Going out in cool air, still makes me cough, we were so grateful to have temps in the 60's today, and sunshine. Winds were about 5 MPH. I'm thinking that must be a record for April 2012. Seems like nearly everyday this month has been windy, and the winds have been insultingly cold.
It was too frosty this morning to ride to church, so we drove. After church, I made a quick dinner, and we got ready to ride. We haven't ridden for over 2 weeks, so all 3 tires needed air. while Tony was pumping up the tires, I decided I had misjudged the weather, so I took a layer off. Tony did the same, but added it back on, before we left.
We weren't sure how far we were going to ride today, but agreed, that if I started coughing, we would turn around and head home. The half mile of gravel we rode on when we left the house, was as loose as marbles on the road. Our back tire did a jerky, spinning dance on the up hill portions, and the going was slow, even on the little section of flat terrain we encountered. We cheered when we reached the pavement, welcoming the big paved hill on 155th, as if it were a long lost friend.
We turned east on 16 mile road and north on 140th. Rather than ride into Dighton, we headed east once again, on 17 Mile Rd. At the corner, our ears were greeted by the laughter of children playing. It was delightful to hear, and to see the faded red wagon, 2 trikes, and a ball, strewn across the yard. Happy living has replaced the bleak empty windows that we rode past last year. It's good to see a house lived in.
1 brown horse, a brown and white and dapple, and a white one, came up to the fence to investigate the strange thing that was passing by. The dapple stuck it's head over the fence for a better look. Convinced that we were harmless, it returned to it's comrades.
Although the grass is growing enough to require mowing,
it is not warn enough to convince the trees to fully leaf, it's the "tween time" between full fledged spring and summer. Lots of brown still dots the landscape. Unfortunately the 70 degree temps we had in March, accelerated the time schedule of the cherry and apple trees, by about 4 weeks, and due to the heavy frosts we have been having, between 60 and 70% of this years fruit crop has been lost. A sad thing for the farmers, and for the summer produce stands. Bright red, juicy cherries, will likely cost more this summer, and there is a good likely hood, many be shipped in from WA. Not sure if the blueberry or peach crops were impacted by our false spring, or not.
It seems odd to ride by the houses where normally, flowers accent the landscape, and see only spring flowers.
My heart is ready for marigolds, and pink and white impatience. Without the leaves competing for attention, it seems that the roofs shout with streaks that melting rivers of ice and snow left behind.
Rode by the "Pour House," a farm that has this sign as a greeting
I never see any cows there, the sign makes me wonder if at one time there was a dairy farm here.
Passed the Rose Lake Free Methodist Church, which for some reason, is called the "Shingletown Church," It is across the street form an old country school house that was known as the "Shingletown School" There are no signs that proclaim this, but that's how they are commonly known. Before writing this, I called several people to ask them what they knew about "Shingletown," but came up empty handed. Finally a friend that had a book on old school houses in our area, called me back and had some history for me.
Shinglletown really did exist. Like many towns in the area, it was part of the lumbering era. The name, Shingletown, was due to the number of Shingle Mills in the area. The community consisted of a few stores, a Post Office, a church, and a school. In 1882 a shingle covered, one room school house was erected. In later years it was replaced by a brick building, and in 1930 the current frame structure was built.
The building is owned, and used today, by the Rose Lake Free Methodist church, which is right across the street. Being a lover of local history, it does my heart good to see 2 buildings, from days gone by, still in use.
We stopped for a break, and a bit of a snack.
We were almost done with our apples, when a shot rang out. Across the road from where we were, was a mobile home. From the sounds of things, some target practice was taking place, behind the garage. Glad it was facing away from us, we got back on Rollin, and pedaled out of there.
2 dog encounters, on the trip home. On 140th, a big boxer, named Tyson came out, barking and growling. Remembering that last year, when he chased us, stopping the trike, cut short the chase, I stopped Rollin right away. I wasn't sure I did the right thing, Tyson, approached me, growling, and with the hair on his neck standing up. His owner was working in the garage, so I asked him to please come and get his dog. He called Tyson, but was ignored. Finally he came out and got the dog, even as he was dragging it away, he was reassuring us that it would not bite. We were not convinced.
The next dance with a dog occurred when we were about 4 miles from home. Someone opened the door of a house and out dashed Sadie, a 3 legged, black and white, English Springer. It was obvious that this dog just wanted to chase us to her property line, which is what she started to do. Unlike Tyson, when her owner called her, she stopped chasing us, and returned to the house. Sadie was not a threat, she was just being a dog. Even if her owner hadn't been there, I doubt Sadie would have harmed us. She just wanted us to know that she was watching over things and we needed to be on our way.
The meadows are green with grass and peppered with dandelions. Sometimes, in the early morning, or evening, we see deer feeding in this area.
When we see this sign, we know we are less than 1 1/2 miles from home.
There are 2 big hills to overcome before we arrive at our driveway. If our legs are already feeling like finger jello, it can take us quite awhile to complete the journey we started.
Today we rode 18 miles. Praising God for giving us such great weather to ride, and for getting us safely home, once again.
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