The Family Farm

It's not
about
the farm,
says my
sister,
Cally.

Not
about
the
beautiful
big old
barn.

Nor
the
fascinating
small
pig
barn...

with
the old
sleigh
hanging
in the
rafters.

It's not
about
the
magnificent
old farm
house.

Not even
about the
heritage
of
150
years...

from
our
Swiss
progenitors.

It's
about
family.

Far
flung.

Spirited.

And
maybe
a
bit
cantankerous.

We
gather
once
a year...

to
celebrate
our
family
ties...

in
charming
New Glarus,
Wisconsin.

Relatives
we
hardly
knew
3 years ago...

We
find
kindred
spirits.















Bikers.

Tree
planters.

Land
lovers.

But
what is
the
future...

of the
old
family
farm?

As I
bike
around
New
Castle...

I
ponder
this
question.

I look
around
my
Indiana
bikescape...

I see
barns
sighing
of
neglect...

Forgotten
homes...





left to
crumble

in the

countryside.

.

We've
got
to do
better...

for
our
family
farm!

Should
we become
a bed
and
breakfast?

or
a
theater?

Farm
pumpkins?

or
tomatos?

Do
we keep
row-cropping
corn?

Dripping
the soil
of
our
forefathers...

...with
chemicals?

I see
too
much
cancer...

to be
comfortable
with
that.

Better
to
farm
organically
15 acres...

and
preserve
the rest
as
forest....


or
as
prairie

And
leave
for
future
generations

a
treasure

they
can
cherish...



...forever.

Happy Birthday, Blog!

One year ago
I became
a blogger.

For a
confirmed
non-techy
this was a giant step!

But, hey!


Here at age 53
I had decided
to ride my bike
across America....

Surely
I could manage
to make do
with this odd
contraption
called
a blog.

I named my blog
Flight for the Land...

to raise money
for my local land trust
The Red tail Conservancy.

I start
timidly
in Feb 2010

One picture

Three paragraphs

I warm up
in March...

...with my
Florida blogs.

I hit my stride
at the end
of March...

...with a
Happy Birthday
to TJ
my son.

In April
I take to blogging
like a
bird to flight.

Tree planting
with
High School
students...

Burning
the prairie...

Biking
centuries
two
three
and four...

My favorite
April blog
is
The Land in Spring.

Now I'm up
to 15 photos
per blog.

On Earth Day
I find my voice.

Strong
on pictures.



Sparse
on words.

In May,
Century Number 5
is a highlight...

...a rather
wet one.

The next day,
my Dad dies.

My blog
gives words
to my grief...

...and captures
his stories
and memories
forever.


















My centuries
continue
on Mother's Day...

...and
they begin
to drive me
crazy!

June
is
beautiful...

....and I'm
full swing
in training
for The Big Ride.

Anticipation

Preparation

Perspiration

The blog is a chance
to capture
the stories...

The
Double
Century

Nelly

The Land

Good-bye
now
to Brixton.

Did I really
look this
nervous?

So amazing
to re-read
how hesitant
we were
starting this
epic journey

Amazing
to see
our first impressions
of these people...

...who we
would grow
to love...

to believe in...

to count on...

My blog soars
to new heights
of adventure...

...and I
bottom out

exhausted

from too much
biking

too much
blogging

not enough
sleep.

I have to make
a choice

Do I bike

Every 

Damn 

Inch?

Or do I 

continue

to blog 

like a fiend?

Blogging wins.

And I take
a few
"bump ups"
in the van

so I have
time and energy

to devote to
The Blog.

I do
blog
every single inch
of the journey.

Until
we splash into
the Atlantic Ocean

...a moment
I will forever
remember.

Then the question...

did I blog
just for
The Bike Ride?

Or does
The Blog
continue?

Yes,
The Flight Continues.

Penrod

A Harvest Time Century

The Hilly Hundred


and...

Halloween!

Cupcakes




and...

Christmas!

2010 ends...

...with blogs
about my kids.

2011 opens...

...with a blog
about the future.

January,
Cairo!

February,
ice...

...and
the escape
therefrom.

My blog birthday
comes
in February

with a promise

to keep blogging

and

biking...






...for
the
land...