Today started out with beautiful light that streaked through the haze and the trees in long stripes of white to soft yellow. It was a beautiful start to a perfect riding day.
We were only 2 miles from the Ohio border when we left the hotel this morning. I figured it was going to be a beautiful day when - after the obligatory state sign photo-op I looked to my right and saw a hummingbird having breakfast and ahead and saw the light falling in streaks through the mist and trees into a clearing. I let the folks I normally ride with ride on ahead and spent the next hour just enjoying the early morning.
The next 65 miles of our 106 mile ride was a relatively easy meander. Lots of navigating and searching for road signs through country roads as we worked our way north, then east in the square pattern that so many rural roads are laid out to accommodate the fields.
Green fields. Corn. Ponds. Pasture.
Queen Anne's Lace and Chicory were out and covering the road side and fields.
Ohio is not flat - surprisingly, but was a series of gentle hills with a promise of many more and steeper tomorrow.
Golden eagles - tons of them - were circling overhead and hunting in nearby fields. Huge birds - never seen so many.
We road through communities of German Baptists (also called Dunkers because of their tradition of baptism by immersion) driving horse and buggies, building a barn, a woman in her modest dress and cap mowing the lawn on a riding lawnmower, a boy driving a tractor who could hardly reach the clutch with a dog happily running along in front of him. They always waived and smiled and clearly accepted modern tools more readily than the Amish communities we visited earlier in Missouri.
I missed a turn and accidentally found an old grist mill I was hoping to find and would have missed for sure had I not been lost. It ground meal using an old water mill ... Unfortunately it was closed but it was a beautiful spot on the outside.
And had fun watching 4 kids chasing their pet pigs around and playing in the mud.
By the time I got to the small town of St. Paris I'd worked up an appetite. Luckily the mayor of the town also operated a cafe and he was ready for us. He hosted previous tours for 2 years before us. He even had the Tour de France on the big screen.
A smoothie and half a sandwich later (courtesy of Marilyn who offered to share) I decided to get on with it. I'd been riding really easy for a few days, and we had a nice brisk tailwind and I decided to make the most of it. So the last 35 miles I hauled in at well over 20 mph. It's one thing to take your time and see the sites, and another thing to just get lazy.
I hope tomorrow is more of the same. Maybe a little less corn.
Goodbye 2015, Hello 2016!!
9 years ago
