New road...

I missed the sanctioned walk so had a private ride to the top and back down.

To be or not to be... a gear head...

To be or not to be... a gear head...

Today was the 10th annual Pumpkinvine ride, and a friend and I decided to ride. This was to be my first organized ride, and while anxious is too strong a word, I wondered what it would be like with all those people.

We agreed to meet at 7 - when the hard-core 104-milers were taking off. My friend was a little late, so I watched all these really serious gear heads ride away. They had all kinds of expensive and flashy gear - from the cycling skull caps to clip on shoes, and really, really high-end bikes. I clearly wasn't in their league with my 20 year old second-hand road bike, tennis shoes, a normal tee-shirt and 'cages'.

Once upon a time I had a cyclometer - a little gadget with sensors that measures your speed and distance. It died on me a few years ago, and last week on my ride I pondered replacing it. I had concluded that I really liked not having all that information; I felt then that it would have distracted me from the pleasure of the ride and the countryside.

Today my riding companion had one and, as I suspected, I really wanted to know how fast we were going, and how far, and what our average speed was, and how many RMP we were cranking. You can get all that stuff. And you know, it really was a mixed blessing.

Our route took us up and down the Bristol Hills, and it was a blast. But our focus turned from the exhilaration of the ride to how fast we were going, and could we go faster.

It was as if we believed knowing our speed made the experience better.

But you know what? It didn't.

All that information competed with the feel of the wind in my face, and the beauty of the landscape flying by.

So I don't think I want one.

But it was helpful, for example, knowing how far we had traveled. ("OK - we're at 34 miles and it's 13 back. Shall we do another loop, or head for Shipshe, or home?" "Um... 47 is enough for me today.")

So I want one.

Hummm...

By the way - we hit 32.6 on one hill. Then a couple miles later, with the wind to our back and pushing harder to beat our previous speed, we hit 38.4.

In the end my best guess is that I put in about 49 miles.

Hummm...

46 Miles...

46 Miles...

The forecast called for light winds from the NE, with temperatures climbing from 56 to 65 before noon, so it seemed like a good morning to go for a cross-country ride. I headed towards Shipshewana because I'd rather have the tailwind on the way home.


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I left at 7:15 and returned home at about 10:30. It was an exhilarating ride up and down hills on quiet county roads.

I've been reading a collection of Wendell Berry's essays, so I think I had a different sense of appreciation for the farms I rode by. The Amish work horses are impressive beasts, and the Amish gardens are enormous and immaculate. They make my little raised beds look like a toy. Which I guess they are.

Now its time to drink, stretch, eat, and rest. My hammock is calling. I feel great.

Supporting entrepreneurship...

Supporting entrepreneurship...

Tonight I had the wind to my back as I biked home. As I came screaming along the bike path east of 15th Street I was flagged down by Anna, Lydia and Esther. They had a wagon parked by the bike path, and I skidded to a stop, much to their delight. They had tricked out their wagon with little dandelion and creeping charlie bouquets tucked artfully in each corner bracket. The wagon was full of hand made crafts and art work. They had price lists, coupons, drawings... a pretty impressive display.

How could I pass them up? So I bought a hand-knit pouch from Anna and a picture frame from Lydia. Poor Esther - I hope she didn't feel left out.

They each gave me a 50-cent off coupon, so I got everything pictured for three bucks.

They were happy. I was happy. What a deal.

Then I came home and made my first meal out of the garden. My sage bush wintered over nicely, and has lots of new leaves. So I sauteed some up with a little garlic, and served it over pasta with a bunch of Parmesan, and a salad on the side. Yum.

2.91 Earths...

2.91 Earths...

Today I took another one of those carbon footprint calculator tests and it told me that if everyone on the planet lived as I live we would need 2.91 earths to support all of us.


I suppose I should take heart that I'm significantly below the national average, which is 6.53 earths. This graph shows how many acres I need to support me (112.9), compared to the national average (246.4). But that is slim consolation, because where are those other 1.91 earths going to come from?
Many of their suggestions for ways to lower my impact are things I already do. But I could do more. Like improve the insulation in my house. Like get a hybrid car. Like replace all my light bulbs with CFL bulbs. Like eat completely vegetarian. But I wonder if we can get there from here. At least voluntarily.

What is your score?

Better than a crocus...

Better than a crocus...

What could be better than a crocus poking it's head up in spring?

Easy - the garlic I planted late last fall - 'cause they're edible.

