Demo Days with Peter and The Floral City Strawbetty Fest

I am a little late on my announcements!
The 1st Weekend of March will be really busy here in Floral City.
Friday night will be the Kick-Off Party for the Annual Strawberry Festival in Downtown Floral City. There will be music and BBQ.
Saturday will be lots of fun when Peter Stull "The Bicycle Man" from New York will be here doing a Demo of his Linear Bikes and will be showing off his new 1st Avenue Trike.
The whole town will be abuzz with folks roaming around town going to the Festival at Floral Park and riding the Trail. There will be lots of Strawberries!
Join Us for the fun.

Upstairs to the Peak

     North bound to Colorado Springs which for our liking is way too populated and sprawled out but is surrounded by mountains and the weather is pretty ideal, although a bit hot during the day but in the 60s and 50 at night.  Got a campground about 12 minutes from my daughters' house which makes going back and forth easy. Monday was spent shopping and stocking up on supplies, Tuesday a bit of rock scrambling with the kids at Palmer Park and a visit to Angletech Bicycles to visit and talk with Calvin.  He also stocks and sells mainly recumbents and trikes.
     Wednesday was a day for play and a trip to Manitou Springs and a climb up the Manitou Incline.  This is a stairway made of RR ties straight up a mountain for a mile, gaining over 2000 ft. of elevation going to 8000 some ft. Gotta say I was pretty proud of Cindy and I for making it to the top as there were much younger people huffing and puffing on the way up. Running down with  Ethan and Ryan  was a blast and a great pay off for the climb.

     Thursday was checking off a bucket list thing, taking a fly fishing lesson. Very informative and makes me want to try my hand at it.  Ethan got a good handle on it, Ryan maybe too young yet. Cindy and daughter Shannon caught on very well. Maybe something to do in the future or later on in this trip.

     Son in law Paul took off of work Friday for a trip up Pikes Peak, a drive to 14,110 or 14,115 depending on which sign you're reading. Regardless the oxygen is rare, but no ill effects even climbing around on the rocks  and over to actually walk in snow, something I haven't done for years.  The views were stunning until a rain and hail storm moved in.  I really wanted to ride my trike on the way up or down but no shoulders and hair pin turns and drivers looking at scenery persuaded me from doing so.
     Last night we made a drive to Garden of the Gods for a sunset but the Gods had other ideas and a storm ensued  but not before we got a good look at these ancient rock formations,

    Did you see the mt. goat in the 3rd picture?
A new week, new adventures to come.

Finding time

     Sorry for the delayed post but finding time is tough with all the activities we've been doing with daughter Shannon and the grand kids. 
     So to catch up in order lets start 0n 7/12 when we left Olathe KS. and stopped over night at Water Sports CG in Dodge City.  No water that I see for any kind of water sports, and the AC in the camper hasn't turned off since we got here. Left the next morning and stopped to visit Jerrel at Rans Bicycles in Montezuma KS.  I like where he is taking this fine line of recumbents and pedal forward bikes.
     Arrived in Alamosa CO. a couple days early, our destination for the train ride on the Rio Grande RR.  Elevation is @ 6600 ft. surrounded by the Sangre De Cristo Mts. to the East and San Juans to the West. Got to play a round of disc golf while Cindy did a bit of bird watching.Different hazards here in Co.

     The family arrived from Colorado Springs on the 15th so we headed for the Great Sand Dunes National Park and Zapata falls.  Being the largest sand dunes in the country made us feel like we were in the Sahara Desert.  Boy did that sand get hot. Pictures from a phone can't get the scope of the size of these dunes so maybe if interested go online and goggle the park. 
     Zapata falls was the opposite in as far as temperature goes with the ice cold mountain water on bare feet. Fun rock hopping with Ethan and Ryan.

                                                                                                  7/18/15
     As mentioned earlier in this post the main reason for the stop in Alamosa was the train ride, but not just any train ride.  This is a ride on the former train form the Illinois Central Line, the City Of New Orleans and in the club car "Mardi Gras" which was the car Steve Goodman wrote the song while traveling on the line in 1971. Not only is this special but add to this the band Trout Fishing in America is on the same car on the way to a concert at Fir Mt. concert venue. It was about a 2 hour scenic ride up the mountain and a fabulous concert featuring Trout Fishing's Ezra and Keith and opening act Ann Hills. Icing on the cake was the ride back to Alamosa and jamming with the musicians.

     North to Colorado Springs where we're settled in at Falcon Meadows CG for 2 weeks visiting the family.  Made a side trip while here to visit Calvin at Angle Tech Bicycles and see his operation. 

