Cider in the Sun!

After so many years of cancelations for rain or snow, and one year of weird isolated riding to accommodate COVID restrictions, we had sunshine and near 70 degrees for this year's cider ride! Should we be happy or despairing about that? 

We Metroed downtown in the spirit of biking - meeting at Metro Center for the final jaunt to the ride start. Laurie had quite an adventure when a Metro station closure forced her to take a shuttle to the next stop. Still we made it to the start on time. 

I didn't take pictures in the first part of the ride because it was mostly urban, so not very conducive to one-handed riding. Eventually, we reached a trail weaving up toward college park. By then, the day had really warmed up.

Though it felt like summer, it looked like fall.

I actually have a few pictures of me riding. Thanks Laurie!

I had thought all week about the donut I would have at the end of this 60-mile ride. But alas, I waited too long. I ate 1/2 a donut at the first stop, but at 15 miles in, I didn't feel I'd earned it yet and also didn't want to bog myself down in all that sugar with 45 miles still to ride. Then they had donuts at the second-to-last stop. But we had 15 miles left to go and I wanted to crank through the final miles (I was feeling great) then sit and enjoy my donut with nothing but a drive in front of me. 

Here is my half donut and cup of (cold) cider.

Laurie enjoying hers.

And back on the road.

I had just gone to see the Trampled by Turtles concert the night before at the Anthem, so I thought it was funny to see this turtle crossing sign. 

The Anacostia River.

Crossing the river.

Laurie took this excellent pic at a rest stop (can't remember the name of the park, but it was where the ride started last year).

I didn't take pictures in the last 15 miles because I was too busy turning it up a notch. I had gotten close enough to the end to realize I had way more than enough steam. Somehow this was my first 60-mile ride this year and I'd lost my confidence a bit. I was relieved it went so well.

Then it was time to relax. As for my donut plan: A classic case of overthinking. When I got to the end of the ride, there was...a BAR, not a donut stand. Aargh! I was so disappointed. However, I did manage to switch gears and enjoy a beer with Laurie. 

The beautiful weather allowed us to really enjoy the after-party in this outdoor venue.

Also, I was celebrating that I felt absolutely amazing--as if I finally had my fitness back. For the first time in over 2 years I had that feeling I could ride forever. Something worth celebrating in any fashion - donuts or beers!

Distance: 61

Speed: 13.6

Great Pumpkin Covid Style

Well, I was so excited for this ride. Looking forward, for the first time in a few years, to going out and kind busting my butt for 60 miles to see how fast I could go--and I expected to feel really good. After a few years of rocky fitness, I thought I might finally feel endorphins again while riding. But getting COVID last week changed all that. I worried about overdoing it as it seems exercise can actually be detrimental to recovery. So I forced myself to do only the 24 mile ride. The one positive was that the new plan enabled Deidre and I to ride together. She had been planning to do the 40-something route, but she kindly changed her plans. 

Deidre got a late start, so while I was waiting in the parking lot, I took this pic of my bike next to a jeep the color purple I wanted for my handlebar tape. A much redder purple than the blue periwinkle color I got. I wish I hadn't cut off the handlebars in the pic so I could see how much they clash! But I was wanting to see if this color purple would go with the bike, and I think it does!

Deidre and I at the start. I think we might have been the last to leave. I have my face covered because I was still testing positive - even though I had no symptoms anymore.

I was pretty disappointed to ride the shorter ride but tried to keep a good attitude and be grateful to be recovering well enough to ride at all. Thank god for vaccines! Aside from missing out on all the miles, we also missed out on some of the rest stops, so not as much great food. Still, I ate an amazing pumpkin bread pudding at the stop we did have. They had pumpkin soup but the timing didn't work out because they had just refilled the pot and the soup hadn't heated up yet. 😖 

Some of the treats!

It was a perfect beautiful day with a bright blue sky. I only took a few pics though. Just focused on riding.

Afterward, Deidre and I went to Old Busthead for a beer. It appeared there was no rest stop for the ride set up there this time. That was strange, and a little sad. We made a bike meeting of it and compiled our still-need-it equipment list for next year. 

