It's been fun to get my camera out and take pictures. I have a hard time getting excited about doing photography in the winter. I love the spring, though. The picture to the left was taken just outside the door: our azalea is covered with lichens. In this one picture you can see crustose, foliose, and fruticose lichens. Lichens are cool.
I rode my bike to Mt. Pollux yesterday. I had read that some students were going to meet there to collect data. Unfortunately, I missed them -- maybe their plans changed. They hadn't asked me to come, anyway -- I just was looking for a good bike ride. It was perfect: about 12 miles over rolling terrain. I didn't go very fast, but I made it there and back. It was beautiful weather: warm sun with a cool breeze.
Mt. Pollux was an apple orchard. On the top of the hill are a couple of old maple trees with some benches underneath. There are glorious views of the Holyoke Range and you can see the steeple at Amherst College poking up through the trees. I think you'd be able to see UMass as well, but someone has thoughtfully planted some evergreens in that direction.
It was about a perfect ride. It's uphill all the way to downtown, and then all downhill along the bike trail to West Street. There was a tough (for me) climb up west street and then gently rolling to Mt. Pollux. The ride back was gentle at first, then the long climb up the bike trail, and then downhill through town and campus.
- Steven D. Brewer's blog
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