Post by Blue Tyke on Sept 20, 2008 21:48:21 GMT -5
So I haven’t been riding in a while, since my trip up to Centrailia. Events, be it of a personal nature, financial nature, or just plain didn’t fit with the fates, Tyke and I were doomed to sit out these past few weeks. I was beginning to fear that we would loose the rest of the riding season to these dilemmas but alas I prevailed! Or so I thought….
I searched long and hard, (in a book Weird -Name your State-), and found some interesting things but none really pulled me in any one direction, until I was looking through the Weird Pennsylvania. Some of you may or may not know that the Shoe House I visited before is also mentioned in this book, though at the time of my going I didn’t know that. So anyway there are at least Three “Weird” Places I want to go to. One is called Route 666 but that one is wayyyyyy up in northern PA, rather close to the northern border. I don’t know about you but that is a long way to go for one stretch of road! That would be an over nighter methinks.
Another item, or place rather, that is in the book is a place called Gravity Hill (http://www.gravityhill.com/) and the other Grand View Point (http://www.lhhc.org/content/subpag/ship.htm). I also wanted to head back to Gettysburg because, if dear reader you remember, last time Tyke and I were there my camera battery had died!! So I didn’t get to preserve my memories. We will get them this time! They are close together and lower in the state. So lets go! Wait wait wait! Plot your course woman! So I work tirelessly Thursday and Friday night working out the route, meticulously plotting each street, avenue, blvd, route… You get the idea? So I did some more research online and found a neat little covered bridge tour that included Gravity Hill (it really wasn’t hard to find as it is advertised on Gravity Hill’s website, tehe!). Sweet! I can see more of the area and say I have been there! This was no easy feat as they gave ‘written directions’ to the bridges and that is hard to plot while looking at a flat bit of computer screen. So I looked up all of the bridges online and compiled my waypoints from there. Annnd to top it all off I get the added bonus of company for lunch!
Seeee all these waypoints (Aka Sunny’s Points of Interest)
The beautiful strategically plotted route- Aka tons-o-miles of motorcycle bliss…
Alright so we all aboard? Ready to go!? All systems are loaded into the GPS and we are ready to roll! I got to bed early the night before, gotta be well rested to keep up with Tyke and of course I am so stoked to go it wasn’t funny. This would be my first by myself fully mapped out ride. All the others I have been led, followed someone else’s route, or kinda made it up as I went along. So this time I had a plan. I am a woman on a mission! A mission to ride!
So I was up at the crack of dawn, 6:30am, hehe well it is early for me! Tumble from bed. Do a mental check, all there, no headaches, fill up the camel back, eat some breakfast and lets go spring Tyke from storage!
I get there and everything is going smoothly I get in and pull my car around to the side… Anyone who has heard me talk of Tyke’s escapes from storage knows it is a work out just getting started but I love to ride and it has to be done.
Skipping ahead a little I pull Tyke out and everything looks alright, plug in the key turn her on, get her started and settled then go gear up! That was quick and easy yeah? Well I go back out to Tyke to lower the choke and I see smoke or a ‘grey mist’ and not just from the exhaust pipes! Tyke!! What are you doing?!
I turn the key off and look at her pondering… “Are you mad at me for not riding? I mean I had a headache and you and I both know it is not good to ride if you are not feeling your best..” Foot taping too btw.. No answer… “Alright fine. If you want to be that way we can try this again another time…But I really wanna ride Tyke…This road has no gravity we can toss you in neutral and you’ll roll up hill!” I rolled my eyes at her resistance and double checked everything, straightening her up to check the oil and what not… No oil?? Errr??? Huh!? I just filled it up before the Centralia trip and that was only 400 or so miles! “Tyke did you go out drinking without me!?” I gasped and shook my head. Some people . . . er… bikes… Okay! So I know what the problem is and I know how to fix it! I gotta bottle of oil… Now it is just finding it. I look at the storage unit with doubt. Some secret part of me knows, deep down, that it wouldn’t be THAT simple. Of course the bottle of oil is at HOME not HERE! Garrrr! And if I don’t get on the road soon I will be late for my lunch date! I can’t be late, can’t be late for that very important date! Ah well I’ll just have to make it up on the road.
So fully geared up now I spring Tyke out and head home. This saves me from having to put her away to spring her again… I make it home and run up to my room and there is the oil sitting neatly where I had left it last. Shoot back outside and filler up!
