2.28.2011 Ride: Bike Courier

After a cold, wet and windy morning where the temperature didn't seem as if it wanted to climb above 37, about 1:00 the clouds cleared.  A hectic morning and I knew I would only have time for a short ride.  I decided to combine it with some errands in town which included dropping off a package for Carol. And, now, I'm hurrying to update the blog as I will be off soon to Tahlequah to watch Rachel in a soccer game which starts at 8:00 PM, meaning back by 11:00 PM, meaning too late to update later.

The big news in Fayetteville is that the 4.7 magnitude earthquake in central Arkansas was felt here last night.  It was during a thunderstorm so it was easy to dismiss the rattling and shaking to the thunder.  No, the barn in the photo is not the result of the earthquake.





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Riding through a neighborhood close to town, I was surprised to see these two dogs loose.  They started barking as I approached but I decided to slow down and call them over.  Their disposition quickly changed when I sweet talked to them and they became very friendly and wanted all sorts of attention.  It's a new approach I'm taking with dogs whenever I can.  I'm sure there will be instances where I will not want to stop, such as the time a 150 pound black bull of a dog came charging at me.  I quickly raced down the hill I was on.

This is Lucille and Gracie at the Postal Center where I dropped off the package.  I've known Lucille and her husband Mike since 2003 when I started using them as a drop-off point for shipping out my Wordigo games.  It's amazing to think that it has been 8 years since the game has come out and I've been sneaking into their back door to drop off my shipments.  They used to have another small dog that wasn't nearly as friendly as Gracie and was, in fact, a biter.  Gracie is definitely not a biter.  Neither are Lucille or Mike.

I would like to take this opportunity to again thank all those who follow this blog.  Thank you also to those who send in comments.  I started to keep this blog more as a log for myself to record the Daily Rides and I have been surprised at the exchange it has created for me with others. The connections have been a truly touching experience.  So, thank you.


Today's Ride:  61 mins.  Miles: 11.11.  44-48 degrees.  15mph winds.  Miles YTD:  1052.66

2.27.2011 Ride: Funky Fayetteville

There is something fascinating to me when the temperature is warmer in the morning than it was when going to bed.  Last night, it was 53 and this morning it was 61.  It goes against the normal grain, as if the Earth decided to change rotational direction during the night and the sun suddenly was rising in the west.  I caught this red sunrise on my morning walk and I thought it might be the only sign of the sun I would see all day.  The air felt charged as it does when thunderstorms are in our future.  And the wind was already howling in the early AM.

By the end of my walk, there was enough light to capture these horses.  It would have been a perfect balance if the horse on the left was facing the other direction.  Still, I like the threesome against the backdrop of the trees.

I wasn't able to get on the bike until about 3:00 and the wind had really picked up by then as evidenced by the flag.  I don a small flag in my CamelBak as I find I get a bit more respect on the road. Carrying the flag has ended up having the side benefit of me feeling a connection more with drivers on the road. 
Being Sunday, I like to ride on the bike trail as they are lots of folks to encounter.

When I first spotted this jogger from a distance, he appeared as if he was jogging in the nude.  I think I first saw him against a back drop of trees so the yellow shorts blended in even more. 

There's something about this rain gutter to nowhere that I really like.  It looks as if it could be a big lever that raises the roof or opens the small door at the bottom.  Or a pipe that runs inside the house from which the occupant drops secret messages to the outside world.  The curious thing is that the missing drain pipe would run across the window.

Mitch Terry

I'm never quite sure what possess me to stop someone and ask if I may take his/her picture.  I passed Mitch and I guess his cheerful hello, inspired me to stop him.  I'm glad I did as he turned out to be Western novel writer with the books set here in the Fayetteville/Ft. Smith/Eastern Oklahoma area.  He has a book available on yahoo.com and, if interested, his website is mitchterry.com

