Of climbing goats and trotting horses (18 June)

In the photo above, those two mountain goats, Chris and Emil, are enjoying the steep rollers between Butler and Wooster. The day was hot and at 97 miles one of the longer ones, but the countryside was absolutely beautiful. The route wound through rich farm country, green forests and picturesque towns. And the wind was friendly, too, mostly moving the riders smartly along.

I also enjoyed a bit of cycling this morning along the Jim Simmons Memorial Trail in Marysville. This popular path follows a creek, passing through woods, along golfing tees and lawns sloping down from tract houses. These houses remind me of the song: little boxes on the hillside, little boxes made of ticky-tacky, ...little boxes all the same. Actually, these were pretty big boxes but they really did look all the same. The lyrics of the song go on later: ...and they all play on the golf course...This could also fit, because there is a disc golf course stretching alongside the path.

After my ride I paid a quick visit to pretty Marysville and was delighted to find an excellent espresso at the Fifth Street Bistro. Then it was time to wend my way towards our days goal: Wooster. I had almost caught up with the group and the second SAG when I was thrown grievously off course by a detour sign. I had no idea where I had landed, but I stopped a kindly driver who couldn't give me directions, but said he had just passed several cyclists with flashing red lights. Taking off in the direction indicated, I found the stop and could hand over the (ice)socks Mary had handed to me at the last turnoff.

We are now in Amish country: Amish settlers farmed for a living and were sefl-sufficient. Their way of life is based on the simple and natural. A visitor's guide summarizes the premise at work here: when the hands are involved in crafting things - with time and faith and patience and passion - it more deeply touches the heart. The Amish have a German-based word for their way of life: "schlicht", which means simple and pure.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Image
Talking about important people (11 June) It's time to talk about someone who is very important to the well-being of the Cross Roads riders: Tom. From dawn until after dusk he and the rest of the staff are busy stocking the SAG vehicles, setting up SAG stops, making sure all rooms are ready as soon as possible, transporting duffle bags to said rooms, organizing dinners and completing a myriad of other tasks, all pretty much out of sight of the riders. And he does all this without losing his sense of humor! Today the riders had a long stint of over 100 mi. to ride. Pleasant temperatures  and a moderate headwind made riding quite enjoyable. I did my stint in the fitness room and pool, and then headed toward Springfield, where I intended to meet another very important person: Abraham Lincoln. The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum has the most elaborate dioramas and technically advanced shows I have ever seen. One such exhibition is a Holatheater, of which there are onl...
Read more
Image
In the MOOd Singing in the Rain (28 June) The last 90 miles, only 90 miles of 3,404 miles,  just the last little teeny bit and through lovely countryside and three states...and it is pouring rain, relentlessly! Adi and Roz are observing their partners with some worry as we follow them along the narrow, winding roads to the SAGs. How are Navi and Adam (and Emil!) dealing with the weather and the oblivious and even aggressive Massachusetts drivers? We were relieved to see our guys and gal spiting the elements and finally arriving safely at the last of 46 different hotels. Unfortunately, our wonderful Ichi, who had doggedly completed every mile to within the last 10 before Burlington, fell and damaged his knee so badly that he could not  complete the ride. Ichi has become the darling of the group with his infectious smile and his ability to get lost at some point nearly every day, thus actually completing many more than the prescribed miles! Today's route passed by...
Read more
Image
Underway on the I-10(15May) With a certain amount of trepidation, the Cross Roads riders faced the challenges of the I-10 and the weather conditions of the high desert. What about the wind? How hot will it get? What about the conditions riding on the shoulder ... and what about those big trucks?! Well, the wind was kindly blowing from West to East, so everyone enjoyed a lovely tailwind, and the heat was manageable. The shoulder was - with the exception of about three miles - all right. BUT those three miles were really horrible, with great cracks, debris and potholes. Also there was a fair share of flat tires, but nothing to compare with that record 27 flats in one day! The biggest surprise was the great care with which the truck drivers passed the cyclists; often moving into the left lane to give them more room. As usual, the support was exemplary with tasty snacks, fresh fruit and plenty to drink at the SAG stops. An inventive method for keeping cool in the desert heat were ...
Read more