     More to come as photos get up loaded.   So far aside from a sudden thunder and hail storm the weather has been great. Not missing the Florida heat at all.
                                                                                    

Sad beginning happy ending

     The news of Dennis Cooper's death was a shock to say the least but a nice memorial and celebration of life that followed was up lifting.
     We now sit in the Watersports campground, don't let your mind go to the gutter as mine would do, in Dodge City, KS, around 102 degrees no shade to speak of and our little AC on the roof cranking away. Brings memories of Needles CA.
     While in Olathe KS, Cindy's hometown known for the LARGE amount of trains passing through  one at least every 9 minutes or less being the crossing of the Santa Fe', California, and Oregon trails and a main RR line from Los Angeles  to Chicago we parked in brother in law's driveway about 150 feet from the tracks. However a newly enacted "quiet zone" helped with the previously endless amount of train whistles all day and night.
     While here we delivered to Cindy's great niece her first bicycle.
Right away a neighbor girl came over with her bicycle to ride with Celeste. Here is dad Rus doing what is one of a dad's finest moments of parenting.
     As the title says sad beginning happy ending, we also attended the wedding of Cindy's beautiful niece Brianna to a fine handsome gentleman Ben Grise', whom should now be on  honeymoon in Cancun. Sorry the picture was from an i phone in motion.

      Something I have never seen before is a finger print tree instead of signing a registration book. Maybe in case someone makes off with the wedding gifts, LOL.
     The wedding was held in the restored Vox Theater which went through several transformations from silent movie theater, to talkie, to auto garage to event hall.  Cindy's mom used to go to movies here when she was a teen. The wedding ceremony was a joyous occasion as the dance floor was never empty and everyone had a grand time.

     We also went to a Trout Fishing in America concert while in Olathe and now on the way to see them again in Alamosa Co. on the Rio Grande RR concert train.  Ezra and Keith will think we're stocking them. Hey, I've never followed Fish so I guess I'll follow Trout.
     Now waiting for a bit of a cool down before riding into Dodge City on our bikes.  Oh, there are sand spurs here in KS by the way.
    

      Left Florida on a hot sunny Sunday June 21, 2015 at 8:45 AM, the Summer Solstice and longest day of the year, heading first for Gainsville Trader Joe's to stock up on provisions then North bound on I-75 to get through Atlanta hoping traffic is lighter on a Sunday. Hope the Braves aren't playing. Destination, Leisure Time RV park, Adairsville Ga. Well the Braves were playing and the traffic was not light but persevere we did and got to the campground after 10 1/2 hours driving. Ended up at the Good Sam park next door to Leisure Time called Harvest Moon. Nice clean well maintained park at $36. per/nite and free pop corn, wifi, cable TV , and a pool and game room both closed by the tie we got there.  Getting about 10.5 MPG out of the van and it seems to pull well.
      Next morning cooked breakfast and got on the road to one of our favorite camp grounds, Whittington Woods in Ill.  No trouble getting through Chattanooga and Nashville.  Gas prices are running anywhere from a high of 2.46 to 2.89.  I usually stop at Flying J or Pilot since I have a rewards card and get .3 per/gal off.  Planning to stay for two nights at Whittington Woods and ride the Rend lake trail but plans have a way of being changed by unforeseen events.  On the way Cindy got a call from her dad that her brother died of a massive stroke at the age 63. So tomorrow we drag up and hit the road for Olathe KS.  Things will get better as we both found 4 leaf clovers and we saw some old friends who started us on our towing with a van instead of a pick up thing, better to carry bikes with.  Sorry no pictures yet but nothing spectacular to shoot.  As Willy Nelson sings, "On the Road Again".

Catrike Folding 26"

     Finally arrived and ready for test rides is the new Catrike 559 the folding 26' wheeled  
trike from the Orlando factory.  Think of an offspring of an Expedition and a Trail if trikes could do that sort of thing, then you'll have an idea of the 559. It's got the padded seat cushion like the Trail and a 26" rear wheel of an Expedition and folds up like a Trail. So come on over and give it a ride.   

Kickoff Party....let the fun begin.

Oh My Goodness, I forgot to mention the Kickoff Party for the Floral City Strawberry Festival.  It is Friday March 6th from 6-9pm. We will have Music, BBQ, Beer, Wine and of course Strawberry Shortcake. It will be taking place at the town center here in Floral City. Hope to see lots of you there!