Satisfied that Tyke is no longer pluming anything but the proper exhaust I figure it is time to set up the Garmin…Okay this is how I know my Garmin (or perhaps all Garmin but my at least) is male. I gave it specific, plotted, instructions and it still wanted to argue with me! Arrrggggghhh! For now we will call my Garmin, Zumo, easy and simple it’s his ‘product name’ perhaps then he will understand things… garrrr
Well this is what happened. It looked alright, the directions after it asked me to navigate to the beginning of the route. Sure why not. I know where it is but what is it going to hurt? So I get going and it starts telling me to go these odd ways so I look at it. And the argument ensues as it wants me to start at the end and even that was weird from what I had put in the map system. So it seems that Zumo and I have a few things to work out. (Don’t get me wrong folks I love my Zumo he is the greatest device for tracking and probably would be good with plotting too if, well, he could follow directions!) Anyway so finally we come to a compromise and we are off!
Though this is a good time to point out/remind my readers that things do not always go as they are supposed to…
Heading out was easy after the oil it was gas and hit the road. I get to the start point and start my journey.
I was planning on this next picture being a Mystery Road but now I cannot remember what road it is! I know it is at the beginning of my route… After turning off of Bel Air…It is now a true mystery! Hehehe
I am moving along and I see this:
This…This looks familiar!!! For those avid readers they may recall the following from our adventure in our own backyard. (http://www.bikerworlds.com/LilTyke/view_blog/6502/)
Man those folks work fast! And it looks fantastic!
Hehehe playing with the shadows again
So I am tooting along and making up some good time from this mornings short comings and I get stuck behind none other than Tractors. Not tractor trailers Tractors…5mph tractors O.o
Two tractors and their chaser vehicle. And yes there were six or seven of us caught up behind them.
After weeks and weeks of heat I was thinking my layers, running pants and a light tee, would be good. I did, just in case, pack my arm socks… Well I call them arm socks but they are really fingerless gloves that reach my biceps. I am glad I did! It was COLD! Not as cold as some of the rides I have been on but I was not expecting that! My fingers were red they were so cold! So I had to pull over and put on my arm socks because at least they will help, sadly due to my switching gloves to the fingerless ones there was no protection for my fingertips.
I stopped at a church to put the gloves on and decided it would make a good picture
The change is coming, I feel it in my bones, see it with mine eyes…
A picture for someone…(I missed it last time I passed it, it came out a green blur. This time I actually stopped hehehe!)
Hummm where are we Vanna Tyke? (Vanna White…hehehe) Can I buy a sign please?
After a little more confusion on Zumo’s part we make it to Gettysburg.
There is a weight one feels when they turn off the road. It’s not heavy or pressing it is just there. The weight of knowledge is almost overpowering. I am not a Civil War buff, or any War buff really. War’s scare me, quiet literally. I would have no idea what to do if I had to do what these soldiers, no any soldier does. I wouldn’t have the stomach for it nor the mental capacity. That being said I couldn’t help but think, as Tyke and I traveled along, “Someone died here. Right here. Someone’s blood will forever stain this Earth.” (Figuratively of course) and that is a tragic weight. I may be here where the History of this place is it’s own load but there are places in the world where things like these battles happen every day. Heavy.
I don’t let this stop me but I do feel sad for this realization.
The first roadside information plaque I came to
Have you noticed how everything insofar has been brighter than normal?? I do. Apparently I some how changed my settings for the brightness of the shot.. Odd huh? Well here is the difference:
Before the adjustments:
After I fixed it:
I took several of the roads that were Auto Tours of the grounds. I was beginning to worry that I would be late for lunch if I stopped and took pictures and read all of them so here they are in order that I took them. Also! Some of them have Panorama’s to go with them! I mainly wanted to practice that with this trip, it seems I still need some work but they look awesome!
The top part-
The bottom part-
Tyke and the New York Infantry Column
The info panel on the column in Tyke’s picture
This is a watchtower. I didn’t get closer cause Zumo and I were arguing, again… He wanted me to go home O.o
A neat statue with deep meaning – Panorama shot
From afar-
With Tyke
So I was deciding that I needed to start to find my way out. Zumo was telling me I was going to be way late for lunch, after I had set the lunch spot as the new destination it said we would arrive at 12:48pm and I was thinking no way! Impossible! I clicked over to check the time and it was barely creeping up on 11am and I know for a fact that the lunch spot was less than 10 miles away! Zumo smoked or inhaled some hard fumes before he woke up this morning! Bad Zumo! You are lucky I like you!
