In fifteen weeks, I’ll be able to spend more of my time doing what I did on Sunday: biking at the St. Marks Refuge (SMR).

My husband and I used to walk the 12-mile loop, although for me anyway the last two miles were more hobbling than walking. These days neither of us can manage walking the 6-mile loop. Bad knees, bad back, less tolerance for heat and humidity. But we have bikes.

Here’s a few scenes from our Sunday excursion. We were blessed by the sight of a bald eagle. I really think the bald eagles at SMR are naturals for photo-ops. We were surrounded by natural beauty. SMR is a special place for us, and spending time there always lifts our spirits.

It was a beautiful day, even if it got a bit warm (85 degrees). The horseflies were out and about, but thanks to our bikes, we could outrun them … sort of. I had been wanting to bike SMR for a long time. We biked it once, a long time ago, and I always wanted to do it again. Now that I know I couldn’t complete a 6-mile loop much less a 12-mile loop with my arthritic knees, biking is the way to go.

I hope you enjoyed the trip. And I hope you are all well and safe and holding onto hope.