I passed another individual who was walking.  I turned around and asked if I could take his picture.  When I first passed him he looked up at me rather suspiciously.  His demeanor attracted me and his dress: black leather jacket and a black leather hat that had a round flat top and a large round brim.  He said that he didn't allow people to take his picture.  He spoke rather quietly and looked toward the ground when he spoke, his voice sounding familiar.  I told him I understood and he thanked me for being respectful of his request.  When I rode away I was trying to figure out who he sounded like and I realized he not only sounded but looked like a young Nicholas Cage.  I think twice about approaching someone who may be homeless or seem to have emotional problems.  I don't want to feel as if I want to take their picture as if they are some oddity.  In the case of this man, he just seemed to have so much history in his face and the clothes he wore and that is what I wanted to capture.  Later, I wondered what he would have thought if I asked if I could take his picture from behind, which still seemed to emit so much character and history.
I got another rejection later on down the trail.  I passed a woman who was very good on roller blades and who was also taking pictures.  I thought she would be a good addition to the blog today, the skating photographer.  I turned around and asked her if I could take her picture.  She hesitated and looked toward the other woman she was with.  I was confused at first and then looked at the other woman who I thought was her friend.  Suddenly, I felt as if I stepped into a hornet's nest as I realized the other woman was her mother and the first woman was not as old as I originally thought.  There was an awkward moment and then the mother said that they had issues with an earlier photograph request.  I said I fully understood.  The young woman thanked me for asking and I left feeling as if I was some kind of creep trying to finagle pictures of young women. 

Alan & Karen

I got a half rejection on the last couple.  Actually, I know them very well and Carol and I are somewhat responsible for them moving here.  I passed them the last time I did the trail on a Sunday.  Karen didn't want me to take her picture so I said just pull your hat down over your head.  Close. 

After a brief spell of very light rain where the skies looked very threatening, the clouds cleared and the sun came out for the last part of the ride.  Since I captured the sunrise this morning, I wanted to capture the evening sun.  This picture turned out much more interesting than I expected.  The sun with the moon?  The power lines exploding?  UFOs?  This was taken looking into the window of the van.  What created the second higher image was the fact that I had the sliding door open overlapping the back window so that the sun was being reflected in two windows. 


And, finally...

It is always amazing to discover the secret talents of people we have known for a long time. 
When I got home, I took some salmon I had smoked this morning over to our neighbor, Gary Renegar, in payment for plowing our road and driveway during the snowstorm.  Gary was putting the finishing touches on a clay sculpture of Frank Broyles.  The one in the picture is about two feet high.  The final bronzed statue will be seven feet high.  I would love to be able to create something like that.






Today's Ride:  2 hrs. 11 mins.  Miles: 25.04.  68 degrees.  20-25mph winds.  Miles YTD:  1041.55
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2.26.2011 Ride:

 A lethargic ride today in the neighborhood.  And, even though the temperature was 58, I still felt cold.  I tried going up the Big Hill to warm up.  I got sweaty but still felt cold.  I wanted to feel HOT.  Being cloudy didn't help.  A 14mph wind didn't help, either.  Running into John Erwin walking the dogs helped.  I rode along side him for a couple of minutes and talked and that helped warm my spirits.  Finally, in the last few miles, the body warmed and the sun came out on the last mile. All in all, not a bad ride for being so tired.  I was surprised to see when I got back home that the temperature had actually dropped a degree.

I thought I would play a little catch up and cover some of the history I had planned to do before I suddenly left for Georgia. 
I am curious what people will see when they view the scene with the chain link fence.  Even though I took it and know what is behind the fence, to me it looks like a stack of bicycle chains (shows you how my brain is wired).  It is actually a stack of aluminum wheels taken at the Superior Industries plant on Black Oak Rd.  Not historic, but the plant is very unassuming and the company is the largest supplier of wheels for the automotive industry.  I just think there is something cool about passing the plant, and catching a glimpse of a wheel that may end up on a car sold who knows where.

I was trying to find something out about Sulphur City, the very nondescript intersection of a town but I have come up empty at the moment and it's time to call it a day.  I do believe that at one time there were sulphur springs there and the residents were trying to promote the town in that way,  I was hoping to find more. 