That means I have some tootling time, which works because as I was heading back to the big memorial I saw this hilltop and decided to stop. Come to find out:
A panorama shot of one of the many battlegrounds of Gettysburg taken from the area around General Warren: Little Round Top, sadly I can see the advantage to this spot, overseeing the battlefields.
General Warren
An information board about General Warren
Tyke innocently waiting for my return, what ever she says don’t believe her and certainly do not slip her anymore oil!
What the Gettysburg Monument would look like to a fly – (I mean no disrespect I just happened to take the series of pictures to stitch together and this was the outcome. I think it looks really cool)
A look towards Gettysburg from Seminary Ridge Road
It is time for LUNCH! The chosen spot for today is:
(http://www.abcbrew.com/gettysburg/brewery.htm)
I am early despite Zumo’s earlier worries. Of course it is nice that I have access to my email on my phone, Jen, my Lunch date (hehehe) will be arriving between 11:45 – 12 so I am all good because it is now…. 11:10 O.o… Okay well… I had run off forgetting one thing for Gravity Hill and that is a ball. I saw a few stores, might as well go see if I can find one! I did. At a Dollar General. I also found a sunflower! It was only .60 cents so I picked that up too.
I got back and I was still early!
Ah! My Arm Socks!
So I explored around the restaurant…
Saw this and felt inspired:
Found this:
Back here in the back is a gift shop that apparently is attached to a small Museum. I didn’t go through the museum but I did go into the gift shop. I picked up two post cards. I’ll scan them at work on Monday and post them up. I have plans for the actual ones.
I went back out and to the restaurant and decided to wait inside. I was tired of holding my gear and such so I got a table that I could see out the window. That way I can see her coming… Oh wait. I don’t know what she looks like either!! Quick check the email.. Okay bike, Suzuki… Volusia Cruiser… Okay O.o I am not sure what that looks like either! Oh shucks. A few cars pull in as I am peering out the window and I continue to look out the window, although the only bike in the lot is Tyke and I hadn’t heard any other bikes come in. I see an older couple and a woman, they could be together… then I notice the woman’s shirt. It has a motorcycle on it! Could that be? I look to the parking lot and there are no other bikes! Couldn’t be!
It was… Turns out she had every intention of riding her bike but someone, who will remain nameless, (her husband that is still technically nameless I just gave his title) had left the bike on this morning and the battery had died! Shame on him! Either way it was a real delight to meet you Jen! We definitely need to go riding! The food was pretty good too. A bit of a wait, so if you are in a hurry this isn’t the stop for you. I had the BBQ Pork Sandwich and it was very tasty! Sorry no pictures of the grub.
My dining partner Jen snapping a picture of me, so I returned the favor... Photo Ninja! If/when she sends the picture I’ll add that in.
Heading out from lunch I jumped on 30 as that seemed to be the quickest way to get to my mini tour of Bedford Bridges. It seemed Gettysburg was not ready to let us go
This guy was hauling metal!
See already gone:
More of that change coming on!
I was riding along enjoying this portion of road, it is very nice though I can’t remember if it is Route 30 or 522, Zumo had me so confused… Anyway riding along and I see this:
Then this: Panorama shot from Mountain House-
Tyke and the View
All I did was go oooooohhhhh. This is good practice too! Practice for Grand Point View!! Awesome! I am not sure what exactly I took pictures of but it turned out beautifully.
A nice look at a nice long road
Pretty church
I couldn’t seem to get enough of tractors… They were everywhere. I guess that is another indication of the change of seasons then. I got stuck behind this guy. Normally I can deal with the slow pace… But this guy was not containing his load, or what ever it was..
See he is holding a pretty good pace, for a tractor anyway
Note that tan stuff? Not the white twisty tie but the blurry bit? That’s what was coming out of the back of his trailer! It was like Hay Snow... It got everywhere!
