It's already September.  Where did the summer go?  Did you ever notice how fast summer disappears and yet winter lingers on and on?

This summer was busy with work, play and organizing my life, but I'm back.

One thing I would like to talk about is the new bike path that they put in my area.  I thought it would be a blessing since it ran from my place of work to almost where I live.  Taking the bike path to work only takes me 20 minutes.  What a delight with gas prices the way they are.

I waited patiently for the path to be finished.  I was told beginning of summer. Then mid summer.  It is now end of summer and the path is finished except for lighting, emergency call boxes and who knows what else.  Signs are still posted "Road Closed".  But people are using it anyway.  I started using it in June on nice sunny days when I knew I wouldn't have any errands after work.  In June the path was very busy with the workers putting up fences, street signs, emergency call boxes, etc.  Hardly anyone actually used the path that early in the morning.  After working hours, on my way home, I would run into other bikers, roller bladers, joggers, dog walkers and just walkers.

By mid July, no longer did you see any workers.  The mornings were peaceful.  Occasionally you would see wild life, rabbits, deer, woodchucks, and this one walker, male, late 30's to late 40's?  I always did have a hard time judging age.  I would come upon him walking in the same direction as I was biking.  I really didn't think too much about it, but I always had my pepper spray in hand just in case.  On the way home, the path was always busy with other people.

August was a busy month for me and I stopped riding my bike in the beginning of August.

Today, I decided to ride in.  There wouldn't be too many more nice days.  The "Road Closed" signs were still in place.  Guess they still hadn't finished.  I rode along the path relishing the peace and quiet, keeping my eyes open for any wild life or anything unusual.  I came upon a fellow biker going in the opposite direction.  We nodded to one another as we past.  Other then that, the path was empty.  So quiet.  What a nice way to start the morning.  A slight breeze in the air; not too cold, but not the heat that is promised for the afternoon.  Half way along the path, under the overpass to the thruway there sat a man.  He sat way up top.  If I wasn't being so aware of my surroundings as I always am, I would have missed him.  He looked like my lone walker from earlier times, but I couldn't be sure.  Question is, why was he just sitting there?  It bothered me.  I drove by, a little faster then before.  I glanced in my side mirror and a little shock went through me as I thought I saw him behind me, but no, foolish me, it was just my shadow.  No he didn't follow me and I made it to work with no problems.

All day I thought about him.  Why was he sitting there?  What right did he have to sit there and strike fear in my heart.  This path was put in for people's enjoyment.  What right does he have to ruin that for other people.  Yes, I know, he could be just sitting there minding his own business, not a threat to anyone, but whose to know.  Should I have called the police to inform them of what I saw and felt?  If they would have bothered to come out and check, would that man still be there?  If he was, what could they have done?  Asked what he was doing there and asked him to move along?  He wasn't harming anyone.  It was just my paranoia.

Our world had gotten so bad, that at every turn we have to be careful.  We can't enjoy the little things in life any more.  There is always the fear of the pervert lurking in the shadows.  What happened to the days when we could leave our doors and windows open to let the fresh air in?  The days when you could feel comfortable to walk down the street at night and not worry about getting mugged are gone. 

It saddens me, I will no longer ride the bike path in the morning.  I feel because of men like that one, it is not safe.  Instead I will ride the main streets.  It's safer to deal with the morning trucks and drivers that are driving while reading, putting on makeup and heavens above talking on their cell phone.

What a sad time and place this has become.