all four seasons of it for my Monet project.  The first picture is a small bit of that spot.  And just for kicks, thanks to Photoshop, I stylized it to appear how it would if I painted it.  And for more kicks, the last picture is how it would be if I designed it.  Which one appeals to you - original and raw, artistically painted or highly stylized?  Or are you like me and see the beauty of all three?  - l.o.d.