And then… Tragedy! Oh it hurts! It does, truly so. It could have been worse, yes. And I am thankful that it was not. As I was traveling down the road, enjoying myself after being stuck behind the tractor, my camera around my neck, my camelback secure on my back, and my eyes on the road… A Car… Cars were not in the plan of course. Especially one that did NOT see me! Needless to say it happens to us all…
Yes yes Tyke and I are fine. No we did not crash, fall over, or even loose our balance. I kept my cool as this moronic moron pulled out to cross the street I was on and did my emergency stop. Screeching tires and dirty underwear later I stopped in time not to become road pizza…
What did not survive and I heard it crunch… Was my camera…:: sigh :: Yes I know. The driver and I traded nothing but glares; I don’t think he realized he had done anything... Alright fine. So I pull over to the side of the road and evaluate the damages. Tyke and I are fine… Well a little scared but alive. So I look to my camera and groan. The lens is thingyed at an odd angle and it keeps beeping at me to turn it off and then turn it back on. Like that’s going to do anything but alright let us play along… Turn off… Turn on… The lens moved a centimeter I swear! Lets see…
Oooh noo… did I get insurance on my camera? Did it cover idiotic drivers not paying attention? No… It covers if it is dropped… It technically did drop from my leg to my lap… Uggghhhh it starts beeping again to be turned on and off so I try in feudal hope it will fix itself. Lets see…
Nope it’s a goner… d**n. Two cameras in less than a year!
Have you ever felt that the Fates were against you the entire day? Those subtle hints just weren’t enough; something just had to die in order for you to call it a day? Tyke’s smoke, Zumo’s reluctance… Many times over, the cold, the tractors, so many tractors… and of course … Death of Camera. I think someone somewhere does not want me to fully enjoy my ride.
So I take the hint. I am no longer in the mood. I am so totally disappointed. I had these great ideas in my head with the bridges, Gravity Hill, and of course Grand View Point. The last one is kind of anticlimactic with no camera! So discouraged I throw up my hands and say “Zumo take me home!” :: blink blink :: Are you serious! Back roads?! I won’t get home until like 8! Someone messed with your wiring brother because you are nuts if you think I am going to take another minute of this crap! I am going home and 70 is right there, I pointed of course but he didn’t care… “You’re going to be like that huh? Fine. I know the way myself…” And off I go, to home. 70 to 695 the whole way. Uggghhh.
Things are not always as you want them to be but that is okay for that leaves this adventure for another day.
Due to the death of my camera (again) I did not capture the Odo picture for this ride but according to Zumo (if he is EVER to be trusted) the ride length was: 297 miles.
I searched long and hard, (in a book Weird -Name your State-), and found some interesting things but none really pulled me in any one direction, until I was looking through the Weird Pennsylvania. Some of you may or may not know that the Shoe House I visited before is also mentioned in this book, though at the time of my going I didn’t know that. So anyway there are at least Three “Weird” Places I want to go to. One is called Route 666 but that one is wayyyyyy up in northern PA, rather close to the northern border. I don’t know about you but that is a long way to go for one stretch of road! That would be an over nighter methinks.
Another item, or place rather, that is in the book is a place called Gravity Hill (http://www.gravityhill.com/) and the other Grand View Point (http://www.lhhc.org/content/subpag/ship.htm). I also wanted to head back to Gettysburg because, if dear reader you remember, last time Tyke and I were there my camera battery had died!! So I didn’t get to preserve my memories. We will get them this time! They are close together and lower in the state. So lets go! Wait wait wait! Plot your course woman! So I work tirelessly Thursday and Friday night working out the route, meticulously plotting each street, avenue, blvd, route… You get the idea? So I did some more research online and found a neat little covered bridge tour that included Gravity Hill (it really wasn’t hard to find as it is advertised on Gravity Hill’s website, tehe!). Sweet! I can see more of the area and say I have been there! This was no easy feat as they gave ‘written directions’ to the bridges and that is hard to plot while looking at a flat bit of computer screen. So I looked up all of the bridges online and compiled my waypoints from there. Annnd to top it all off I get the added bonus of company for lunch!
Seeee all these waypoints (Aka Sunny’s Points of Interest)
The beautiful strategically plotted route- Aka tons-o-miles of motorcycle bliss…
Alright so we all aboard? Ready to go!? All systems are loaded into the GPS and we are ready to roll! I got to bed early the night before, gotta be well rested to keep up with Tyke and of course I am so stoked to go it wasn’t funny. This would be my first by myself fully mapped out ride. All the others I have been led, followed someone else’s route, or kinda made it up as I went along. So this time I had a plan. I am a woman on a mission! A mission to ride!