Today's Ride:  1 hr 30 mins.  Miles:  15.74.  58 degrees.  15mph winds.  Miles YTD:  1,016.51

2.25.2011 Addendum

Driving back from the airport, my mind is racing with thoughts and emotions from the trip to Fayetteville, GA and being back home.  A few miles from the airport, I pull over into a small parking lot in Cave Springs to write down some thoughts.  I am home from an experience I will forever cherish and would not trade this past week in Georgia for a visit to some exotic part of the world. Yes, the stay was trying at times, yes, it was emotional.  But there was a richness and a fulfillment that could not have been achieved by a visit to anywhere else on Earth.  What I feel I have in my possession, in my mind, my heart is a priceless ruby encrusted jeweled orb that has been fashioned by what it means to be a family.  The orb remains valuable only as long as the family remains strong. I am so thankful to have had this experience with Frances this past week and the many other people encounters the visit brought about.  What a wonderful part of my journey it has been.
At some point while I was sitting in the parking lot, I took a closer look at the house in front of me whose lawn was strewn with various ornaments.  When I first drove up, I thought it was a flea market of sorts but on closer inspection, I believe it was just a residence.  The angel with the two frogs in the background really caught my eye.  And the two hanging planters to her side give her an added Blind Lady Justice aura.  I'm not one prone to lawn angel statues but, next time I'm up that way, I may see if they would like to sell her.  She seemed to be offering up thanks as I was writing my thoughts.

 When I arrived in Arkansas, it was 36 degrees, a dramatic change from the week in Georgia.  In the bed of the truck, I noticed thin layers of ice.  In the picture, I was trying to capture the delicate nature of the ice but I was surprised by the end results of the photograph.  Though the ice is barely captured, I like the composition and contrast of the liner with the sand, left over from when I sanded the roads from the snowstorm.  I think what really makes the picture are the bits of debris.  The red twig in the sand seems as if it's been captured in a fossilizing state.

Later, when I stopped for gas, I slipped my hand beneath the ice wanting to hold this incredibly fragile creation.  My first attempt failed and on the second attempt, the layer was so thin that by the time I got the camera in position, the layer already begun melting and falling between my fingers. Talk about priceless jewels.  Here is a wonder of nature that can only be held for a few seconds before it disappears.  Attempting to hold these thin layers of ice seemed to be a way for me to physically hold the wondrous events of this past week. 

2.25.2011 Ride: Miles YTD: 1,000.77

Long day which seemed to start this very early morning at 12:20 AM (just after midnight) when the weather alert radio came blasting on in Frances' house to warn of a thunderstorm (a thunderstorm?). I stumbled out of bed into the kitchen and pulled the plug from the wall.  There was no mistaking this for a distant rooster.
Three hours later I awoke for no good reason and stayed awake from 3:30 on.  Caught a few zzzz on the plane ride home but that's been it.  A very interesting drive back from the airport which I hope to expound on tomorrow as I am much too tired to do so tonight.
For some reason, I was determined to reach the 1,000 mile mark today.  I kept postponing my departure time hoping that the slightly warmer temperature predicted would kick in.  But it never did come close to 47, staying at 37 the entire time I rode. 

Tired and cold, I didn't do much stopping to take pictures today. Given that I reached a milestone of sorts in my journey today, some historical tidbits seemed in order.   The first is more well known to folks in the area but the other one is rather obscure.
Above, is a picture of the Butterfield Coach Trail taken off the bike trail in Lake Fayetteville.  I do believe that this is part of the original mail route that went from Tipton, MO, just outside St. Louis, and ran 2,800 miles to San Francisco.  This picture is also apropos for today as my ride felt as long and drawn out as if I were traveling by stage coach.

Turning off Hwy 45 on to Habberton Road, one could see this Oxford Bend sign.  It has been there for as long as we have lived here since 1990.  I have never given it much thought until today when I rode by and decided to Google "Oxford Bend" and see what came up.  Hard to find much other than it was a community back in 1834.  What I did come across that was a bit interesting, was that there was actually a Civil War skirmish there in 1832 and one person was killed and four were wounded.  That will certainly give me a new perspective as I ride by the cow pastures there.

That's about it for today.

