Wheat Harvest

I had a bit of an adventure this morning. I've been out riding in a John Deer 7700 combine harvesting wheat. Our one neighbor here at the farm was out cutting some fields and said I could go for a ride to see how it is done. DUSTY & NOISY to be sure, but now I can say I've been on a wheat combine. Not sure that's any grand accomplishment, but it was different.

I've always enjoyed trying out rides on different conveyances of one sort or another. When I was 15 and very foolish my girlfriend and I convinced some soldiers at a county fair to take us for a ride in their tank after hours. I've been on trains, all kinds of planes from bi-plane to pontoon to jet, several kinds of boats including sailboat, ferry, glass bottom and hydro. I've ridden on or in trolleys, subways, city buses, taxis, milk trucks, motorcycles, tandem bikes, horse drawn wagons, and any number of different kinds of vans or trucks or cars. The only contraptions still on my list of things I want to experience before I die are a rickshaw and a hot air balloon. I had an appointment for the balloon ride for my last birthday, but it got cancelled due to high winds. Guess I'll have to try that one again sometime soon.

The Rickshaw I am less confident I'll ever experience. When I was younger it was something I was determined I would do one day, mostly because I have a strong desire to travel through Asia. However, ever since reading the book City of Joy by Dominique Lapierre I have questioned the ethics of having another human being pull me around in a cart. Although I might be willing to try out one of the motorized ones that are more common these days.



Of all the different things I have ridden in or on over the years, probably one of my best memories is of a weekend spent pendaling a tandem bike with my beloved as we explored one of the Bass islands off Lake Erie. That was a good trip. With that in mind, it's time for me to turn off this silly computer and go hop on my bike for a spin.