So I was up at the crack of dawn, 6:30am, hehe well it is early for me! Tumble from bed. Do a mental check, all there, no headaches, fill up the camel back, eat some breakfast and lets go spring Tyke from storage!
I get there and everything is going smoothly I get in and pull my car around to the side… Anyone who has heard me talk of Tyke’s escapes from storage knows it is a work out just getting started but I love to ride and it has to be done.
Skipping ahead a little I pull Tyke out and everything looks alright, plug in the key turn her on, get her started and settled then go gear up! That was quick and easy yeah? Well I go back out to Tyke to lower the choke and I see smoke or a ‘grey mist’ and not just from the exhaust pipes! Tyke!! What are you doing?!
I turn the key off and look at her pondering… “Are you mad at me for not riding? I mean I had a headache and you and I both know it is not good to ride if you are not feeling your best..” Foot taping too btw.. No answer… “Alright fine. If you want to be that way we can try this again another time…But I really wanna ride Tyke…This road has no gravity we can toss you in neutral and you’ll roll up hill!” I rolled my eyes at her resistance and double checked everything, straightening her up to check the oil and what not… No oil?? Errr??? Huh!? I just filled it up before the Centralia trip and that was only 400 or so miles! “Tyke did you go out drinking without me!?” I gasped and shook my head. Some people . . . er… bikes… Okay! So I know what the problem is and I know how to fix it! I gotta bottle of oil… Now it is just finding it. I look at the storage unit with doubt. Some secret part of me knows, deep down, that it wouldn’t be THAT simple. Of course the bottle of oil is at HOME not HERE! Garrrr! And if I don’t get on the road soon I will be late for my lunch date! I can’t be late, can’t be late for that very important date! Ah well I’ll just have to make it up on the road.
So fully geared up now I spring Tyke out and head home. This saves me from having to put her away to spring her again… I make it home and run up to my room and there is the oil sitting neatly where I had left it last. Shoot back outside and filler up!
Satisfied that Tyke is no longer pluming anything but the proper exhaust I figure it is time to set up the Garmin…Okay this is how I know my Garmin (or perhaps all Garmin but my at least) is male. I gave it specific, plotted, instructions and it still wanted to argue with me! Arrrggggghhh! For now we will call my Garmin, Zumo, easy and simple it’s his ‘product name’ perhaps then he will understand things… garrrr
Well this is what happened. It looked alright, the directions after it asked me to navigate to the beginning of the route. Sure why not. I know where it is but what is it going to hurt? So I get going and it starts telling me to go these odd ways so I look at it. And the argument ensues as it wants me to start at the end and even that was weird from what I had put in the map system. So it seems that Zumo and I have a few things to work out. (Don’t get me wrong folks I love my Zumo he is the greatest device for tracking and probably would be good with plotting too if, well, he could follow directions!) Anyway so finally we come to a compromise and we are off!
Though this is a good time to point out/remind my readers that things do not always go as they are supposed to…
Heading out was easy after the oil it was gas and hit the road. I get to the start point and start my journey.
I was planning on this next picture being a Mystery Road but now I cannot remember what road it is! I know it is at the beginning of my route… After turning off of Bel Air…It is now a true mystery! Hehehe
I am moving along and I see this:
This…This looks familiar!!! For those avid readers they may recall the following from our adventure in our own backyard. (http://www.bikerworlds.com/LilTyke/view_blog/6502/)
Man those folks work fast! And it looks fantastic!
Hehehe playing with the shadows again
So I am tooting along and making up some good time from this mornings short comings and I get stuck behind none other than Tractors. Not tractor trailers Tractors…5mph tractors O.o
Two tractors and their chaser vehicle. And yes there were six or seven of us caught up behind them.
After weeks and weeks of heat I was thinking my layers, running pants and a light tee, would be good. I did, just in case, pack my arm socks… Well I call them arm socks but they are really fingerless gloves that reach my biceps. I am glad I did! It was COLD! Not as cold as some of the rides I have been on but I was not expecting that! My fingers were red they were so cold! So I had to pull over and put on my arm socks because at least they will help, sadly due to my switching gloves to the fingerless ones there was no protection for my fingertips.
