Ride Report: Gravel Grinder

Today was as about a perfect day for cycling as you could ask for. It also was my day off! Wahooo!!! To me, that's like winning the lottery! So, I did a looonng gravel grinder on my Surly Karate Monkey single speed. I started at 8am., and got home about 4:50pm. I went through the town of Waverly, and turned around and headed back home once I got up to Nashua, Iowa. Today's highlights were as follows...............

1. While traveling north out of Waterloo, I had a white Hyundai pass me by going south. No big deal, right? Then I hear a car coming from behind, slowly. It's the same car! A lady is driving it. She's going so slow, that she's holding up a van behind her. She goes about a quarter mile ahead, turns around in a driveway, and comes slowly back! O.K.! I'm starting to creep out just about now! She stops her car in front of me, and I roll up along side, as she rolls down the window. She says,"Say, did I pass you going slow enough?". "Yes, you did just fine!", I reply. All the while, she is staring at my legs! "Well", she says, "I worry that I pass cyclists going too fast. That van behind me was going too fast!" (still no eye contact!) "Yeah, 'spose so.",I say, as I roll away. Weird!

2. I had to go through a section of freshly oiled down gravel, just about a mile later. Man! I hate that sticky, black crap! My legs looked like they had been freshly peppered! Then, about 50 feet later, I get hit by what at first looks like flying grass seed. Nope! They are alive! Great, I wonder if they are nutritious, as I probably inhaled about 50 million of 'em! GNATS!

3. Dogs! I had a stretch of about three miles going north that had a dog at every farm house come out and try to take me off my bike! Just about had to employ my Blackburn, frame fit dog beater! Fortunately, on the way back, they all must have been taking a siesta, as I didn't see one of 'em! Good!

4. Nashua residents: Don't you just love the look on someones face when you tell them where you've ridden your bike from? Priceless!

5. Carlos the Jackal: I actually saw Carlos out teaching a bicycle riding class up at the Ingawanis Scout Camp! I stopped to say hello, and Carlos actually took the time to introduce me, and say some very kind things about me to his little minions. Carlos is so professional! I probably wouldn't even thought of that! Thanks, Buddy!

6. Flat tire just north of town. A real pain on a single speed with disc brakes!

7. CREAK! I heard a creak develope just a mile from the house! Guess I'll have to track that down, now!

8. Wildlife: Saw a deer in the road, a wild turkey in someones driveway, and two big hawks. Thousands of Red Winged Blackbirds are still on patrol! I guess some of the dogs I saw could be classified as wild!

Well, that about sums it up. Pretty toasted from the sun, and tired! Time to eat and relax!

OUT!