A COUPLE QUESTIONS ANSWERED ABOUT THE BICYCLE MISHAP AND THE GATHERING OF WHEAT

 FACING NORTH, THIS IS THE WEST SIDE OF THE BAYFIELD BRIDGE FACING DOWN RIVER TO LAKE HURON

My first stop on this sunny and pleasantly cool morning was the Bayfield Garage.  My Subaru is generally a very quiet running car, but I noticed a low 'brrrring' noise in it about 3 days ago.  The faster I go, the more prominant the noise.  The noise does not change with the engine revs, so I don't suspect an engine problem.  The knowledgeable gal at the garage desk said it sounded like it might be a wheel bearing, which makes sense.  But, according to what I read online, it could be something more $$$$ serious than that.  Anyway, I have an appointment to take it in next Wednesday:((  Wish me luck:))

 ALWAYS NICE TO SEE THE BROWN EYED SUSANS EVERY YEAR EVEN IF IT MEANS THE SUMMER IS SLIPPING BY

 THISTLES ARE ANOTHER SIGN OF THE COMING AUTUMN

From the Bayfield Garage, I slipped the short distance up the road and parked near the southern end of the fairly new Bayfield Bridge.  I have stopped a few times at night and walked under the bridge to take a few photos earlier in the year, but I had never walked on or across the bridge since it was completed about three years ago.  In fact, I don't even remember walking across the old bridge either.  The bridge spans the Bayfield River and travels north and south.  Often called the Bluewater highway, it is officially designated Highway 21.  What I found a little unnerving about the bridge this morning was how much the bridge bounces when the heavy 18-wheeler trucks go over it.  It was enough to jiggle my camera when I was trying to take a few telephoto shots.  No doubt the bridge is designed to do that, but it was a surprise.

 LOOKING DOWNRIVER TOWARDS LAKE HURON, LESS THAN A MILE AWAY

APPROACHING THE BRIDGE WALKWAY FROM THE SOUTHSIDE WITH DOWNRIVER BEING TO THE LEFT

 HEADING OUT FOR A MID MORNING BOAT RIDE

 HEADING BELOW DECK TO PUT THE COFFEE ON MAYBE

AND, THERE THEY GO

 HEADING UP RIVER

 FROM THE CENTER OF THE BRIDGE LOOKING SOUTH

LOOKING NORTH

 THIS IS THE HARD WORKING BARGE THAT DREDGES THE RIVER AND ASSEMBLES AND DISASSEMBLES THE BOAT DOCKS EACH YEAR

After taking some photos from the bridge of the Bayfield River flowing west to meet Lake Huron less than a mile away, I slipped down under the bridge to see what was happening down there.  Not much of course, but I took a few pics anyway.

 UNDER THE BRIDGE

 THIS NEW 3 YEAR OLD BRIDGE IS QUITE THE ENGINEERING FEAT

 A PAIR OF DISCARDED BLUE JEAN SHORTS

 A THROWN AWAY COFFEE CUP

A PIECE OF BLUE PLASTIC AND WHAT APPEARS TO BE SOMEBODY'S RIPPED-UP ID CARD OR SOMETHING

 LOOKING NORTH, THIS IS THE EAST SIDE OF THE BRIDGE

Okay, now for a couple of things I hadn't mentioned before.  First, about some damage to Lorraine's bicycle three or more weeks ago.  We always load the bike into the back of the Subaru when transporting it to or from Bayfield for Woodsy's bicycle rides.  Loading up her bike at Clan Gregor Square about three Fridays ago, I failed to secure the Subaru's rear hatch properly.  From Clan Gregor Square, we slipped over to Foodland on the west side of Highway 21.  Leaving Foodland and having to make a left turn into heavy, long weekend Friday afternoon traffic, (and totally forgetting about the bicycle in the back of the car) I waited patiently for an opening.  When I saw one and gunned it into a left hand turn, I heard a rumbling, clanging, and banging behind me, then silence. Well, you probably already know what happened.  Instantly checking my outside rearview mirror, I saw, to my horror, Lorraine's new bicycle lying in the middle of the highway about a hundred feet behind us with traffic bearing down on it.  I quickly checked to make sure my rear was clear, then reversed at speed back down the highway, stopping half on the shoulder and half on the road where the bicycle lay.  I could see traffic had managed to stop in both directions, so I bailed out of the car, grabbed the bike, and with Lorraine's help, flung it back into the Subaru.  I knew there was damage somewhere because the rear wheel would not turn.  With a quick nod, a wave of my hand, and a big, visible thank you on my lips and face to both lanes of stopped traffic, I was back into the car, and we were on our way.  I felt so bad that I had made such a dumb mistake that it was a while before I stopped beating myself up about it.  A few days later we took the bike to Goderich's 360 Bikes'n Boards bicycle shop on the circle in downtown Goderich for repairs, if possible. I expected a big bill, but was pleasantly shocked when the next day they called to say the bike was ready to go, and the bill was only $22.69.  They did a twenty-one point check on the bike, straightened the handl bars, and made some kind of brake adjustment and repair.  This was the second time we had dealt with 360, and I can't say enough about how friendly and professional they were there and in this age of money and greed, how reasonable they were.  Two big thumbs up for the folks at 360 Bikes 'n Boards.  Needless to say, I make certain that the Subaru hatch is properly latched now!!.......  Also, about Woodsy collecting some leftover wheat heads from a previously harvested wheat field.  She is taking them back to Stratford for a friend who has a cat that loves eating wheat grass.  Those seeds will be planted, and when they produce grass, that grass will be fed to Willow, the wheat-eating Cat:))

Thursday evening, Lorraine and I slipped out to my country road walking spot and took a brisk walk up the road and back.  We had misjudged the coolness of the air and wind and had not dressed quite warm enough.  Following our short walk, it was a slow country road amble home as the big red sun gently blended into the horizon.

 THE SUN IS SETTING OVER THE WAVING TASSLES OF A CORN FIELD

Al's Music Box:)) At Last by Etta James

 A CANADA GOOSE FAMILY OUT FOR A MID MORNING PADDLE ON THE BAYFIELD RIVER

GROANER'S CORNER:(( Early one morning, a mother went in to wake up her son. "Wake up, son. It's time to go to school!" "But why, Mom? I don't want to go." "Give me two reasons why you don't want to go." "Well, the kids hate me for one, and the teachers hate me also!" "Oh, that's no reason not to go to school. Come on now and get ready." "Give me two reasons why I should go to school." "Well, for one, you're 52 years old. And for another, you're the PRINCIPAL!"

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“How do fish keep up with what's going on? They listen to the current news.”

Only in America: We work hard on a farm so we can move into town, where we can make more money… so we can move back to the farm.

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Al's Doggy World

Meanings::

Kelly & Pheebs Corner

 KELLY AND PHEEBS AT THE VETS

 PHEEBS ASLEEP ON MY BED IN OUR ARIZONA HOUSE

Al's Art Gallery