I stopped at a church to put the gloves on and decided it would make a good picture
The change is coming, I feel it in my bones, see it with mine eyes…
A picture for someone…(I missed it last time I passed it, it came out a green blur. This time I actually stopped hehehe!)
Hummm where are we Vanna Tyke? (Vanna White…hehehe) Can I buy a sign please?
After a little more confusion on Zumo’s part we make it to Gettysburg.
There is a weight one feels when they turn off the road. It’s not heavy or pressing it is just there. The weight of knowledge is almost overpowering. I am not a Civil War buff, or any War buff really. War’s scare me, quiet literally. I would have no idea what to do if I had to do what these soldiers, no any soldier does. I wouldn’t have the stomach for it nor the mental capacity. That being said I couldn’t help but think, as Tyke and I traveled along, “Someone died here. Right here. Someone’s blood will forever stain this Earth.” (Figuratively of course) and that is a tragic weight. I may be here where the History of this place is it’s own load but there are places in the world where things like these battles happen every day. Heavy.
I don’t let this stop me but I do feel sad for this realization.
The first roadside information plaque I came to
Have you noticed how everything insofar has been brighter than normal?? I do. Apparently I some how changed my settings for the brightness of the shot.. Odd huh? Well here is the difference:
Before the adjustments:
After I fixed it:
I took several of the roads that were Auto Tours of the grounds. I was beginning to worry that I would be late for lunch if I stopped and took pictures and read all of them so here they are in order that I took them. Also! Some of them have Panorama’s to go with them! I mainly wanted to practice that with this trip, it seems I still need some work but they look awesome!
The top part-
The bottom part-
Tyke and the New York Infantry Column
The info panel on the column in Tyke’s picture
This is a watchtower. I didn’t get closer cause Zumo and I were arguing, again… He wanted me to go home O.o
A neat statue with deep meaning – Panorama shot
From afar-
With Tyke
So I was deciding that I needed to start to find my way out. Zumo was telling me I was going to be way late for lunch, after I had set the lunch spot as the new destination it said we would arrive at 12:48pm and I was thinking no way! Impossible! I clicked over to check the time and it was barely creeping up on 11am and I know for a fact that the lunch spot was less than 10 miles away! Zumo smoked or inhaled some hard fumes before he woke up this morning! Bad Zumo! You are lucky I like you!
That means I have some tootling time, which works because as I was heading back to the big memorial I saw this hilltop and decided to stop. Come to find out:
A panorama shot of one of the many battlegrounds of Gettysburg taken from the area around General Warren: Little Round Top, sadly I can see the advantage to this spot, overseeing the battlefields.
General Warren
An information board about General Warren
Tyke innocently waiting for my return, what ever she says don’t believe her and certainly do not slip her anymore oil!
What the Gettysburg Monument would look like to a fly – (I mean no disrespect I just happened to take the series of pictures to stitch together and this was the outcome. I think it looks really cool)
A look towards Gettysburg from Seminary Ridge Road
It is time for LUNCH! The chosen spot for today is:
(http://www.abcbrew.com/gettysburg/brewery.htm)
I am early despite Zumo’s earlier worries. Of course it is nice that I have access to my email on my phone, Jen, my Lunch date (hehehe) will be arriving between 11:45 – 12 so I am all good because it is now…. 11:10 O.o… Okay well… I had run off forgetting one thing for Gravity Hill and that is a ball. I saw a few stores, might as well go see if I can find one! I did. At a Dollar General. I also found a sunflower! It was only .60 cents so I picked that up too.
I got back and I was still early!
Ah! My Arm Socks!
So I explored around the restaurant…
Saw this and felt inspired:
Found this:
Back here in the back is a gift shop that apparently is attached to a small Museum. I didn’t go through the museum but I did go into the gift shop. I picked up two post cards. I’ll scan them at work on Monday and post them up. I have plans for the actual ones.
I went back out and to the restaurant and decided to wait inside. I was tired of holding my gear and such so I got a table that I could see out the window. That way I can see her coming… Oh wait. I don’t know what she looks like either!! Quick check the email.. Okay bike, Suzuki… Volusia Cruiser… Okay O.o I am not sure what that looks like either! Oh shucks. A few cars pull in as I am peering out the window and I continue to look out the window, although the only bike in the lot is Tyke and I hadn’t heard any other bikes come in. I see an older couple and a woman, they could be together… then I notice the woman’s shirt. It has a motorcycle on it! Could that be? I look to the parking lot and there are no other bikes! Couldn’t be!
