4.8.2011 Ride: Fayetteville. AR to Lee's Summit, MO

Knowing that I would be headed to Missouri for a soccer tournament by mid-morning, I set the alarm for 5:30 to make sure I was off and riding by 6:00.  Still dark, but a beautiful morning.  Time seemed to get warped in the dark and after only two miles I felt as if I should have been done with my ride.  But the sky was lightening with each leg of my trip.  Venus stood out prominently in the east above a curtain of clouds on the horizon.  As Venus rose, I expected the wall of clouds to rise as well.  At one point, Venus appeared to glide across the sky toward the south as two small bands of clouds, one on top and the other on the bottom of Venus moved quickly toward the north.  Riding on the bike only enhanced that illusion since my movement provided no fixed point.

There was much activity with the breaking light: deer scattering in a field at the end of a cul-de-sac; a frog hopping across the pavement; a bird flying through the beam of my headlamp. 
I was on my last leg and I couldn't have timed it better if I had tried; as I climbed a small rise, the sun began to peak out from the clouds. I raced to a spot at the top where I could get a clear picture.

 

A very fitting end to a morning ride that started in the dark.

This seems as an appropriate time to mention the historical structure I passed on the Fayetteville bike trail a couple of days back.  It is really quite easy to overlook, which I have done, riding by it numerous times without giving it any thought.  But, for some reason, on my last outing on the trail, it caught m eye.  It is behind a six foot wooden fence that is part of the Tune concrete yard on North Ave.  Sitting in a lot with old trucks, overgrown brush and other machinery is a small house.

Curiosity got the best of me, so I rode up into the yard and asked a man who happened to be standing in the parking area if he knew anything about the house.  Yes, he did.  There used to be an old railroad spur that pulled up next to what was a slaughter house.  I asked him if he knew how long ago that was but all he could tell me was that it was before his time.  He was about 60 so, maybe the 1930s or 40s?

 

Fast forward to Lee's Summit, Missouri, which I reached by car and not bike.  The high school team took quite a drubbing, losing 8-0.  But, the other team was ranked 2nd in the country.  The team, Lee's Summit North High School, was a wonder to watch as they had incredible foot and ball control.  Though it wasn't a joy to watch our girls lose so badly, I felt privileged to see the other team play.

To my pleasant surprise, the rain fore-casted for the late afternoon and evening in Lee's Summit did not materialize and I set out on a small ride which was much needed after the drive and sitting to watch the game.  In a neighborhood not too far from the hotel, I came across a woman with a gaggle of dogs.

Daisy(?), Frankie, Shilo and Boomer

These are all rescued dogs but Boomer is available for adoption.  If you are in the midst of remodeling, Boomer will fit right in.  He is great at tearing up carpets and chewing up walls.  You may have to get him a set of dentures as he works so hard at his job that his teeth are wearing down.  Boomer is the white poodle mix on the right.

After talking shop with the dogs' owner, I ended up riding to downtown Lee's Summit which has a lot of character.  Very bike friendly.  Tomorrow, Pat Murray and I plan a 6:30 AM ride.  We were hoping for a ride later in the day but it doesn't look as if the soccer schedule will allow for one.  I expect another late blog posting tomorrow after we arrive back in Fayetteville.

Today's Ride: Fayetteville:     64mins.  11.42 miles.  65 degrees. 
                     Lee's Summit:   57mins  10.42 miles    65 degrees.  Miles YTD:  1,805.56