![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_uNmCsz_VvhF0tAmDama9EBqjrUMcjIL439G9pH_gZMgeaIsI_a2QJvGb7JjFmHyrP_3vzMt9t8mWryiZpRKaKJ-wDsCKhHS3CkwLPejnkr8aPKLOThToWlt0X6R1FaoCWyQYjr8VKpul-hM__iKBQn4-BJLDx-PLV6kikawNHXEzJBMKcb34NA/s320/P7230001.JPG) |
Escape Route: 5th St turns into 6th St. What?!!
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Sunday was a chance for me to get a roll in so I did that with two goals in mind for the ride. One was to give a recently received set of Enduro components a whirl (more on that tomorrow) and to run the turn-by-turn directions on the Wahoo Elemnt ROAM, (more on that Wednesday)
It was fine and hot, with a touch of humidity, and barely any wind at all. Almost a "dog day" of Summer, but it wasn't quite to that level just yet. They say mid-week it should get there. Fun times people, fun times!
But I wasn't too worried about any of that on this ride. I got a move on at about a quarter to ten and made the Wahoo wake up to guide me on my "Southern Black Hawk County" route. It's about 30-ish, maybe 35 miles, depending upon how I do it. On the computer its listed at just shy of 35 miles. So, off I went. I won't say much about the computer here. You'll have to wait till Wednesday for that story.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnXjyiOxAwO1ev3Z0_O7hCYw0Cve23_8Gfi8mTtcRXGEPE6xw6VHYG7bS2EL40PqzrBFSjd6dQd41xplft_PXMwbsaHuoafKyfVQ-wc9aDx8xyEL7p0RrRmZRdwrrThx4wlYoKwwmGq16-9wGi_cLvVrDI8HmHv7BEB6grq4qOqOXthpRXDGSS9w/w640-h480/P7230005.JPG) |
They are still working on the dike on the way to Evansdale, but....
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![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcasdXN-0R3ZfoU343sEiqcKZsEQKua3bwiyntJ1gSk4u4ENDnVrgH6XpYCEBy2cne76Hmc16qyw_qSrR_3wbKrfI4dZnyB2Za_pBlJAGRsc-8AcT085rm5BOvuSxU3SFeGIOCPDVwdu2N2fKE1DfivTGHgC3u2K3dKXJSIqp--mbirYr4cR9_xw/w640-h480/P7230006.JPG) |
....there is a nice dirt work-around.
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The skies looked hazy, but this wasn't bad wildfire smoke haze. Nope. Just a mild case this time. So, I was good to ride and I could not smell any smoke. In fact, the sky cleared up as the ride went on.So, that was nice. Now it was just a matter of getting out of Evansdale and out into the country.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWq9Sl6wC1usRthKT_6V7PN0_r7uvhZYjPEz3xVEqtalXaY3_EYAmJSna5pYAh2O-7oA5_K3gtSid_BpYntj-guiqnhVJBYRmX0XfEphRhvwZF1fFxxH0sLFIIyr9RJFyT7cULjx6mWVDLN0ugF6kG17fiU21w1dEIUYSZ9q3o9gHaBPYN15E58w/w640-h320/P7230012.JPG) |
A nice patch of chicory here on Foulk Road.
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![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRGFIQeMUlhcfzrzNOpC2GKXCrpf0AJPAZ8AXpVguD7joRRJ0Cs5-U-idDt5J4fyj1EX8dnZDICZD1dnQzWx1W5QJY7eMhPr1yuynoagQnZBKjMaSslMOoekVWeQRT_ukrcrMdKgKlGaqEmby-kCQIgOGnzp4sC5ZY7qhw8jxFbUaXGVGISvnzqQ/w640-h480/P7230014.JPG) |
It is very dusty and dry again out in the country.
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I finally got to the gravel and it was dusty! At one point I had to sit up for a bit to let the dust settle after a car passed me by. I could not see anything and with little to no wind, that dust just hung in the air for a long while. After the car got about a quarter mile up the road I could begin to see the road clearer than before.
The other thing about this ride that became very evident once I reached gravel was that the Qeen Anne's Lace and Chicory was running riot now in the ditches. In some places it was nearly as tall as myself on the bike.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVKn5UkaaJNNbSXUH7OEvjz4sl7M4MheFtH7H4--1QfBlgITvFYys6lOIa0NBlzHANceZEP2fmBKfC0fyEdRm7brKolBz675UOEikOTXAJlTVju39ZdzCv_zc4DSphhBF8FWZdgKpb_gy2fhRJXKIIwMwUzGU75xi73oIWxLSmwceBbyBvvzL-VQ/w640-h480/P7230015.JPG) |
Seeing elevations above 1000 feet in this area is not common. I ran across a hill later that was over 1100 ft!
