Blue Sky Century

Wow!

I love a tailwind!

Oops...

That's the end of the story.

I gave it away.

Let's start at the beginning...

The morning starts with mist over the pond.

Not a cloud in the sky.

Chilly though.

So I bundle up to start the day.

I'm using Google maps again.

Aiming for Frankfort Indiana.

That would be a nice 47 miles one way.

NW into the wind.

And it's a brisk wind already at 7AM.

Google sends me North

through a shopping center

into a nice neighborhood.

Dry lawns.

No rain this August.

The only green is on life support.

I've read the next wars will be over fresh water.

And we've been so dry.


When there's no rain, who gets the water?

I turn onto 146th Street.

Way too busy for bikers.



Biking over the White River.












Thick walls of concrete






















blocking the cars from the waters below.


















How can we know or love our river if it is hidden from us?

Yellow signs warn us against the dangers.

How crazy is this?

The river is why the Indians lived here.

The river is why the settlers settled here.

Why do we shun it now?

Happily I peer over concrete

and see a brave soul

who has leapt the walls

and kayaks our river.



I bike on...

Turn on the Monon.

Bikers whiz by me.

Till we're all stopped by the dreaded orange signs.




Detours.

Country roads.

I really need to pee!

Finally a roadside cafe!



It is closed.

:(

Check Google maps.

No sign of relief for the next 20 miles.

And the flag warns me of the wind in my face.

Change of plans -

Straight west to Lebanon!

Long hard miles.

Hard into the wind.

Slow pushing against the heavy hand of that wretched wind.

I think the road will never end.

I wouldn't stop...

...but look at that field!

Full of art (?).

In the middle of nowhere...

dinosaurs

and whirlygigs.




I'd stop for longer but I'm dying for a diet coke...

..and a bathroom.

I've got to grind out those miles and finally arrive at...

Yes!

I find a gas station and gladly settle down

Jacks donut

Diet Coke.

Lovely view...

Whew!

Now that I feel better I look around.

Wow! Those clouds are amazing!

I stop by Becky's market and admire the pumpkins.

Halloween is right around the corner.

And Indiana mums

ready to burst into bloom.

Becky has been farming here since she was 17.

Never seen such a crazy year.

Too much rain in June.

No rain in August.

And the skies above Lebanon hold no rain today!

I'm in no hurry.

I've given up on this day's century being 100 miles.

Diana's glass shop catches my eye.


Beautiful windows.

The wavy glass turns the church outside into liquid colors.

A lightpost melts in the glass.

But Diana is sad.

She is closing the store at the end of the year.

Forty years it's been.

All her work will be 30% off.

And the doors will close.

I need to move on.

Sister Cally and Niece Charley are coming down from Chicago.

I look for their car as I cross over 65.

But wait a minute!

I was going to turn south on Indianapolis Road.

But it's not here!

Lost again?

Luckily I find my location on Droid!
















Through Industrial Park.

Turn on 200S

And find Indy Road!

Thank you, Droid!

Out into the country now.

Corn whooshing dryly in the wind.















Good thing the wind is on my side now.


Gotta hurry.

Cally and Charley will be there for dinner.

And I'm still 30 miles from home.

No time to stop and admire this tree.

Or the corn harvesting from the field.

This farmer wants to be sure I know the wind direction.

Quick rest at the truck stop.

Have you ever seen a bluer sky?

Swooshing into town now.

116th Street and heading east.

Speed past the white curve fence.

Can't stop to rescue keys lost on the roadside.

No stopping for pictures of the first blush of fall.

Pedaling non-stop I spin down Brixton Lane to home!

...and it's empty.


No Sister Cally.

No Charley.

No Tom.

Just a counter full of fresh food...

...and a sleeping cat.

It's time to relax...

...and enjoy the moment...

...of the beautiful blue September sky.