CATRIKE RALLY

Can you believe it's already time to start planning to attend the 11th annual Catrike Rally on Sat. March 7.  This year we will not be able to attend the Rally in Orlando but we are planning to host a ride on Sunday March 8 on the Withlacoochee Trail. This year we will be riding to Inverness and going to the Pine St. Pub. We will need anyone who plans to attend  our ride to RSVP at least a week in advance. You can call or send us an email.  You can come early and have coffee and treats with us around 9am or arrive around 10am,  we hope to leave our shop around 11am. It is only about 7 miles to Inverness. We look forward to seeing lots of folks here, it will be lots of Fun! Floral City will also be having their annual Strawberry Festival at Floral Park if you are looking for other things to do in the area.
SEE YA!

Headed on South to the Land of the Pines

      Like the lyrics to Wagon Wheel by Old Crow Medicine Show we're headed on South. After about a 2 week stay at Bass Lake CG in Springfield Oh. and riding the Little Miami and Great Miami trail, once with Larry Varney we are now in Canonsburg Pa. visiting my Sister, parked in her drive way.  Yellow Springs Oh. is in the process of building a hotel which I would suppose to be rather boutique but who knows.  They do get a lot of tourism in town.

     Yesterday we took a ride on the trail along the Monongahela River in Pittsburgh from The Hot Metal Bridge to McKeesport which is part of the Great Allegheny Passage to Washington DC.  Joan my sister rode the ICE Adventure, Cindy and I on our Tour Easy LWB.  My nephew Steve and brother in law Bo were going to go but Bo's knee was acting up and Steve caught a bug in Equador and not feeling up to par, so it was Joan, Cindy, and I on a splendid sunny cool day.

      Although most of the steel industry has moved overseas in the 70s and 80s there is still some action going on in Phg.  Used to be steel mills, blast furnaces, warehouses, and railroad yards of the Industrial Revolution along this corridor which is now University of Pgh. training facility, restaurants, shopping, and this trail we are riding. Lots of jobs lost, people retrained, and the city now has a clean skyline and listed as one of the top cities to live in. 

    Like I mentioned, there is still industry here and you can see and hear signs of it along the trail.  I guess you could call portions of this trail "rails with trails". At one point I was riding right beside a train when at a crossing his whistle blew and set my ears ringing. Many trains along and crossing at bridges all along the trail moving freight and containers.

      Nice to see blue collar jobs still in this city which I grew up and still making things here in the good ole USA.
      Also rode by the amusement park I went to as a kid, Kennywood Park, although our school picnics were at a different park called West View Park which is now gone.

Kennywood always had the better rides but the public school kids went there. We Catholic kids went to West View. They still have a wooden Roller Coaster that was built in 1920 and is one of the oldest still-running coasters in the world.  The design uses wheels both under and over the track holding the car to the track in the double dip making the rider feel like they will be thrown from they're seat. The last seat provided the strongest air time and the most desired seat on the ride.  There is another newer steel coaster called Phantom's Revenge with steep drops and upside down twisting turns.  The park has been on PBS many times.
     Here a few more days to ride the Montour Trail then on South towards home in hot steamy FL.

Lets step back a bit.

      I know we only spent one day in Madison WI but this is no reason for me to not mention this wonderful city.  The bicycle friendly status is amazing to say the least with many trails, safe streets, bike rental stations, bike shops, and bike sculptures.
With only one day to explore we hit the Capital City trail and ran upon a great little coffee shop with outside seating and a lot of cool art and scrap sculptures. All along the trail on the right side were gardens of veggies and flowers and on the left were the old downtown businesses.

      After a coffee and snack we proceeded on the trail towards the lakes but ran into a mass of people walking, I mean hundreds of people, on a diabetic fund raiser walk blocking our way so we deviated on a spur into the city towards the capitol.  Very cool to be able to ride right up to the capitol safely on our bikes. Saw quite a few streets where bicycles can use the whole lane and have the right of way.

      After touring the city for a while we found our way back to the trail and rode around the lakes, trough some neighborhoods and back down the trail to eat lunch at a place with a lot of bikes parked around it called Micky"s Tavern.  Looked like the place to go so in we went.  Neat older building in older part of downtown with a patio out back.  They had a bloody Mary that was a meal in itself with celery, olives, mushroom, brussels sprouts, and a sweet hot pepper.  Man that was good and it came with a beer back.  Like I say and do, eat where the locals eat.

      After a great lunch for Cindy, a sun dried tomato Quiche, and me a burger sans bun, and kettle chips, I should have gotten the potatoes, they looked good we got back on the trail and headed back to the van for a trip to Trader Joe's to stock up no groceries.  Best to shop on a full stomach so we don't buy everything in the store and have to find space for it all in the camper.   Madison will require another visit for sure and a longer stay next time. Until then we have our memories.

