The Fourteen Percent Ride: Memorial Day

Thanks

As I've ridden for the last two years, I've picked up on the fact that Shirley, my darling wife, has been more worried about my safety than impressed with my "accomplishments." How do I know this? Well, when I'd come back and tell her, for example, that I'd hit 53.6 mph going down FO, she'd reply, "I don't want to hear it." Being the sensitive sort I figured out, after many such comments, that just maybe we were not on the same page here. But last week, she told me that she would "greatly reduce her focus on the 'fear for my safety' issue." We talked about the tour, looked at some maps, researched nutrition suggestions on the internet, and so on, just enjoying the idea of the ride. How nice is that? Thank you, Shirley!

Monday, May 28, 2007

Memorial Day

Bang! Bang! We were right out in the open and taking fire! The area at the top of County K is rural, but the road is busy and not a place for shooting. The situation was quickly revealed, however, when we crested the ridge at the church. There we saw a color guard in the cemetary, standing down after having fired a salute in honor of fallen comrades. A touching moment. "Thank you," to the families of those who gave so much for all of us.

Bill and I headed down the hill and rode east through Chaseburg and out the rolling County Roads O and Y. It was a gray morning, but not really threatening rain. Comfortably cool. The countryside provides us a fascinating ride. Farms, horse-drawn buggies and plows here and there. Wildflowers in evidence all around. Rounding a curve, a small lake nestled against a hill rolls into view. The road goes over the earthen dam that creates the lake which is occupied today by numerous fishermen taking advantage of the holiday.

Somehwere around one-third of the way through the 90.1 mile ride, we sweep through Avalanche. A don't-blink-or-you'll-miss-it (even on a bike) settlement at the intersection of County Roads Y and S. We followed the valley around past rocky outcroppings on one side and a winding stream on the other. The road ended at County P where we headed back to the west, arriving at Coon Valley just in time to see that the parade was over, people moving on to the day's other activities. Included in this exodus was a lady in a cart drawn by a minature horse. Is this a great place or what!?

The last 34 miles were a bit more of a struggle through more beautiful, but also more familiar, country. Up to Antony Road, down II, up FO, down Bliss Road and home. And that was it. The Memorial Day, 2007 ride.

Total ~ 1627.1 miles