A Short, Warm Ride

With the cold Spring we have had, I was surprised yesterday when I started to prepare for a bicycle ride. Noon, it was already warm and muggy. Filtered sunshine and almost no wind. Still wanted to ride, so grabbed the road bike and loaded it on the car rack.

In the morning, I was still tired from the ride Saturday, so slept in. Kitting up for my ride, i realized that I had not eaten, so grabbed an apple to eat on the drive to the trailhead.

Aired up the tires and lubed the chain on the bike. Already, I could feel the humidity (though it was only in the low 70s. Headed out of the Lake Manawa Trail. Took it easy, but still feeling pretty good - a decent speed up Mosquito Creek.

A little over 2 miles into my ride, I saw "Tom" (a wildlife photographer - "birder" friend) on the trail. Stopped to visit with him. After all, I was not in any hurry. Drank some water before heading on down the trail. I started realizing that this was not going to be a good ride! Was happy to get to the Indian Creek Bridge for rest and consume fluids. It was obvious, it was time to turn back to the car.

By the time I got back to where Tom was photographing a nest of owls in a tree across the road, I was a little light headed. Stopped long enough to take a couple photos of Tom, drank some water, and popped a Shot Blok in my mouth. On down the trail to car.

A mile from the car, I had to stop to drink the rest of my Gatorade and almost the rest of my water. Slow ride with the wind (what little there was). Seemed it took all my energy just to load the bike and exchange shoes. Glad I still had some of my ice water in the cup in the car.

After resting a bit, I warmed up a pizza from the freezer. Drank lots of water and washed doen the pizza with PowerAde Zero. Processed the couple photos (that's my wildlife photographer friend Tom) and crashed into bed.

Don't want to duplicate that ride! It was about the worse I have ever felt finishing a ride.

The Tears of Christ

Makoto Fujimura's beautiful painting The Tears of Christ. Have a blessed Easter tomorrow as we celebrate the resurrection of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Hallelujah!

Country living

No, we didn't get cows. These are the neighbor's cows, back for a visit. Again. For the 50 millionth time.
Jasmine knows they shouldn't be here, and chases them. That scares the cows, and when they're scared they have a little runny-poop problem.
Maybe it's a defense mechanism and they're hoping that the pursuer will slip on it. Maybe it makes them lighter and it's easier to flee. In any case, Jasmine was a little too close. You can't see it well in this picture, but she has it all over her right side.
So guess what I spent a lot of time doing yesterday. Thanks a lot, neighbor.

Mullum wanderings part 1

Clearly, it's going to take two posts to fully account for what I did last weekend. It started in the way most of my tours do -- i.e. wondering what I'd forgotten (as it turned out I hadn't forgotten anything) as I get away around 30 minutes later than what I'd intended. Once the ride itself started, all these things were soon forgotten. There was some mild frustration at copping just about every red light possible as I tried to exit the southern end of the Gold Coast, but that was a minor irritation.


The Tweed Coast these days seems to be a combination of pretty scenery and mild irritation these days. I had forgotten just how stunning the view from Hastings Point really could be on the right day. Further south, a few idiots tried to get into a slanging match without stepping out of their cars just beyond Pottsville, I guess it takes all kinds. None of this really bothered me unduly, but there was a feeling of "this has all been done" as I proceeded south on what are now very familiar roads.

It's only after leaving Billinudgel that this ride really begins. I headed inland, gradually climbing a ridge, and passing a particularly notorious strip of chip-seal along the way. The ultimate destination was a place called Maca's Camp Ground at Main Arm, around 12km north of Mullumbimby. I'd ridden past it a few times en route to other places, and decided that it wouldn't be a bad place to use as a "base", given that it's a little out of the way, and less likely to be affected by tourist traffic.

What it lacked in tourist traffic it made up for in mosquitoes. I actually moved my tent on one occasion to get away from them. Still, the surroundings were pretty enough, and all in all it wasn't really a bad place to spend a leisurely afternoon, prior to the real adventure starting the next day.
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There was a pleasant mist covering the valley on Saturday morning. I set off and made my way toward Mullumbimby, mindful of the fact that this day's ride would have to fit in with local shop opening hours -- bearing in mind the fact that I'd be required to stock up on supplies for the next day's epic. I had an interesting chat with someone at True Wheels Cycles about some of the local attractions. It seems there's much more to this area than even I had previously realised, and I was looking forward to testing a few things out.