I couldn't believe my eyes this afternoon when I pushed back the leaves I had piled on top of my garden back in November or December and found a bunch of these little guys poking through.

I'm not sure that the squirrels didn't dig a bunch of them up though. I don't want to be too hasty in casting judgment, but it looks a little suspicious.

Crocuses are starting to poke through, as is the rhubarb. One of my ornamental grasses is showing signs of life too.

Late this afternoon I went for a long bike ride - up along the mill race to the dam, then back up to the bike trail south from College Church to Waterford School. Then I found myself heading west on CR 40 - took CR 21 south to 142 and back up to 15 and home past my mother's. I took a little detour through a corn field down to the river off of 21. Everything is in flood down there, but it was a beautiful back in the woods. Is there anything prettier than last year's lacy leaves on a beech tree before the new buds come in?
Actually it was beautiful everywhere I went.

Eventful morning...

Eventful morning...

I woke up at about 4:30 with what has become an all too familiar flapping and darting. This has gone from mildly amusing to annoying to really annoying. I'm starting to think the squash racquet might be a better solution, although I don't really want to harm this thing. I just don't want it in my house.

Once it was light enough I started looking in earnest for entry points. I found a spot way way up under the eves where the siding is pulled a little away from the soffit, and directly below there is a quarter-sized gap behind the trim header over my closet door. The roof is too steep to safely climb up there to close it up without knowing for sure that it is the problem. To help narrow it down I've set a tell-tale piece of paper in place over the inside gap to see if it gets moved next time I'm visited. I will learn something, and may be able to take corrective action after that.

Then I packed up and biked to the market. Fresh produce is starting to come in and I bought snow peas and broccoli and garlic scapes and asparagus and STRAWBERRIES! This was followed by stops at the post office, the grocery and the hardware store. It is pretty amazing how much I can fit in my panniers.

I'm seeing a lot more bikers out these days. People are pumping up tires instead of $4+ gallon gas. This is fantastic, but if you're a recently revived biker, here are two tips for you: wear a helmet and, most importantly, ride with traffic. This is a pet peeve: I passed a woman yesterday - actually two women - who were riding facing traffic. Actually they were split: both were riding towards me. One was on my side of the road and the other crossed over to join her after I passed. Dumb.

Once I ran all those errands I settled in to set up my hammock. Last year as a house-warming present my kids bought me a hammock, and it has been sitting in a box for too long. Last weekend I bought the posts and today I dug the holes to hang them from. OK, I just ranted on dumb people, so you can guess what happened next...

I needed to go another six inches down for my second post when I hit yet another tree root. I thought "How did this maple put a root down 26" below the surface?" And then I took another cut and wondered "What's that hissing noise?"

Still can't guess? From here I moved very quickly to the house and called the 24 hour emergency number for the gas company. They told me not to smoke near the cut and that somebody would be there shortly. Thirty minutes later we were excavating a much larger access hole. The NIPSCO guy is still here testing the line and finishing the repair.

With any luck I'll still get the post set this afternoon.

Biking...

Biking...

I just learned yesterday morning that it is Michiana Bike to Work Week.

What are you waiting on?

Sure the weather has been a little threatening, but I got just a little damp on the way home tonight.

Biking is absolutely the best way I know to thumb your nose at ever increasing oil prices and traffic headaches. Plus it is great exercise AND produces no carbon. (Ok, I'm exhaling carbon dioxide, and my breathing is a little faster and deeper, so I guess I can't claim it is 100% carbon neutral. But compared to my neighbor's SUV?)

The Michiana Bike to Work Week site has great tips for making biking work for commuters. There are other sites too, like this one. Google commuting by bike. It's a movement.

What are you waiting on?

Drowned rat...

Drowned rat...

I read the weather report online this morning and decided that the 60% chance of rain forecast for mid afternoon tapering to 40% by 5 or 6pm was worth the chance - especially given a 60 degree high.

So at 4:30 when I looked out the window and saw it pouring I thought "Well there is always the bus." But by 5:15 it had stopped so I hoped on my bike and headed home, feeling pretty pleased with myself that I had dodged the big rain.

As I biked along the bike path by the retention pond west of Greencroft, I noticed lots of drops falling in the pond and I thought "thats interesting - because it sure isn't raining up here just 50 feet away." By the time I hit the music center it was coming down pretty hard.

So maybe 40% chance of rain means that it rains hard along 40% of your route. Thats why I looked like a drowned rat by the time I got home.