Whats new?

      You ride a trail so many times and don't really expect anything to change, well at least not as much as this.  We always make the trip to Yellow Springs to hole up for Labor Day so as not to be on the road and to ride the Little Miami trail.  Well, Thursday while on our way to Xenia from Yellow Springs I swore the trail didn't curve at this certain point but there was a big red building straight ahead. It looked to be in the middle of the trail.  Well it was, but it was a covered bridge, a brand new covered bridge at that.  And to beat all it had a bicycle weather vane on top.

      As for Yellow Springs, it is still the same vibrant charming small town it always is.  Some new faces with new students and teachers and some shops changed hands but mostly familiar. Last night we went to the Emporium wine tasting and heard a band by the name of Lord Kimbo.  The guitarist was great but I'm now an old fart and it just seemed too loud for such a small venue.  Still a good time but I prefer acoustic music in a smaller place.  Monday is dinner and a movie at the Sunrise Cafe' and Little Art Theater.  We'll see "Boyhood".  Hoping to hook up with Larry Varney and ride the Great Miami trail next week. We'll see what shakes.  

       

        Finally have a decent wifi signal so lets catch up shall we, before I forget where all we have been.  Left Bemidji on a Sunday thinking traffic would be light.  The lake effect took over in two ways. One: Seems everyone else who has a cabin or lake house in Northern MN. had to be at work on Monday, DUH! Plus, there was some kind of race in Brainerd with a sign saying "delay due to event traffic" so those two things caused about a 4 mile backup.  Then a car broke down in a construction zone with no where to be pushed off so another jam with everyone having to merge to the left lane.  Then the storm. A deluge of rain, lightning, cars pulling off kind of normal for FL every afternoon but not Cannon Falls, MN.  Heard 7 inches of rain fell. Needless to say it took a lot longer to get to Lanesboro MN. than it should have. Once in Lanesboro and plugged in at Sylvan City park campground where we stayed 4 or 5 years ago to ride the Root River Trail everything was just peachy. We can walk into and around town from the campground with ease, hear live music, grab a beer, lunch and such, and ride again the Root River trail.  Day one, rode the Tour Easys to Rushford a 36.6 mile run. Had lunch at STUMPY"S, of a big fat piece of meatloaf, mashed potatoes gravy and green beans and a craft brew to wash it all down.  The Root River tr is as nice as we remembered. Back at camp seems the deer come in every night to feed on vegetation at the edge of the park.

      The next day we triked to Harmony up the hills back down and around, trikes are soooo fun, for a 44 mile ride and lunch at Harmony House where I had battered haddock and Cindy had roast beef and a chat with some local hobo's. On the way back in Preston we did stop for Zanzabar dark chocolate ice cream.  I'm starting to see a pattern here. I guess we're still in Ragbrai mode, eat, ride, eat, ride.

      Again this trail is not to be missed, with the shade and the bluffs and the river and wildflowers in bloom.

The next day we went for pie in Whalan at the Aroma Pie Shop, the world famous pie shop mind you.  Okay I confess we went twice once for triple berry for me and peach for my sweety, the next time bluebarb for me and coconut cream for Cindy. While in Whalan I stopped in at Ernies Service Station now a sort of gas station museum and saw the coolest 1912 washing machine that still works. Of course all the neat gas station memorabilia like oil cans gas pumps and such.
After reading "Blue Highways" where Heat Moon comments on a "little window you shove your cash through" at self service pumps in 1978, made me think of the reason they were called service stations.  Now gas cost more and you have to do all the work yourself.  Ahh the good old days!

     
      Weather permitting, next stop Madison WI.  Been there before and rode the Military Ridge trail but this time a foray into the city to the capitol and along the lakes.

Bemidji MN, True North

      Bemidji or Ojibwe (Chippewa) Indian words Bay-me-ji-gamuag, meaning lake with water flowing through, which is the Mississippi River where it's headwaters start in Itasca State park, and is about 5 paces across and clear, is the Beltrami County seat. Nice clean small town with many antique stores, restaurants, many metal sculptures, and a darn good craft beer brewery.  There is the sprawl out of downtown, but we don't care.  We are staying in Royal Oaks CG a nice clean quiet place to chill and a short 4  1/2  mile ride mostly on trail into downtown. It's a short and safe enough ride which makes it possible to do it several times a day if desired.  Like today for instance, we rode in to get breakfast at Bemidji Nice Cafe' and then hit the farmers market for some veggies and bison burgers.  Later we'll ride in for a cold one at the brewery where there is a creamy porter calling my name.  Of course you can't not take a picture of Paul and Babe that is said to be the most photographed historic figures next to Mt. Rushmore.  The statues were constructed in 1937 and Paul is 18 ft. tall and weighs 2 1/2 tons. The statues are on the National register of Historic places.