The first thing to explore was the Koonyum Range, which had been teasing me for some time. The climb was described as "steep" in some information that I'd looked at previously, but was generally quite manageable for the majority of the time. There was quite a change in vegetation from the rainforest on the lower slopes, to the more open, almost alpine scenery at the top of the range. The only downside was the fact that the road didn't go anywhere else, and that most of the views were overgrown. Regardless, it was a worthwhile exercise.



After descending the range quickly I headed out toward Huonbrook, this time with a mission, I would check the link with Doon Doon on the other side once and for all. There was a lingering disquiet that I had a chance to set a new all-time speed record on a straight stretch of the Koonyum descent, but didn't take it. There will be another chance for that later.

Huonbrook turned out to be a more interesting ride than I'd anticipated. The dirt road turned to mud under the falling rain, and had some decent pot holes, but those were easily avoidable. I saw the (unsigned) turn off to North Rocks Road which leads to Minyon Falls, and the (unsigned) turn off of Oscars Road, leading back to Doon Doon. The latter was notable for the presence of a "dangerous road" sign. Sounds like that one could be a "dry-season only" ride. The "education" for the day was complete, but Huonbrook is a worthy ride in and of itself.

I returned to Mullumbimby to stock up on supplies for the next day's epic, and pottered around for a while until a local pasta joint opened for "dinner". The ride back to the campsite afterward was a leisurely and very pretty 12km, with the knowledge that the best of the weekend was yet to come.

Ike's to Coin

Time to make a trek south to take photos. With another beautiful day in store, I headed down to Coin, IA, planning to ride up to Ike's and back. Unloaded the bike and headed out from the Coin trailhead. In the first 1/2 mile, I encountered over 4 trees down (thought it would be clear from Shenandoah to Coin).
I gave up and drove up to Ike's. The trail was supposed to clear for the Winery Harvest ride. This is a section of I had not ridden before. Wanted to photograph the Tarkio Bridge.
Uneventful ride to what I thought was the Tarkio River. (Now I see that the Tarkio River is crossed by the Trace South of Coin. I photographed the bridge over the W, Tarkio Creek!) I met one couple that said they were planning to ride to Blanchard - but they were stopped a little over 1/2 miles shy of Coin.
From the W. Tarkio Creek, the trail climbs for nearly 3 miles, cresting at 250 St. When I had started from Coin, It looked like it was a steady climb. So, I figure from 250 St to Coin is downhill.
Trail is blocked with downed trees at H Avenue. I did not try to ride South from Coin. With all of the downed trees in Coin, there was no reason to try that section.
Note: This is just informational. The trail crews have done a great job clearing the trail. Just soooo many downed trees from the storms.

Horses Have Fun

I left the main roads behind and took the quiet country roads back home.

Borrowed Image

There were alpacas in one field and just along the road there were horses... not just any old horses - these were sleek and handsome dressage horses, well wrapped against the cold of the day in their smart coats.

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Big, small, sleek, or rough, I love horses ... although I must confess a particular fondness for 'cart' horses, heavy horses, and rough ponies.

Borrowed image

What caught my eye this afternoon was a group of three horses. They were by themselves, in a large paddock on the hill, this was a horse to horse moment. Two were standing watching, while one appeared to be performing, as though in the dressage ring.

Borrowed image

I watched them for a while, then drove on, pondering on the question of whether horses play and have fun, or do they worry about things.

Was the 'performing' horse running through a particularly tricky exercise, trying to get it right?

Was it showing the others a manoeuvre it really enjoys doing?

Or could it simply have been having fun or showing off? I'd love to think so.

Borrowed image

Before I knew it I was back home and there were groceries to unload, logs to be fetched, hens needing a hot mash, and a sick husband to tend.

Back to the real world.

I took Toby to visit our neighbour, Arnold. A sweet old horse, enjoying his retirement. He knows how to have fun.

