Monday, October 7, 2013

3rd Day - Just Ride

Well, I mostly just rode .......  when I wasn't stopping -


  • To sit, listen and look
  • To use my camera phone
It was a beautiful day, almost too good for early October in our neighborhood.  The weather site said 40 degrees at 7, I was on the bike at 9:30 and it wasn't yet 50 but getting close.  I left the Lumix camera home today and pulled out the 4S for every shot.  I'm still not as smooth with it as I should be but I keep trying.

Hwy 60 west of Gotham, the Wisconsin River.


A perfect arc.....and I'm going to do it next.


Looking north, a very long ways, over the top of the Wisconsin River Valley and beyond.



You just know it's a good one when it starts out like this.......narrow and soon steep.....


and at the crest....



A hundred yards beyond and down again.


Mid-summer this area had double digits of rain in one storm and I saw remnants again today.




Once again, the photo flattens out a prominent hill; the bull in the foreground was paying very close attention to me.  I meant no harm to his girls.


I met the grader, a good thing we were both going slow.


After turning on to the next gravel road, I discovered that he'd already finished that one.  The newly roughed up gravel made for slightly more careful navigating.  Staying completely on one side or the other of the road's crown was the prudent thing to do.


A momentary dip, then a rise, then a steep descent.



One of my favorites, Gran Grea Road.



The adjacent walnut grove w/red vines highlighting their early leaf drop.....


These valleys are full of springs and the resulting streams.


A long green hayfield bordered by pavement.


Just before cresting the hill, I came upon this almost moon-scape, eroded hillside, abandoned farmstead except for the cattle grazing around it.


Once at the crest and looking back down....


You can't buy gates like this at the farm store......


I'm not even sure how far I went today, almost 250 based on the gas I used.......just under 4 gallons.  It's a good thing I'm going home tomorrow evening or I'd get so good at this wandering that I might forget how to get back to Minnesota......but until late tomorrow afternoon, there are some more roads......

10 comments:

  1. Wow! Looks like a fun day out! I'm not sure how the Triumph will handle loose gravel, but I'm tempted to find out after seeing these pics...

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    1. Lucky, lots of roads down here are paved; I went looking for the loose stuff.

      Met a Tiger yesterday, Triumphs can do it :)

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  2. Are we looking at crop circles? Some playful grass and crop design from the air?

    Sweet ride, sweet countryside. I love the fresh graded road. THAT I would ride through. Such delicate weather we are enjoying. I understand why heading home might be difficult.

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  3. Delicate for October is perfect. I am, shortly, going to delicately enjoy another one.

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  4. A beautiful area for a tootle around the countryside. Your iphone did great with the pictures, but I give you credit for having the eye for what to photograph.

    The loose gravel looks a little tenuous. I get to patches like that and chant to myself - "loose on the bars, loose on the bars."

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    1. In many ways, this area is like New England, except there was more, later agriculture. Population density is low, farms small and roads plentiful. A very good mix for the type of exploration and riding that make me go.

      I've had all of my bikes on these roads, scooters too. Some are easier and more fun than others though. My earliest riding (and falling down) was on gravel and loose dirt. Most of us that started that way think it makes for good history.

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  5. Coop:

    You're killing me with these photos. Oh how I wished that I should buy a small 250cc dual sport and explore some of these non-paved roads. It seems a more relaxing way to explore and enjoy nature.

    before I forget. Part of the problem with snapping photos with your iPhone is that you tap your screen and then it "moves", causing blurred images. Instead, click one of those volume buttons. Orient your iPhone so that the buttons are on the top. One of the volume buttons is also the shutter release. You are more able to snap a photo when you can hold your phone more firmly. Of course I think you knew this already

    bob
    Riding the Wet Coast

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    1. Bob,
      I think it's a combination of going slow(er) on whatever machine you choose; these roads and areas are just more conducive to doing so. Connecting them are sweepers that make the sport bikers swoon and that's fun too. Taking that next left to see where it goes is more rewarding .....for me.

      I did NOT know about the other buttons; you've done me a great service. That front center button is a real pain.

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  6. Beautiful roads and if you were looking for gravel, I think you found it.

    I end up using my phone camera far more than anything else. Fortunately, they are improving enough to be a pretty fair substitute.

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    1. The camera does seem very capable, the available Apps that much better. Now if I can just figure out how to use it to potential.

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