The last ride, well maybe

Fall is just getting underway in many parts of the country but here in Maine it's winding down. Snow can now fall at any time and with it comes treacherous roads. Not only because of the frozen mess but the roads get covered with salt and sand. Though many have put their bikes away for the year, some of us relish every last chance because each ride may be the last of the season and the roads won't be clear until March, maybe April.
Last Saturday was a special day, temperatures crested in the middle 60s about 15 degrees above normal. It was like we stole one. Duane and I set out for Damariscotta at about 10 am. The temperature was already 58°. We rode to Hamden on the highway, and from there it was back roads all the way to Metcalf's Sub Shop. State and county roads with little traffic cutting through farm fields,  woods and wee villages. Does it get any better than this? Not much. Parked cars by the road side and people wearing blaze orange reminded us that it was the first Saturday in hunting season. We soon spotted a successful father and son team using an ATV to bring their bounty out of the woods.
We hadn't gone too far before the temperature reached 63° where is stayed the remainder of the day. The sun was bright, hardly a cloud in the sky. The many hills along the route kept the riding interesting. Sometimes we wound around the hills and sometimes it was up and over. The pavement was good.
Most of the trees had lost their leafs. No yellows, reds or orange, just drab, brown oaks or naked branches against the blue sky.
The small #17 sub at Metcalf's satisfied my hunger. We sat out on the deck but the breeze kept us from roughing it out by the harbor. It was up Route 1 to Waldoboro then up 220 to Morse's Sauerkraut. When I asked for a 5 pound bucket of sauerkraut it didn't sound as big as it looked when they brought it out. Now I'm glad I got that size, as we're about half through it  in just a week and we've enjoyed the sausage too.
We return home in time go hose down the bikes and give them a good cleaning. Now if I don't mess it up, it's ready to be put to sleep for hibernation. I'll probably mess it up.