Blast from the Past: It Was Meant to Be

I’ve made considerable headway with the photo scanning project I began in December .  Having started with 1982, I’m already through 1994; 1995 and 1996 are organized and waiting in the wings to be scanned next.  Photos after 2001 are already digital, so there’s definitely light at the end of the tunnel.

Looking through the photos we took on a 1995 trip to Turkey, I came across one that just begged to be posted here.  It was taken in May of that year when we visited Bursa, where the Ottoman Empire was founded back in the 1300s.  Today, the city that the Ottomans referred to as Hüdavendigar — God’s Gift — is a bustling metropolis best known for Uludağ (Great Mountain), a popular snow skiing destination.

But I digress.  The reason this photo deserves a place in this blog is in the sister-city post we came across by happenstance.  It’s not a great photo, but if you know the name of the maker of our Phaeton, you’ll understand why I just had to post it.

Of course, the Tiffin referred to in the post is the Ohio city by that name; it has nothing to do with our motorhome.  Still, what are the chances that 27 years ago we would be pointed towards Tiffin.  Call it fate; call it “kısmet” — I think it was meant to be that we would someday end up in a Tiffin-made ‘condo on wheels.’

Miss Moose

Today we went up the Gunflint Trail in search of the cow moose with twin calves that seemingly everyone who has driven up the trail in the past month has seen. Unfortunately, we did not see them. I think maybe if the weather had cooperated and it had been nice instead of a torrential downpour we would have been more likely to see them. Oh well, you take what you can get. Luckily we did see another cow moose further up the trail and had the pleasure of watching her eating in a small marsh right next to the road. She hung out in the marsh for a long time and it sure was fun watching her from less than 50 feet away. Every time she dunked her head under water she would root around for some plants then come up and shake her head off. It was quite a comical sight I must say :-)

Cold-Blooded Spring

High Falls at Grand Portage State Park, MN. There is a lot of snow in the woods this spring, and thanks to a recent week of warm temperatures combined with a nice rain storm the Pigeon River opened up nicely a few days ago. However, winter is not quite ready to let go and last night cold temperatures returned to Grand Portage. The cold air meant that all the mist at High Falls was freezing to the trees, shrubs and grasses throughout the night and all day today, making for an amazing icy scene.

Remembrance Day - Lady Haig's Poppy Factory

Only the poppy above the door sets the red standstone building apart from others in the area. This is Lady Haig's Poppy Factory, in the Warriston area of Edinburgh. The original factory began in 1926 at the suggestion of Countess Haig, wife of Field Marshall Haig who was commander in chief of the British forces in Europe in the First World War. Today over 30 mainly disabled ex-servicemen work making poppies and poppy wreaths for Scotland.

Learning to Live by Remembering Death

‎"Remembering that I'll be dead soon is the most important tool I've ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life. Because almost everything — all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure - these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important. Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose."
Steve Jobs, 1955-...

Signs that might be omens

Just after leaving the house, I spied a large kettle of vultures. Maybe someone had left a dead calf again. You know, in that place just down the road where old sofas go to die? But the Purifying Ones streamed out on high before I reached them.
I had a passenger when I spotted the biggest gathering of crows I'd ever seen in my life. Fifty at least, I'm sure, and what in the world were they doing downtown? But once we cleared the next building they were nowhere in sight, leaving me the only witness to the murder.
On the way home I drove towards a sun dog, so bright that it fooled me, until I noticed the other sun.
Back at base, with atmospheric optics too low to photograph, I was on my way to consult some sacred chickens about some eggs. A wedge of Canada Geese flew directly overhead. Not uncommon at this time of year, but combined with the other events of the day, I had a feeling I was going to get bombed from above. Didn't happen though.
Lucky me.
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Links:
Nifty vulture facts.
Roman superstitions.
Collective animal words.

Water features

From the same garden as the pictures of last week. Four views of a fountain:




A daisy bath among white iris.

Another fountain.

A small waterfall. I believe this was a new feature in the garden.

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I very brilliantly strained my back while lifting some 50-pound pails of soapmaking oils (without using my back brace). Sitting bothers it the most, so I may not post as much or visit other blogs as much as normal for a little while.