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![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixGSJ2e0eAwFKISx8bU9SckVujyBJi-yP9broRSGUZj-C6rRvA_xKAiKrOICNo93-F_ba7ozAt3DPcQh52-LCi-xtVMJRuyLl6U5ECJ3RMgb6vfgFaCguo2sHTwtcsz3Jzh51oc_nEUcKmB1Yc3dQQ5Srlt7kC6JNnVcZfq-J0uyJ3M_XtMU95DQ/w640-h320/P7230017.JPG) |
You can see that the skies cleared up a bit here.
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I didn't plan this, but since I was feeling pretty good on the bike, I did not stop to rest. I only got off briefly for a quick nature break and then at the end so I could text Mrs. Guitar Ted my ETA at the G-Ted Headquarters so she could coordinate the lunchtime festivities. Otherwise I rode solid for the entire loop, minus traffic stops.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS5uBbjDz7UKfSPlbAXiePiQnmGvNTumQxGgtXy133kOIhANmgATSZcyueAbqLVJ_lXJKmmldV3H1gBVWYFTx1svvIxrZx5zWNJ7gcCdMMlTz8jt-d24y-8x4lBef3UcIDBeGlQQiCwF1S0Z9vBjEftXk8Ft40J_CY452Bb6q43D0hDMHmJMbQzA/w640-h480/P7230024.JPG) |
Chicory, Queen Anne's Lace, and Red Clover here in this ditch.
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![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgovWy0BdA8eh8HQvdupYQ3WYseUyUsANsVwhwJTmYAxVFcypBLpDaiST5LhggeVwJ6f66szysLsh1fJ7bfOCKTv2XnQ3Z6nksTI6GUXY94z2Hn0FVZ-sEFi2_G-ZK76FZpU9yp3_hpbXPCGXkIKvenziDxYsUk0qXJv7stpe183GLnlFI3acsClA/w640-h480/P7230026.JPG) |
The flowers along Quarry Road are awesome right now.
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Since I was pushing the pace kind of hard, I ended up feeling it in the legs towards the end of the ride, but this was the best I'd felt on the bike in a long while. It was fun, so I tried to savor every last bit that I could.
The only nit I had was that the Easton handle bar I was running had little to no flare and my left arm/hand/shoulder weren't real happy about that. So, that'll be coming off the Twin Six soon and something more flared will be going back on there.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4FwuA7pK0LDyvmhtn1KBUuw7Ztn9W0UfNiyaOmd927mVO1CdXgmBcYkSuQop1lZ8sVT7EXbg5ZfH8Fuq0YXH5KZzMGtQS3IqKGy7KN0tndLpTAGXSukDl3VOGevtBHhBD4DSr0XisoDfAQkiAuqxcqBvAnLNbEN_7Ned2sR9JZ0PSjSU2JQxhfQ/w640-h578/P7230028.JPG) |
I spied this helicopter doing crop spraying off Ansborough Avenue.
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![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjT3w7Ek44yjoCQlcK2uisKw7GFnI2QOySsjLfySxQuoWXKyRxnmxOeqvQ14tegZxzhFlOZpdq_rc5IfWoCQWUYxckOeVoWasDHeHhNkk5xXELckGOsJI9obq06M4QmAnWeoQzwB-CUqVbUoilZCruzjkSNZk1PWfBpzaG7m-NwUvul1weN8Kk0Q/w640-h480/P7230033.JPG) |
The Standard Rando v2. It's a great bike.
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Well, it was a fantastic day for a ride and I got in a good one. I was out for 2hrs 20 minutes, so not a bad speed for 30+ miles in the bag. I wasn't super keen on the outbound and inbound pavement, but that's the price I pay for riding from the home unit.
hopefull I'll have a few more rides this good yet this year!
2 comments:
Personally, I love the dusty rides. The proof is in the dust. Solo gravel rides for miles and miles, you roll back into town and wear it like a badge of honor! Great looking pics, have to say, I'm a little jealous. Tiger Lillies and the occasional Peony are all I ever see in Boone. County.
@Travel Gravel - Yes! I guess I'm guilty of leaving my bikes dusty after big rides too. ha ha!
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