Today's Ride:  2 hrs. 30 mins.  Miles: 27.91. 37 degrees. Miles YTD:  1,000.77
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2.24.2011 Ride: Day 4 in Fayetteville, GA

On the tired side this morning.  At 4:30, a distant rooster worked its way into my consciousness. I might have been able to dismiss it and go back to sleep but the crow started sounding faintly human as if someone was saying, "over here."  Frances?  I jumped out of bed and ran toward her bedroom.  All was quiet and in the distance was the rooster continuing to crow, "over here."
A short ride today as a busy day lies ahead.  I'm taking Frances to the doctor today to find out the results of the MRI from Tuesday.  After that, there's a meeting with the long term health insurance agent.  My brother-in-law, Alan will be coming down and it will be good to have his company.  In the morning he will take me to the airport.

Though I've only had the loaner bike for four days, a certain amount of sentimentality gets attached, especially since it has helped keep me on my year-long journey.  Robert warned me about it not wanting to shift into the higher (larger) front cogs.  When I picked it up, it was on the smallest ring and would not stay on the other ones.  But, while riding, I held the lever in middle ring position and politely asked if it would stay there.  The bike was obliging and we got along well for the rest of the week.

Damp and cooler today. Two days ago, the temperature was in the low 70s, yesterday, low 60s and this morning, barely 50.  Tomorrow it's supposed to rain so I guess I'm headed back to Dodge just in time.  Of course, what's a little rain?


The house in the photograph is not in use now and a lot of debris is piled in front.  I find it interesting that it does have a power line running to it and there are makeshift screens over the windows.

Very close to the house, stood these two rusting pieces of farm equipment.  Passing them on the road, they looked like two tanks discarded and forgotten after some long ago war.  The above picture didn't catch my eye as much as a detail that I saw on my second passing.  It seemed as if showing the larger picture would make the detail picture more interesting.  And, now, I actually like the above picture as well.

What I really like is the position of the rusted chain, frozen in motion. 

I leave you with this image from Fayetteville (Inman), Georgia.  This old storefront is just a couple of hundred yards from Francis' house.  Built around 1880s, it was one of a clusters of businesses in the immediate area along with a train depot..  The owner, McLucas, died during the influenza epidemic around 1918.  His widow took it over and ran it until her death in about 1960.  The store remained shuttered and ignored until about the 1990s when a resident took an interest, cleaned out the inside and spruced up the outside.

Till tomorrow from Fayetteville, AR.

Today's Ride:  63 mins.  Miles:  11.2.  50 degrees.  Miles YTD:  972.86

2.23.2011 Ride: Day 3 Fay GA: Mid-East Peace Plan Signed

All right.  Maybe not a Mid-East Accord but a companion provider agreement has been reached.  Two hours in the morning and two hours in the evening.  The kids would all like if the in-home companion would be there longer and Frances thinks she needs less.  It's a place to start and we will discuss dismantling established settlements at a future date.

This was cause for a celebratory ride, as if I ever need a reason to go ride.  Robert, my brother-in-law, as well as Teresa, the neighbor across the street who checks in on Frances regularly, suggested Lake Horton which is just a few miles from here. For my Fayetteville, AR friend, this turned out to be somewhat equivalent to Lake Fayetteville with paved bike paths, though not quite as extensive.  But still a very, very nice spot.

I quickly did the loops in the park and moved on down the road.  A fairly good breeze was blowing and it was one of those days where it seemed no matter what direction I was riding, the wind was either in my face or coming at me from the side.  Still, it was a beautiful day and I had no complaints.

Fence that caught my eye, especially the grain and decay in the wood.

Could have captured a better image of the above house.  I loved the wrap-around porches on both floors that covered three sides of the house.  I think this house might date back to the 1930s or 1940s. 

This church was in Brooks, GA and built in 1910.  I passed through Brooks on my way out and stopped here coming back in for a small rest.  It was a nice place to stop and spend a few minutes.

Today's Ride:  Tired, but feeling good.  2 hrs. 23 mins.  Miles: 28.25.  62 degrees. 12-15mph winds.  Miles YTD: 961.66

Plans are to head back home Friday morning.

2.22.2011 Ride: Day 2 Fay, GA. Guardian Angels

What a gorgeous spring day here in Fayetteville, GA.  I noticed this morning that it was 26 this morning in the other Fayetteville.

