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June 20, 2006
What I saw on the ride
(For more on the ride, start Here and continue here.)
Update: You know folks. Yesterday I tweaked the photos below so that they looked nice and bright. Later I put this entry together on my laptop, sitting in front of the TV ... the photos looked too bright and almost harsh so I undid the tweaking. This morning on the work monitor they look a little dark. My apologies if they look less than beautiful on your monitor -- I'll try to get a better grip on this in the future.
There is a bike trail about a half mile from where I live. If you are using something other and Internet Explorer and you want to follow along some, look here and zoom in one level. G. Map and G.Hybrid will give you a pretty good look at things.
A static map is provided for your convenience. Mechanicsburg gets lopped off at the left.
The trail heads northwest for 6.5 miles. On the map you'll see that a portion of the path is comprised of railroad tracks. This makes for some dicey riding and things get a little treacherous when the 6:06 out of Memphis comes barreling through. People typically need just one or two close calls before they start paying closer attention to the train schedules and there have been but a couple of near misses this year. Okay ... so maybe the map is a little out of date. From the trail you can see things like:
Six and a half miles out the trail ends at a fence. A purposefully-easy-to-get-around fence with a sign that thanks you for using the trail and assures you steps are being taken to extend the trail further.
Just past the fence and down a small incline there is a road that may be called Cemetery Pike. Heading west for an additional 8.5 miles you come to Rt. 38.
A single-lane bridge I've just come across
One of the few hills I encountered.
Yea, it isn't really all that much.
Oh, and my Schwinn.
A farm
Same farm from a Homeland Security satellite.
I'm not sure what the crosshairs are all about.
To the untrained eye, that is, non-Buckeyes, a lot of Ohio looks a lot like other parts of Ohio. Especially the western, flat part of the state. For example, the following two pictures, while very similar looking were actually taken 15 miles apart from each other.
The first photo is of the intersection at Rt. 38. The second picture, like I said, is 15 miles away in a part of the state that is inaccessible by automobile. The only way to safely get there is by hiking, by bicycle or by train -- and only the 6:06 out of Memphis makes the run.
Don't let the bit that looks like a road in the second picture confuse you.
You will notice a lack of wildlife in these pictures. Or maybe you didn't notice. Perhaps you are more familiar with the pre-packaged varieties of wildlife available in many of your finer grocery stores.
Anyway there was abundant wildlife -- I just wasn't in the mood to stop and snap photos during the times of wildlife abundance. I WAS IN THE ZONE MAN! ... er ... I don't really ever get in a zone. I was probably making good time, or I'd just been off the bike taking photos, or, toward the end, I just wanted it to be over and wasn't confident of my abilities to get the Schwinn rolling again should I be foolish enough to let it stop. You know ... that whole a woman who is bitching is likely to remain ... um, wait an object in motion is likely to stay in motion thing.
There were horses, sheep, cows. Maybe pigs. Groundhogs, bunnies, and, on the bike path, I passed a skunk. Su-wheat. Yesterday I drove by a fox that was smashed on the road -- you don't see many of those.
Why weren't there any Canadian Geese? Jeez. These things are all over the city! They should be out with the rest of nature. Maybe they have a problem with predators in the country.
Other photos:
It's a very peaceful ride and I'm fully aware of how lucky I am to have country roads like this available to me. Sometimes I feel like John Denver. I don't think I encountered a dozen autos the whole time I was out.
Like a night in the forest
Like the mountains in springtime
Like a walk in the rain
Like a storm in the desert
Like a sleepy blue ocean ...
Posted by delmer at June 20, 2006 12:30 AM
Comments
Man that J. Denver could really write the lyrics! Upon looking at your biking photos, I thought you might use..
Well, Life on the farm was kinda laid back
Ain't nothin that a country boy like me cain't hack...
Early to rise...
Early in the sack...
Thank God I'm a country boy!
Forget that whole "fine wife" part though.
Love, D
P.S. Life ain't nuttin' but a funny funny riddle...
Posted by: Darrell at June 20, 2006 8:02 AM
I saw big John just this past weekend on some TV show. It may have been a tribute to him. I watched just long enough to hear him sing, "Thank God I'm a Country Boy."
Posted by: delmer at June 20, 2006 9:38 AM
Great pics!
We all know what the crosshairs are for...
Posted by: The Phoenix at June 20, 2006 10:29 AM
I can see you all sitt'in around the dinning table, playing a little cards--Darrell leading the pack - all singing--how about a little Elvis?
Posted by: Granny at June 20, 2006 10:52 AM
Hey Mom!
I can't believe you remember those days all the way down to "Elvis" impersonations! Those were the days my friend, we thought they'd never end, those were the days oh yes! those were the days!
Darrell
Posted by: Darrel at June 21, 2006 8:21 AM