It was… Turns out she had every intention of riding her bike but someone, who will remain nameless, (her husband that is still technically nameless I just gave his title) had left the bike on this morning and the battery had died! Shame on him! Either way it was a real delight to meet you Jen! We definitely need to go riding! The food was pretty good too. A bit of a wait, so if you are in a hurry this isn’t the stop for you. I had the BBQ Pork Sandwich and it was very tasty! Sorry no pictures of the grub.
My dining partner Jen snapping a picture of me, so I returned the favor... Photo Ninja! If/when she sends the picture I’ll add that in.
Heading out from lunch I jumped on 30 as that seemed to be the quickest way to get to my mini tour of Bedford Bridges. It seemed Gettysburg was not ready to let us go
This guy was hauling metal!
See already gone:
More of that change coming on!
I was riding along enjoying this portion of road, it is very nice though I can’t remember if it is Route 30 or 522, Zumo had me so confused… Anyway riding along and I see this:
Then this: Panorama shot from Mountain House-
Tyke and the View
All I did was go oooooohhhhh. This is good practice too! Practice for Grand Point View!! Awesome! I am not sure what exactly I took pictures of but it turned out beautifully.
A nice look at a nice long road
Pretty church
I couldn’t seem to get enough of tractors… They were everywhere. I guess that is another indication of the change of seasons then. I got stuck behind this guy. Normally I can deal with the slow pace… But this guy was not containing his load, or what ever it was..
See he is holding a pretty good pace, for a tractor anyway
Note that tan stuff? Not the white twisty tie but the blurry bit? That’s what was coming out of the back of his trailer! It was like Hay Snow... It got everywhere!
And then… Tragedy! Oh it hurts! It does, truly so. It could have been worse, yes. And I am thankful that it was not. As I was traveling down the road, enjoying myself after being stuck behind the tractor, my camera around my neck, my camelback secure on my back, and my eyes on the road… A Car… Cars were not in the plan of course. Especially one that did NOT see me! Needless to say it happens to us all…
Yes yes Tyke and I are fine. No we did not crash, fall over, or even loose our balance. I kept my cool as this moronic moron pulled out to cross the street I was on and did my emergency stop. Screeching tires and dirty underwear later I stopped in time not to become road pizza…
What did not survive and I heard it crunch… Was my camera…:: sigh :: Yes I know. The driver and I traded nothing but glares; I don’t think he realized he had done anything... Alright fine. So I pull over to the side of the road and evaluate the damages. Tyke and I are fine… Well a little scared but alive. So I look to my camera and groan. The lens is thingyed at an odd angle and it keeps beeping at me to turn it off and then turn it back on. Like that’s going to do anything but alright let us play along… Turn off… Turn on… The lens moved a centimeter I swear! Lets see…
Oooh noo… did I get insurance on my camera? Did it cover idiotic drivers not paying attention? No… It covers if it is dropped… It technically did drop from my leg to my lap… Uggghhhh it starts beeping again to be turned on and off so I try in feudal hope it will fix itself. Lets see…
Nope it’s a goner… d**n. Two cameras in less than a year!
Have you ever felt that the Fates were against you the entire day? Those subtle hints just weren’t enough; something just had to die in order for you to call it a day? Tyke’s smoke, Zumo’s reluctance… Many times over, the cold, the tractors, so many tractors… and of course … Death of Camera. I think someone somewhere does not want me to fully enjoy my ride.
So I take the hint. I am no longer in the mood. I am so totally disappointed. I had these great ideas in my head with the bridges, Gravity Hill, and of course Grand View Point. The last one is kind of anticlimactic with no camera! So discouraged I throw up my hands and say “Zumo take me home!” :: blink blink :: Are you serious! Back roads?! I won’t get home until like 8! Someone messed with your wiring brother because you are nuts if you think I am going to take another minute of this crap! I am going home and 70 is right there, I pointed of course but he didn’t care… “You’re going to be like that huh? Fine. I know the way myself…” And off I go, to home. 70 to 695 the whole way. Uggghhh.
Things are not always as you want them to be but that is okay for that leaves this adventure for another day.
Due to the death of my camera (again) I did not capture the Odo picture for this ride but according to Zumo (if he is EVER to be trusted) the ride length was: 297 miles.