Many times, I will have a thought during my ride that I plan to enter in the blog.  The thought is so distinct that I am surprised later to find that I forgot to include it in the post.  Yesterday, when I was on a small stretch of road that wasn't particularly busy but where the cars that did pass seemed to do so at a fast clip, I was approaching a road where I would turn left.  There was a car behind, and I slowed to let him pass but he slowed as well and signaled that he planned to turn left.  I still waited, thinking that he would pass me to make the left turn, but he slowed even more so I stuck out my arm to indicate my left turn intentions and moved into the lane. Even after we both turned, I expected him to quickly pass me but because there was a slight rise which created a blind spot up ahead, he waited until I crested the hill and his line of sight was clear.  I waved my thanks at his patience.  I was very touched by this small act of kindness.   For a brief moment, I felt as if there was a guardian angel with me telling me that he was there to protect me and make sure I was safe.

Marie Doyle

My ride, my journey today seemed to be about guardian angels of one sort or another. I rode to the Fayette Senior Center today to talk with Marie who helps families find home services for their parents. 

When I left the Senior Center, sitting in a rocking chair was Katie.  I said hello to her and she beamed a greeting back.  I began to ride off but quickly turned around and asked if I could take her picture.  I did not know her nor had I ever seen her before coming out of the Center.  Exchanging hellos and talking with her for a few minutes,  I felt comforted and safe and cozy in this world of ours.

On my way back to the house, I took a slight detour to add a few miles. The detour was just as much to get some riding in on quiet roads as a fair amount of the ride today was competing with traffic.  For any Fayetteville, Georgian viewers, this detour was on McBride  I had come across some expensive homes with large acreage. About a 1/4 mile shy of Hwy 85, I came across the old shed in the photo sitting just off the driveway and in the front yard of a very expensive home.  I was glad to see that the owners decided to preserve the shed (home?) instead of tear it down.

And, then there's Frances, my mother-in-law (see top photo), the reason I am down here in Fayetteville, GA. "The Mother Teresa of Fayette County," is how the gentleman at a home companion company I called yesterday, referred to her.  To a woman who has helped so many over so many, many years, I am now trying to help her continue to find independence in her life. Instead of traveling about the county for causes, she now takes painstakingly slow miniscule steps and movements to get from point A to point A plus a foot.  There's no last poignant line here.  It's just a hard struggle. A hard daily journey.





Today's Ride:  83 mins.  Miles:18.  71 deg. 15-19mph winds. Miles YTD:  933.41

2.21.2011 Ride: Day 1: Fayetteville, GA

12 hours after leaving home yesterday, I finally reached my destination in Inman, GA (just south of Fayetteville, GA).  Who would think that just hanging out in an airport could be so mentally draining.  This morning, I was in a muddled haze and eager to get my bike ride in to help clear my head.
The country store in the picture is one of a million that could be passed in numerous small towns.  I happen to know that the part of the building jutting out on the left with the Marlboro sign in the window, used to be the entrance for the post office for Inman, GA and that my late father-in-law, who died in 1999,  was the postmaster.

I thought I was going to head in one direction this morning, but when I got on Goza Rd (I love that name), I decided to re-trace in reverse the tail end of my route from Fayetteville, AR to Fayetteville, GA back in June of 2009.  This involved several turns and I wasn't sure I would remember them all but it was worth a shot.
Along the way, I came across this vulture that seemed to be standing lovingly over its dead mate.  Whenever I encountered vultures in Arkansas, they flew away before I even had a chance to pull out the camera, much less get this close.  I also wondered if I was witnessing an usual closeness between two mated vultures.  The vulture began hopping away and it became apparent that it could not fly.  I rode on.
A couple of times, I thought I had missed a turn but then the street name rang a bell.  I went from Goza to  McBride, Mask, Harp, Redwine, Ebenezer Church and finally Lester.

The Road Leading to Fayetteville, AR.  Only 925 Miles.

There's something very enchanting thinking about being at the beginning of a path that goes 925 miles.  True, the road I was on led to many, many different locales but I knew that there was one intimate path that would take me back to Fayetteville, AR.  This feeling was very similar to standing at the beginning of The Appalachian Trail in Springer Mt in Georgia and knowing that the humble foot path before me could take me all the way to Maine (no, I haven't done the entire AT).
I rode 45 minutes out and would have loved to kept going but I told Frances (my mother-in-law) that I would be back by a certain time and I already was pushing past that. 

