Weather Permitting

I've been a good soldier lately. I've been going to the gym after work every night, breathing in that stinky, sweaty, used up air and exercising my heart and lungs even when the nice weather tempted me.  But last night I didn't.  A friend wanted to show me a new route on the motorcycle.  Exercise be dammed, we took advantage of the nice weather and went for a ride.  We took the back roads up to St. Frances, passing a llama farm. We saw an adult and an immature cream colored llama run full tilt through a field, through a gate and into a barn.  Wow, llamas on the run.  We took County Road 72 north of St. Francis.  When we got to the edge of town and the warning sign said curves ahead, my friend poured on the gas.  Her Harley pipes throttled loudly and I knew she liked this road.  With a smile on my face I tried to keep up with her.  Vrooom Vrooom.  The road curved past maples, oaks and birches.   I am taking the curves at the posted speed or sometimes a little above that.  Corn was being harvested in the fields.  The roadside ponds are ringed with black mud indicating they used to be deeper.  In our 60 mile trip I think we crossed the Rum River 7 or 8 times between my house and Dalbo and back again.  The sun was playing hide and seek behind a large cloud.  The air was warm.  The quiet roads were curvy and a little hilly.  A man stands at a crossroads out in the country under a tree.  He looks at my friend as she rides by on her Harley.  I wave but he doesn't notice.  He's watching her blond ponytail waving in the breeze from under her helmet.  Who wouldn't be jealous of us?  We're having the time of our lives.