Nothing but blue sky and yellow sunshine! We were in high gear before eight o’clock this morning, attending to the customary routines and duties, including laundry and a quick drive to the car wash! Having accomplished as well our daily breakfast régime, we were soon set to embark upon the trusty two-wheelers for destinations undetermined. Because it is the first day of February I sent an email to my car dealership to reignite the yearly process of replacing the car with the latest model. The dealership usually requires eight weeks to receive the new order which will coincide with our return to Canada mid-April next.
Yesterday I had a minor incident when I fell from my bike onto the sidewalk. At the time we were stopped on the pathway, checking for oncoming traffic before crossing the road towards Tower Beach. I turned to look for traffic and must have momentarily lost my balance. The brunt of the unceremonious fall is the damage to my right index figure. I cut the end on the pavement. The worst of it is that it wouldn’t stop bleeding. I suspect my archaic body suffers a general tendency to bleed given the number of pills I daily consume. But driving the index finger into the pavement in the motion of a woodworking plane was more than the usual graze. Anyway, my index fingertip is now bundled in an assortment of bandages. Loosing the dexterity (forgive the pun!) of one’s index finger is very discomforting and extraordinarily inconvenient. Typing is the least of the accommodations. It is quite marvellous how often one relies upon the index finger. Yet the animal instinct for pertinacity prevails and adjustment miraculously ensues.
The moment we set upon our bicycles and began our tour upon the winding shaded pathways about Sea Pines I was overwhelmed by the soft billowing air, soothing beyond description! In spite of the strong 21 km/h northeasterly wind it was a decided pleasure to pedal into the refreshing breeze. Whatever resistance may have abounded was blown away! We knew instantly that the appropriate path for us to pursue today was first along Greenwood Avenue to Coligny Beach Park then southwesterly along the beach with the wind at our back. Nor were we disappointed in that prospect. As we entered the beach along the boardwalk there were other cyclists returning from the beach who gleefully reported that there was only one direction in which to travel on the beach today – summarily, towards Tower Beach and Sea Pines Beach Club where we intended to go. And the tides were in our favour with the low tide scheduled for early afternoon.
Upon reaching the beach and getting beyond the initial sandy, burdensome swath onto the flat, dryer portion nearer the sea, we then mounted our bikes, set our Apple Watch for Outdoor Cycle then literally soared towards the glistening sun! The speed of our movement was both singular and effortless! The osmosis was sensational!
The unprecedented tempo and passage of time meant I had to respond quickly to my habitual yearning to languish upon the beach in the warm afternoon sunshine. I continued to sail upon the beach. And while I preferred to keep my eyes upon the roaring sea, the sand dunes on the other edge of my vision were disappearing from my view with uncommon rapidity. At last I made a stop, choosing to shelter myself on the westerly side of an elevated sand dune in hope of avoiding a maelstrom of tiny particles of sand.
