Reality

I am trying to forget that a short week and a half ago, I was riding in sunny, 85° weather. I'm trying to forget because that will make reality easier to accept; and reality today is 35° and cloudy. I went for a ride on this crisp Fall day and found the colors are still present;

albeit, some of the color is now on the ground.

However, the colors are not as vibrant as when the sun imparts its warmth and energy to them and the water looks colder under the leaden skies.
Shorts and sandals have given way to jeans, shoes (with socks,) gloves, jacket and a watch cap that covers my ears. Soon, snow will preclude my riding on some roads and limit me to shorter distances on various loops about town. But, I'll continue to ride throughout the winter so I'll be ready to soar on the first glorious day in Spring.