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