Then we headed home laden with tall 4-paks of beer for the guys. 

Distance: 24 miles

Speed: 11.7

Covid Catastrophe in Middleburg

Laurie and I hadn't ridden together all year, so we were excited to have finally planned a 40 mile ride starting in Middleburg. 

Before leaving, I told Laurie I had sinus congestion, but we both agreed it was probably seasonal allergies, which we both always have in the fall. We drove 50 minutes to the start from the public high school in Middleburg.

It was 45 degrees when we left home and probably closer to 50 when we arrived. I was surprised that I felt like I needed to keep on all of my layers.

I didn't take many pictures because I've done the ride in and out of Middleburg so many times. Read about that here and here and then as part of this group post here. But we did manage to stop at a pretty place for lunch. The leaves were just barely starting to change.

We were warm by now - past the 20 mile mark. But I got chilled while we were stopped. 

Then, in the second half of the ride, my quads started burning/aching. I've never quite had that sensation before. I took another Nuun and split a banana with Laurie, thinking I was dehydrated or lacking electrolytes. I also stretched because my muscles felt twingy, like I might cramp. 

We headed back toward town on Rectortown Road, which is like the Snickersville Parkway, rolling, new, scenic and fairly heavenly. All along the road we saw wooly bear caterpillars - hundreds of them! I thought they were supposed to be out in spring, but apparently you see them in the fall too. Here is one little guy making his way across the road.

The final few miles into town happened on Zulla, which was super busy. I noticed heavy traffic on this road last time I road out here. At that time I thought it was because it was a weekday, but I guess this is the norm now. 😕

The good news, however, is that this ride solves a problem for two other rides. At 40 miles, it makes my original Middleburg ride (25 miles - too short) longer. It also makes the original Marshall ride (too boring) much prettier by combining Marshall and Middleburg into one. Yay!  

At the car, I thought this spray of purple flowers was pretty. 

Then we began the drive home. I got cold again but thought it was the AC because we were stripped down to our short sleeves. But at home, I couldn't wait to get into the shower to warm up. When I got out of the shower still feeling chilly, it FINALLY occurred to me to check my temperature. 

Mild fever of 100.5. So then I was like, wait, do I have COVID? Not too quick on the draw here. 

So I had to make a bunch of calls to tell all the people I exposed, including Laurie who rode in the car with my for 2 hrs that day. Then I canceled my plans to go to Fall for the Book, got under a blanket, and finally got warm.

Distance: 41 miles

Speed: 13.2 mph

Here's Laurie's Ride with GPS map, which she never turned off as we drove home! Also, here is the link to the Ride with GPS map. 

Bear Butts and BOBCATS! Pine Creek, PA

Deb, Deidre, and I (aka, "The 3 Ds" as dubbed by Hillary) joined a crew of Philly folk, organized by Deb Lane's friend Hillary and her brother Tony, for a ride down the Pine Creek Trail in North Central Pennsylvania. It was a beautiful weekend spent on 62 miles of gravel threading through woods, mountains, and open fields along the Pine Creek. 

We stayed in a cute little cottage in Slate Run, just a stone's throw from Pine Creek and at the trail's midpoint. We were lucky to find it in the dark when we arrived - so tiny and no street lights! Of course, that meant the night sky was beautiful. We were too beat to sit outside and enjoy it when we arrived, but I did wake in the early early morning to hear what I think was a great horned owl call in the night. Listening to owls when I can't sleep is one of the few (only) perks of tossing and turning at 4 am. 

Packing up to leave in the morning with the mountains and low hanging clouds in the background.

And we're ready - pic courtesy of Deidre's fancy tripod!

Crossing the creek to the meet-up where we'd catch our shuttle north. 

Getting our bike's loaded for the 30 mile trip north. That's Noreen in the foreground - one of the many nice people we met. She offered to lend me a raincoat for the next day, and she had only just met me!

A group pic - about 35 of us!

