Deadheading Flowers - A Change in Plans

Osteopermums, my new favorite flower. I have purple and white variety in my
window boxes. They love cooler weather.

It's a beautiful, crisp morning. I've made a thermos of coffee and applesauce muffins. I show up at 10:00 a.m. on a Sunday morning, ready to lead a group of women. It will be a 1.5 hour jaunt along easy, flat trail and neighborhoods.

Except, no one shows.

Undaunted, I call my husband, a prearranged back up plan. No sense wasting a bike ride. We have sustenance. We love to ride. Chilly weather means we don coats and gloves.

As I wait, I watch couples slowly ride by, deep in conversation. I watch women in groups of two pedal by. Walkers, joggers. Hockey parents, shuttling loud rolling carts of gear past me to the nearby rink. An out of town bus operator loops behind building and exits on pedestrian path, realizing his mistake too late. A pole planted mid-trail prevents such dangerous intersection with Burlington's busy bike path. I don't envy the driver's recourse, backing a behemoth bus in reverse. The beeping alarm slices a sunny, brisk morning filled with birdsong and quiet thoughts.

Sipping coffee, I decide to deadhead Osteopermums near park sign. Pretty the place. Ponder why women are not drawn to this year's Women's Ride Series. Is it the Sunday morning venue? Too casual a ride? Do beginners tend towards impromptu arrangements? Should we include men or reclassify schedule as family rides?

Clearly, I must consider what riders - new and seasoned - would like to experience. Or perform a survey.

Meanwhile, I just ride.