As said many sculptures abound this one across the street from the brewery. I'm sure you can see pictures of many of the over 50 sculptures and 8 murals throughout downtown online.

     We've gone into town for coffee every morning and one morning we talked to a couple traveling by rail and on foot the hobo way.  Very interesting do it your self types, taking odd jobs on the road, traveling simply. They go by Possum and Flora.   Been reading William Least Heat Moon's book, "Blue Highways" where he is traveling the country in a 1975 half ton Econoline van he calls Ghost Dancing.  Very inspiring book on traveling simply,

although not as simply as Possum and Flora with all they carry on their backs.

     The other day we rode the Paul Bunyan trail from Bemidji to La Porte.  All the trails are paved by the way and in very good shape aside from a few frost heave patches.  38 mile round trip with a stop at the La Porte grocery for a couple of grass fed fillets that I cooked over the camp fire.  Melt in the mouth good.  Lunch was at the Dugout Bar and Grill, wings, fries and pork tenderloin.  Pictures on the wall of guys with cars on the winter ice doing a Northern winter sport of ice racing. Kind of like demolition derby but you're racing and skidding around on the frozen lake, banging into one another.  Looks like fun.  I spied this old jeep pickup rusting away in the weeds, might make a good painting one day.

     All good things come to an end as must our visit to the charming area of Bemidji. Tomorrow we head for the Root River trail for another visit to see if it's as splendid as we thought the first time we were there.  And yes there is pie!

     First day of rain we've had so far on this trip but clearing tomorrow.  Got 15 miles in on the Mi Gi Zi trail with the dogs along before the wet stuff fell.  Was a shady twisty trail through the Chipawa Nat. Forest but don't stop least you want to get eaten by the pesky mosquitoes.  The rain gave us a good excuse to drive to town and imbibe on some Laughing Cow Zanzibar dark chocolate ice cream, and for Cindy to get some laundry done and catch up on some reading.  So far we are enjoying Bemidji immensely.  University town with lots of coffee shops and a craft brewery with a very good selection of beers, and a good grocery store and liquor store with reasonable wine prices.  Tomorrow a trip to Itaska State Park.

On to Land of 10,000 lakes

      With all the miles put in riding to and riding in Ragbrai we are now seasoned like an old Griswald cast iron pan so anything else seems gravy. Having a bit of trouble finding camp sites open on weekends but that is what happens when one flies by the seat of their pants. It's adventure. Decorah  Ia. city camp ground was the target but it was full, so we found a spot at Hutchinson Farm Family CG outside Decorah by @ 7 miles.  The trail was a loop with lots of switch backs, hills and tight turns. Much fun on a trike. Checked out a fish hatchery and a worker was netting out dead fingerling trout because of cloudy water and not enough oxygen due to rain run off from fertilized fields and a couple of sink holes up river. With all the corn and soy beans, no wonder. Next stop was to ride the Cannon Valley trail near Redwing, yes where the shoes are still made here in the good ole USA. Again only 2 nights but enough to get done what we wanted to do which was to ride another trail. Found a great old hardware store in Canon Falls which sold everything from guitar strings to major appliances. And, River City Days festival was going on so we browsed the arts and crafts booths.

After an  over night we head for the land of 10,000 lakes, MN.  Again full CGs but with a little hunting around we found a site at Trails RV park just 4 miles outside of Walker and right on the Heartland Trail which connects to the Paul Bunyan. We get 3 nights and then will move on to Royal Oaks in Bemidji for a week.  Ready to settle down for a while in one place. Very nice clean well managed CG with great showers.  Yesterday we met up with Ann and Fred Abeles and rode the Shingobe connection with up to 8% slopes and many curves. We rode our Tour Easy's but I wished for my trike to carve some of those tight corners. About 46 miles total, have to get back to the dogs ya know.

Today we rode the Heartland from Akeley  to Park Rapids another 40 miles of paved bliss where a BIG guy with and axe tried to steal Cindy.

He soon realized she was a hand full and threw her back to me. Fishing is big with all the fresh water lakes and because I was riding and ICE I figured I'd ICE fish. LOL.

Did I mention the weather?  Well let me crow.  High 70s to low 80s partly cloudy with just enough sun and 60s at night.  Perfect!  Tomorrow Bemidji and more fun and excitement, but now it's time to hit the salad bar at the supper club.