Bob & Kelvin

At an intersection on the way back, I stopped two cyclists coming from the other direction and asked if I could take their picture: being the first cyclists I came across on this trip to Georgia was reason enough.  I'm glad I stopped them as we had a good exchange and it made my ride this morning much more memorable.  They are with the SouthsideCycling.com. 




Though the roads I was on felt rural, I knew I was in a county that had drastically changed since Carol left back in the 70s.  Fayette County used to be one of the poorest counties in Georgia and Carol didn't have indoor plumbing until 1961, I think it was.  Then, Delta employees began moving in and Fayette became one of the richest counties in the state.  This may account for why I didn't see old structures to photograph. Thee was this one building, just a 1/4 mile away from Frances' house.

Served as a Hospital in Early 1900s

 Not a very particularly noteworthy old building but it did serve as a hospital for typhoid patients back in the early 1900s.  However, what caught my eye as I was taking the picture was the rocking chair on the porch.

I arrived back at the house about a half hour past my due time but there had been no reason to rush as Frances was fast asleep.  And, by the way, on the ride back, the vulture was lovingly eating away at the other bird's carcass.

Todays' Ride: 80 mins.  Miles: 17.4.   53 degrees.  Miles YTD: 915.41

2.20.2011 Ride: The Sun & The Moon

I am at the airport now, with time to dispense as I didn't make it on the 12:30 flight (I'm on standby).  The next flight is at 4:38 and that one looks promising.
I knew the ride today would be a MDRR - Minimum Daily Requirement Ride - as I had a busy morning ahead of me, still needing to pack.  I hopped on the bike, riding under the influence of a headlight, the eastern sky just barely showing some light.  When I started out, the sky was mostly hidden by clouds.  But, quickly, clouds were parting up above, leaving a blanket of clouds draped on all horizons. The moon became visible but the sun still had at least a half hour before rising.  I rode back and forth along a mile stretch of neighborhood road, with the wind blowing 15 - 25 miles per hour from the south. 

Early Morning Light Reflecting in Pond

As the sky began to lighten, a battle of sorts seemed to be brewing between the sun and the moon.  A tug of war for the clouds in the sky and a claim for who would control the weather that day.  From the beginning, the sun, still below the horizon, dominated with the majority share of clouds hovering in storm-like fashion above the eastern horizon.  On the west, the clouds were more tempered, wispy, quietly coming and going and sometimes completely abandoning the moon so that she(?) stood all alone in the sky. The moon made one was last grand stand and managed to draw a small swell of clouds about her.  But the sun was too strong and very cocky in its dominance and role it played it today's weather.  Just before showing a peek of itself, the sun drew in hard and sucked any last vestiges of clouds from the moon's surroundings. 

Today's Ride:  64 mins. 12.07 miles. 53 degrees. Miles YTD: 898.01

2.19.2011 Ride: History Cut Short

I was all excited about posting today's blog as it was going to be a mini-history of all these obscure locations I rode through. Most of the pictures were of signs.  But, when I arrived home, I ended up being on the phone for 2 hours and I am headed for Atlanta (actually, Fayetteville, GA) tomorrow.  Carol's mom has needed almost constant care and the other siblings living in the Atlanta area are, to put in mildly, a bit burnt out.  I am going to stay with her and help get in-home care set up, hopefully, before I get too burnt out.
Do not fear.  The Daily Ride is not in danger.  Carol's brother Robert is picking me up at the airport and he will have his bike in the back of the van for me to use while I am down there.  The history lesson will have to wiat but I will leave you with a ffew shots that I took today.

 

This little building is at the corner of Hwy 74 and a county road.  I believe it is used as a school bus stop shelter for kids.  I really like this building because of it what  it represents: parents who care enough about their kids standing out in the cold to go to the trouble to provide a shelter.

Today's Ride:  3 hrs. 37 mins.  Miles:41.08.  64 degrees.  Miles YTD: 885.94