“The breeze at dawn has secrets to tell you. Don’t go back to sleep.”

Rumi

Sunday morning I got up early to ride, leaving the beach house at 6:40 so that I could get in a good ten-plus miles before driving over to the mainland for church.

The temperature was already 80-degrees, but with the sun barely up the island air still felt refreshing.

First, I cycled across to the ocean side and made my way up the sand dunes to where I could see the Gulf of Mexico reflecting the sunlight and the clouds in a stunning display of color.

I took one photograph looking east into the morning, and another directly out into the ocean. Sea oats, sand dunes, beach, gulf coast waters, towering cloud formations and the promise of a new day.

Then, back onto Via De Luna, I rode steadily into the rising sun, following the bike lane then the bike path out towards the Gulf Islands National Seashore.

Travel Poster Views:

The stand of palm trees silhouetted against the luminous clouds felt like it should be a “Get Away to Beautiful Florida” airline poster in the window of a travel office, on a cold, dreary English street – so I stopped to grab the photograph.

This is the first time I have taken my bicycle outside of the familiar Edgecombe County routes, so I rode with extra caution while I got a sense of the layout of the terrain.

Seeing Pensacola Beach this way is exhilarating, and with almost zero traffic on the road, I plan to be out early every morning.

The challenge, of course, is going to be the following question: “Is this a ride, where I am exercising my body and refreshing my spirit and opening up my mind and stimulating my creative energy?” Or… “Is this a photography expedition, eyes open and always looking for opportunities to frame another shot?”

The answer, of course, is “Yes.”

Filled to overflowing with uncontainable light and immeasurable gratitude – DEREK