Thursday, August 16, 2012

Blue skies and smooth pedaling

Sunday Aug 12, 2012

     Blue skies, with white, cotton ball clouds drifting through, started off our afternoon ride.  With light breezes to cool us on our way, we couldn't have engineered better biking weather than we had today.



     Rollin is scheduled for an appointment at the Hostel Shoppe in Steven's point WI at the end of the month, until then we are kind of taking it easy on him.  It would be great if we had a place like the Hostel Shoppe closer, they do such a great job and really know about trikes.  We are still riding in our largest gear ring in the front, but hope to have that resolved by the time we return.  We aren't making a special trip to have Rollin taken care of, but we will be driving right past the Steven's Point exit, so figured we would stop and have the issues he is having taken care of.  Then we will be set for next year too.  We don't want any more chain jams.

     Todays route was nothing new.  Rode the hills into LeRoy, then connected up with the White Pine Trail and rode to Tutsin.   Last week, Tony saw Rex, the guy who is the trail monitor between Leroy and Tustin, Rex said there were 8 trees down on that section, but they have all been cleared.  Although we do more road riding than trail riding, we are grateful for the efforts of all  the volunteers.  They help keep the trail in good shape.

No sunny, Sunday ride is complete without an ice cream stop, so when  our bodies started saying,"ice cream, ice cream,"  we complied and stopped at the Dairy Station,  our reward was Chocolate Moose Tracks ice cream.  Yummy!

     Although many places are very dry, the farmers in our area, say the rains have come at just the right times.  The corn is standing proud and tall, bearing many ears.



      Last week the grandkids, along with our daughter, were up for Vacation Bible School.  The days were filled with activities, including a trip up the Leelanau Peninsula to the charming little village of Northport.   So many intriguing places to ride up there, spectacular views of the bay on one side of the peninsula and views of Lake MI on the other.  Not sure what the widest point of the peninsula is, but in the Northport area, it is about, 12 miles across. At lands end, the Grand Traverse Light House stands on regal guard.  We really need to return, and ride with Rollin.

      White sand beaches and turquoise waters would make one think they were in the Caribbean, rather than northern MI.  The only thing missing were palm trees, swaying in the wind. Such a beautiful area, these pictures, don't do it justice at all.


The grandkids played in the water and the sand on the edge of Northport Bay.



  I'm surprised they each had such abounding  energy,  as we headed off to church and back home, each night. After staying up each night watching the olympics, Tony and I nearly collapsed into the bed at the end of the day.  We were greeted by giggles and kids wanting to come and cuddle by 7 AM each morning.

  On the other days, there was frog hunting, swimming, and much throwing of mud bombs at the little toy boats that floated in the swimming area of the lake we live by.  That lake provides hours of entertainment for the kids, and the frogs that are caught and brought up to the little pond by the house, manage to find their way back to the lake, just fine.  Who knows what stories they have to tell upon their return.

   Something about  a small town war memorials touches my heart.  A reminder that men from all across America set there lives aside, some of them forever, to fight for our freedom. With these flowers standing guard,  this one in  LeRoy, is no exception.  It brings to mind my Grandpa, Dad, Uncles, cousins and other family members who have proudly served this great country of ours.



   Along the trail we had a nice chat with a  friend of ours from church.  Not only did she agree to have her picture taken, but she also took ours.




        This farmstead is along the way. It probably gets pretty noisy  around here in the winter when the snowmobiles go flying past.


   Wild flowers are gracing the roads,  like many colored jewels, sparkling  in the crown of summer.

   

     We rode 20, lazy,  miles today, enjoying every little bit of God's creation that we rode past.  Thanks Lord, for such wonderful day.