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165 miles, 1 cardinal, 91 kids, about 15 adults, and 1 warning by a super cool state trooper...
Yesterday was the annual 5th grade trip to camp for my son's school... Original plans to ride with my neighbor were changed when the weather was predicted to be low 80s and sunny (how can you not take 2 wheels in those conditions if you have the ability?)
The trip to camp is about 82 miles and the final few are REALLY nice so I packed up the bike (and my neighbor's van) and headed out... I followed the busses most of the way... running interference for them when they were separated by other vehicles so the second bus could return to its place behind the first... but the busses were constantly going 10 - 15 miles slower than the speed limit and after about 65 miles of this... I couldn't stand it any longer...
I see a spot where the one lane opens to two for passing so I decided to take advantage of it before I fell asleep... I buried the speedometer as I passed the busses and just ahead I see a nice sweeper (how can you not take advantage of something like that if you have the ability?)
I was just starting to slow it down after the curve when just my luck...
A state trooper is in the line of oncoming cars...
I pull over... I know he's coming for me... look in my mirror... yep...
He does a u-turn... turns on his lights... and as he's moving to take his place behind me... there go the two busses... and 7 cars of parents... whoopin', hollerin' and wavin' at me as they pass by... One of the Moms luckily stopped behind the trooper and apparently told him that I had been following the busses ALL morning and had JUST passed them... which happened to be the same thing I told him...
"and there I was" he said
"Yes Sir... there you were"
A brief conversation followed... with a...
"We can count on you to go slower the rest of the day?"
"Yes Sir"
He gives me a warning (which is great, because I'm still doing the Defensive Driving course for the speeding ticket I got earlier in the year...)
Ahem
So anyway...
Trying not to speed... but still trying to catch up to the busses (like that was going to be difficult... it isn't like they were speeding... or going the speed limit... or even close... ) I pass a couple of gravel trucks just in time to catch a cardinal on my left arm... Birds don't feel like bugs at all... at least this one didn't... and it didn't splat... I thought... Later, I found feathers and other birdy dooings on my tank... I felt pretty bad about this one...
What is this anyway? I've never hit a bird and now I've hit two in less than two weeks... a bluebird in Arkansas... and a cardinal here... John and I figure the next one will either be yellow to complete the set of primary colors... or white... just to be patriotic...
Soooooooo moving along....
We arrive at the retreat where we will be spending the day... The kids pile off the busses and the parents from their vehicles... My time with the trooper was the object of conversation for QUITE some time... ahem...
The kids thought it was cool... Man! that'll change when they have their turn in a few years...
lol
Luckily... the scenery is breathtaking and the conversation soon turned to awes of appreciation of the retreat...
(We didn't get to do this part as it isn't open until summer... but it sure looks like fun)
We did get to do the 40 foot zipline... Which was amazingly easy to climb up after the 100 foot tower in Arkansas... and this one wasn't nearly as shakey...
That's our son on the right... He was a hoot... He yells down...
"If I die... tell my Mom I love her!!"
It was a lot funnier after he made it down safely...
lol
View from the top...
I was going to video going down... but got worried I'd break my camera going over the edge... maybe next time...
Now... I'm extremely afraid of heights... but I had a partner who although she was just as afraid... was just as determined to conquer the zipline...
My partner in line...
I told her before we went up the tower that we would go on the count of three... I really didn't expect her to go just before I finished saying three.. but she didn't hesitate... It took FAR less time than I thought it would to get us both over the edge... what a HOOT!
After the zipline we headed to the pool to cool off...
Wildflowers in bloom along the path...
Cooling off...
A few games before dinner and the signal that it was time to eat...
Either that... or they were waiting for me... vengeance for killing yet another of their kind earlier in the day...
After dinner one of the Moms comes and gets me to show me these just above the door to some of the bathrooms... The kids never noticed them... thank goodness...
(don't worry guys... you're safe... I'm not on my bike...)
After dinner... some hayrides and games before going here for a non-existent campfire...
and finally... because this is a ride report... a pic of Something Special enjoying the day...