Saturday was chilly in the a.m., but generally sunny and beautiful. The trail was ever-changing: sometimes open, sometimes forested with birch and maple, sometimes lined with tall thin pines, sometimes pressed against the base of a mossy slate wall. Always green.

Just moments after taking this, the split rail fence disappeared, making way for the mama bobcat and her two cubs to bolt across the path just 10 yards in front of us! It took us a minute to understand what we were seeing. Deb L. asked: "Was that a mountain lion?" Deidre said, "I thought it was a goat." I was momentarily speechless. We eventually determined they were bobcats. We felt quite privileged to have seen them and were sorry Deidre didn't have the GoPro running!

The picture doesn't do them justice at all, but this was a family of mergansers. You can see papa in the front with his dark head, then the mom with a brown head, then the young all fresh and golden and sparkling in the water. They eventually turned and flew into the sun, their white breasts brilliant in the light.

This is our meta-moment of the weekend. A pic of Deb's pic of the waterfall, just to make fun of us for taking so many pictures. 

We hiked up Turkey Run trail (or something like that).  Much of it had staircases built into the mountainside. Just trying to capture that here, but it doesn't really comes across. 

This was supposed to be a pic of us in front of a pretty water fall, but the woman who took our pic cut out the waterfall, so it's a picture of us in front of a railing!

Deb did a much better job with the composition!

Lots of rock outcroppings.

On our way up, we saw a mama bear and her cubs disappearing into the brush as they ran to escape the line of humans snaking up the trail. I pretty much only caught the top of the mother and a baby bear butt disappearing over the ridge. They're awfully cute ... when they're running away!

This is just a random guy on the trail in the way of my picture!

And then we reached the Grand Canyon of Pennsylvania! It was quite pretty to get this vantage of where the creek cuts through the mountains. No wonder our bike ride was flat!

Debbie Lane looking cute.

This was the best view of the creek. Pretty sure this is Deb L's pic.

The hike came at Mile 9. After hiking up 1 mile and back down, we rode seven more miles to where we had sandwiches and fruit delivered for lunch. 

Took this just to have the name of the stop in case we return!

Little waterfalls like this appeared all along the path. 

Always need at least one pic of the steady steed.

Hillary suggested we check out this "notable" bridge just off the trail. It was built in 1890 after a flood swept away many bridges in the area. Folks more knowledgeable than me would note its unusual design, a Warren quitangular truss.

More here about the bridge and the meaning of a quintangular truss.

When we returned, their were fly fisherman in the creek. Trout were a big thing around these parts. 

Then an evening spent listening to homegrown bluegrass by the creek with a mountain backdrop courtesy of Tony and friends. Very enjoyable!

After grilled veggies, roasted chicken, beer, and wine, plus a s'more (or two, or three), we hit the hay early (9:30!) so we could get up in the morning and face the cold and potential rain.

About 12 hours later, we were packed and ready to go.

The morning still threatened rain, but that has its own special beauty.

We had light rain for about 20-30 min, then it cleared and remained so for the rest of the day. The sun even peaked out a few times.

The signs said the bridges were slippery when wet. They weren't kidding. This one was like ice.

So many beautiful bridges! I found this website with technical details and some cool aerial and side photos as well.

And then a rooster! Other creative things along the trail that we didn't capture in photos included a red canoe with a pirate flag paddling down the creek and a huge sculpture of a dog made out of scrap metal peeing on a fire hydrant in the middle of a field. This huge rooster was just hanging out in the middle of the woods.

Thanks for the pic deb!

And then we had arrived in Jersey City--I mean Shore, which marks Mile 0 of the Pine Creek Trail. They are apparently devoid of spiritual resources.

Thanks Deidre for this pic and the next one!

And much to my surprise, after handing my keys over to a what Deidre aptly described as a "stoned and drunk and confused" couple who kindly transported it there, we found my car!

After dire forecasts, the weather ended up being great. Cold enough to keep us from sweating in our raincoats, and warm enough to keep us from being cold. And no rain after that first shower - not even on the drive home!

Distance: 62 miles

Speed: 11ish mph