Is this my last ride for the season?

Well off for a ride by myself today.  I turn off of Rt. 4 just outside of  Mechanicsburg onto an awesome little  road that is really hilly.  The hills are peaked so you can't see what is on the other side. Reminded me of the bear went over the mountain.  Was a bit scary because of  how narrow the road was. I would love to go fast but not knowing if a cage is on the other side, I took them pretty slow.  The sky was doing a number too.  Kinda dark but yet not raining.  I loved it.  I hope this is not the last good ride for the season. Just never know.

Like this shot with the road in the mirror. 

behind me

I took these pictures free handed.  I could not find my mount.  I don't enjoy doing this makes me ride slower, but can aim better.

Clark Lake

Mt Gilead State Park

My nephew Austin spent the night last night and was hangin here today.  So I thought it would be good day for a hike.  We headed north to Mt Gilead, got there around noon so we had to find some eats before hiking.  They did not have many places so we did Pizza Hut.  Seem to take a long time for our order.  But once it came it  was good food, we ate, cleaned up and headed for the park.

The trail was lakeside trail, was to be about 2 miles.  Was sprinkling a bit but we were not going to let that stop us.  We came to a loop called Sam's Creek, I wanted to take it and Austin did not.  I told him stay on the Lakeside path and then wait for me were my loop comes back to meet.  Sam's creek was a nice added hike of .5 mile straight up a hill, really got my heart racing.  Well when this loop came back around to the main path there was no Austin.  Oh my, I had forgotten my phone in the car.  Do I go back to the car?  I called his name and wisheled for him, no response.  If I go back to the car and leave him out here in the woods by himself.  Wow I was starting to panic.  Where was he!!!  He is only 11 yrs. old what if he gets lost.  Stupid thing to seperate. So I walk on in the direction we were headed and yelled every once in a while.  All of a suden I heard the noise of a walking stick banging a tree. What a relief, he was waiting at the next loop.  He did not see the first sign and did not remember the name,  So we were glad to see each other and headed on around the lake.  It got up to 70, nice day even though we had some  rain.

I  had sent out an email to the WOW group to see if anyone wanted to take a ride to southern Ohio to do the Fall Festival of Leaves mapped out routes.  Had two takers, one canceled and so it was just Susan and I.  We meet at Der Dutchman and had cinamon rolls for breakfast.  Thought we were going to be so close to Dru, I called her and she would like to join us.   She had gotten the email just that morning and thought it was to late.   We meet her in London and then head south on 38.  When we got to Washington Courthouse we stopped for gas and the got onto 753.  In Greefield we got  on 41 took it till Upper Twin Rd.  Was a great road with beautiful scenery.  I just can't describe the enjoyment of taking a new back road that twist around and you have no idea what is around the corner.  I love it.  On this road we came up a steep hill and all of a sudden it opened up to where you could see for miles down a valley.  We stoped to take pictures.   Got to route 50 and turned right and headed into Bainbridge to get gas and lunch.  We ate at Timbers,  was ok nothing real special but was busy with home town atmasphere.  Then we did our south loop which took us to Pike Lake,  stopped there and enjoyed the lake for bit.  Turned left onto Egpt Hollow Rd.  There were protions of the road that were completely covered in leaves. Was awesome, but the road kept getting smaller and smaller, it was like hiking in the woods on a motorcycle.  Eventually it turned into gravel, which was kind of scary because it was also hilly and curvey.  This road came to an end at the top of a hill, my heart was racing,  we turned right onto Greenbriar Rd. then to Jester Hill Rd. which took us into Bainbridge.  So  now we have one more loop and I hope there is no more gravel.
Straight thru Bainbridge onto 41 turn  left onto Falls Rd.  Left onto Rapid Forge right onto 50, left onto Cave Rd.  Sure enough it turned into gravel, I stoped and asked Susan and Dru if they wanted to turn around, I thought by the gps we would have about a mile until we turned again, they were game to continue on.  It feels so good after going slow on gravel to hit pavement and take off to normal speeds.  We soon hit 41 and take it back into Bainbridge and then head for home. I think I got home around 5:30 but boy was I beat.  Nice birthday ride.

Wapakoneta 10-10-10

Went to church and grabed a quick lunch.  Paul and I headed out about 12:00  on the bikes to look  at farm machinery.   Up to Richwood on back roads was beautiful out.  Looked at Parrots driving around on the gravel parking lot.  Then down Rt, 4  stoped at a farm house that had a disc out.  I ate a crab apple while I waited on Paul.  Just picked it up off the ground wow was it sweet.  I think that is the first I have eaten one of them.  Then we get a call that a guy had something up in Wapakoneta that Paul wanted to see.  Was junk  but any ways was a nice ride except for the wind was really bad.  The gps directed us  there on back roads.  Took about 1.5 hrs.   We got  lost in Wapakoneta due to a detour, got that straightened out. Decided  we did not want to go  33 back so we caught 29 and took  it  all the way to Urbana. Really good road to travel between Sidney and Urbana, lots of sweeping curves and hills.   Grabed supper and then home.  Landed about 6:00.  I have gotten about 370 miles in this warm spell.

Exploration Ride/ Holmes County

Got alot of little things done around the house before I left for my ride at 11:45, so a bit tired already.
I'm headed to amish country, plans are to go up to Millersburg and then ride a big circle up there, going thru the town  of Charm.  I have a nice ride to Millersburg leting the gps lead the way. Up to Delaware the normal way but then onto 42 north and then off on a little road to the right connecting to 521. Got gas and a snack, called Paul and then  on thru Mt. Vernon (which was busy) to 36 then to 62. Millersburg is  having a festival tomorrow so they had some roads blocked off.   I get to the road 241, which I was to take and missed it so I went on to turn around and oh boy the gps had me turn down this little road that I am not sure if it was a road.  It  took me right into someones barn yard and apeared to go on but got really small and I think it  became dirt.   I saw many dirt  roads up here, not gravel but dirt.  Hard to believe that are so many yet in this day and age.  I am going to look on google maps and see if I can find that road.  Ok just checked, now I know I cannot trust this gps.  The road stops there at that barn yard.  So frustrating when trying to get back to a road missed that is when you really need the gps to get you there. ERRRRRRR

My date on my camera is a day off.

So I turn around and head back onto 62 into Millersburg and the road it wanted me to take was a small road that could not be what I was to take. So I  pass it again.  I relize that the real 241 was blocked off. I felt so frustrated with this whole thing I thought I will just head home.  It was also about 2:30  or so, I headed out of town on 83 going north I thought it was headed west.  Then I took Co rd. 1 west to 514, this was my favorite road all day.   Plenty of hills with nice curves. Went thru the small town of Nashville.  Any ways I got home about 5:45  I saw lots of Amish. One guy was just sitting with his team of horses in the field, must have been giving them a break. He smiled and waved.  No other contact with anyone else.  Did about 250 miles today.