A Day in the Park (with Apologies to Seurat)

The sixth warmest winter (so far) on record continues unabated. When the temperature reached 60 degrees F., this blogger pulled his red cruiser bike from the basement mothballed locker and headed to Forest Park. The wind provided some resistance as he pedaled East along the bike path on the South edge of the park.

He noted the abundance of cars in the St Louis Zoo parking lot. Several bare chested young men jogged past him, going in the opposite direction. Two of the St Louis Mounted Police horses were near their water trough: a majestic black one and a chestnut brown one. At Post-Dispatch Lake, a flock of ducks seemed perplexed as they circled a floating island of recycled Xmas trees.

He pedaled to the fountain at an ice melting Steinberg Ice Skating Rink. The fountain was off for the season so he gulped down his water bottle and caught his breath. Two lonely skaters were braving the slush. Above the rink, five jet contrails intersected to form a star.

He pedaled off the bike path and across the boardwalk over the swamp. He continued to and across the black iron bridge. Here he parked his bike and took off his jacket. He was hidden from view, but could see the traffic on the Forest Park Expressway and the exercisers along the various paths.

Several mothers strolled by, pushing prams with sour faced children. Maybe they had not taken naps and the fresh air and scenery would tire them. More joggers and bicyclists passed by. Two women walked abreast, holding hands---lesbians or just two good friends? The park does not force political decisions and neither does this blogger.

The blogger strayed again from the bike path, this time onto the crushed limestone walking path where he had seen two mink early this past summer morning. A man with a full beard and long, snowy white hair in a ponytail sat cross-legged on a rock. The stream gurgled and flowed over a small waterfall near him.

This blogger circled the base of Art Hill, then proceeded up it by walking his bike to the Henry Moore sculpture. There a class of college students was seated on the steps discussing art. He mounted his bike and re-joined the bike path behind the St Louis Art Museum. He passed the grove of short leafed pines where pagans sometimes convene on full moon nights. At the intersection of Clayton and Skinker streets he pulled out his cell phone while waiting for the light to change: 66 degrees F.---almost a record for January 30, 2012!