It was an incredible day!
Yesterday was the annual 5th grade trip to camp for my son's school... Original plans to ride with my neighbor were changed when the weather was predicted to be low 80s and sunny (how can you not take 2 wheels in those conditions if you have the ability?)
The trip to camp is about 82 miles and the final few are REALLY nice so I packed up the bike (and my neighbor's van) and headed out... I followed the busses most of the way... running interference for them when they were separated by other vehicles so the second bus could return to its place behind the first... but the busses were constantly going 10 - 15 miles slower than the speed limit and after about 65 miles of this... I couldn't stand it any longer...
I see a spot where the one lane opens to two for passing so I decided to take advantage of it before I fell asleep... I buried the speedometer as I passed the busses and just ahead I see a nice sweeper (how can you not take advantage of something like that if you have the ability?)
I was just starting to slow it down after the curve when just my luck...
A state trooper is in the line of oncoming cars...
I pull over... I know he's coming for me... look in my mirror... yep...
He does a u-turn... turns on his lights... and as he's moving to take his place behind me... there go the two busses... and 7 cars of parents... whoopin', hollerin' and wavin' at me as they pass by... One of the Moms luckily stopped behind the trooper and apparently told him that I had been following the busses ALL morning and had JUST passed them... which happened to be the same thing I told him...
"and there I was" he said
"Yes Sir... there you were"
A brief conversation followed... with a...
"We can count on you to go slower the rest of the day?"
"Yes Sir"
He gives me a warning (which is great, because I'm still doing the Defensive Driving course for the speeding ticket I got earlier in the year...)
Ahem
So anyway...
Trying not to speed... but still trying to catch up to the busses (like that was going to be difficult... it isn't like they were speeding... or going the speed limit... or even close...
) I pass a couple of gravel trucks just in time to catch a cardinal on my left arm... Birds don't feel like bugs at all... at least this one didn't... and it didn't splat... I thought... Later, I found feathers and other birdy dooings on my tank... I felt pretty bad about this one...What is this anyway? I've never hit a bird and now I've hit two in less than two weeks... a bluebird in Arkansas... and a cardinal here... John and I figure the next one will either be yellow to complete the set of primary colors... or white... just to be patriotic...
Soooooooo moving along....
We arrive at the retreat where we will be spending the day... The kids pile off the busses and the parents from their vehicles... My time with the trooper was the object of conversation for QUITE some time... ahem...
The kids thought it was cool... Man! that'll change when they have their turn in a few years...
lol
Luckily... the scenery is breathtaking and the conversation soon turned to awes of appreciation of the retreat...
(We didn't get to do this part as it isn't open until summer... but it sure looks like fun)
We did get to do the 40 foot zipline... Which was amazingly easy to climb up after the 100 foot tower in Arkansas... and this one wasn't nearly as shakey...
That's our son on the right... He was a hoot... He yells down...
"If I die... tell my Mom I love her!!"
It was a lot funnier after he made it down safely...
lol
View from the top...
I was going to video going down... but got worried I'd break my camera going over the edge... maybe next time...
Now... I'm extremely afraid of heights... but I had a partner who although she was just as afraid... was just as determined to conquer the zipline...
My partner in line...
I told her before we went up the tower that we would go on the count of three... I really didn't expect her to go just before I finished saying three.. but she didn't hesitate... It took FAR less time than I thought it would to get us both over the edge... what a HOOT!
After the zipline we headed to the pool to cool off...
Wildflowers in bloom along the path...
Cooling off...
A few games before dinner and the signal that it was time to eat...
Either that... or they were waiting for me... vengeance for killing yet another of their kind earlier in the day...
After dinner one of the Moms comes and gets me to show me these just above the door to some of the bathrooms... The kids never noticed them... thank goodness...
(don't worry guys... you're safe... I'm not on my bike...)
After dinner... some hayrides and games before going here for a non-existent campfire...
and finally... because this is a ride report... a pic of Something Special enjoying the day...
It was an incredible day!
(Sold back to Maximan)
- NOW IT'S FOR SALE! $1,800 OBO
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