Fall was a season with uncertainty for me as I entered into it. I was fresh off Jacob's death. I did not know exactly what to do yet, and dealing with grief, a new thing for me, was another uncertainty.
Fortunately I have friends and family to lean on. N.Y. Roll asked if I'd want to go on a Labor Day ride with him. I accepted this invitation and we took "the long way" over to Cedar Fall's Cup of Joe coffee house. It was a very enjoyable ride and I did have fun.
It was one of the only times I rode my Raleigh Tamland Two all year. This bike is kind of a conundrum for me as I was a big part of its design, but it is an old bike now days. No through axles, nothing hidden, no electronic shifting. Ah! Whatever! It still is a great bike. Young folks may not understand and just think I am being an old duffer.Hey, that is just fine with me. They can have the complexity and fuss which newer gravel bicycles have. Go right ahead! Just because it is "new" doesn't mean it is "better".
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| N.Y. Roll leading me up the climb on the bike path near HWY 20. |
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| I ordered a new Singular Peregrine Mk4 frame and fork at the beginning of September. |
After Labor Day excitement built for a new bicycle which I was getting to replace the Twin Six Standard Rando v2. The T-6 was a fine bicycle, but it has limited tire clearances and I was seeing the Peregrine as a similarly styled bicycle with better tire clearance.
The Peregrine came in and I quickly transferred parts from the Twin Six to the new frame. It wasn't long before I had it out on the gravel. I also tried out a new set of Schwalbe tires, the G-One Overlands. I had high hopes for those Schwalbes but in the end I wasn't super impressed by them.
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| Of course, the first ride was to visit the Big Rock. |
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| A fine, hot September visit to Petrie Road's Level B Section |
October rolled in and it was as if Summer wouldn't quit. 80 degree days, dry, little wind to speak of, and the only tell tale sign Fall was here was the dried up corn fields and shorter days. I also made a surprise discovery at around this time which prompted another ride idea.
After coming across a bunch of leftover hats and stuff from the C.O.G. 100, N.Y. Roll and I decided to put on a 40 mile single speed ride in late October down out of Reinbeck. I dubbed it the C.O.G 40. N.Y. Roll designed the course with some help from Ben Petty, and N.Y. Roll planned a mid-ride pierogie stop. It all came together and we ended up with a smaller, but fun group of riders.
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| A Fall ride in the Green Belt on my OS Bikes Blackbuck |
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| A stop on a Level B Road during the C.O.G 40 ride |
The month of October closed out with a fantastic ride for the C.O.G. 40 which was a ride I never had on my radar to do in September. I was really pleased with everything and despite the chilly weather on the day of the ride I had a ton of fun.
One day at a time. One step forward at a time, things were feeling better and life was seemingly settling into a predictable rhythm again. I wasn't anywhere near "over it" and I probably never will be. I'm just in a different space now. But still moving ahead.
Next I'll recap "Winter Begins" and then there will be one more post in the series looking ahead at 2026 both in terms of my riding, writing, and life.
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