Leaving Wooster, under partly cloudy skies, we encountered some more rollers, but not as long or steep as yesterday. We spent most of the day in what I would call rural residential neighborhoods - lots of nice homes and fewer small farms than before. There were several very large dairy farms, but most farms were quite small compared to the ones we were riding by further west. Our route sheets had us turning and twisting down narrow country roads, over hill and dale. It was a pleasant day to be on a bicycle despite a pesky east wind. We have ridden through Missouri, Indiana, Illinois, and now Ohio without once having a west wind! The wind ALWAYS blows out of the west in these states, but not for us! What are the odds? Is a favoring wind, once in a while, too much to ask for?
Ok, what is it with the huge lawns? Every house has at least an acre of newly mowed lawn in front. Do these people have a fetish for riding mowers? Some of these lawns look like golf courses. Sorry, honey, I'm going out to mow the lawn - see you next Tuesday. They do look nice and nearly all the homes we have passed have been neatly kept and clean. Oh, one more observation, we haven't see any graffiti since leaving Los Angeles and there is very little litter along the roadsides in the heartland - very nice.
Niles, Ohio, is a former industrial center, iron, steel, and glass manufacturing. Many of these industries are now shuttered, but I did find the Niles Ironworks with a huge statue of a welder in the parking lot.
The cemetery in Niles had American flags marking the graves of her sons/daughters who had served in the military. It was a very moving sight to see the flags flying as I came into town.
At the second SAG stop, Rick pointed out this little spider who was centered in the Cannondale logo on my bicycle. Of course, I had to take a picture. I don't know when it got off, but it must have been somewhere south of Niles because it wasn't there when I got off the bike at the hotel.
As I walked into the hotel, Mary Lou S. introduced herself. In 1996, she and her daughter rode from LA to Boston. It turns out she knows Walter! It's a small world. Rain is forecast for tomorrow's ride into Erie…stay tuned.
I misspent a considerable portion of my youth running from state troopers in the Youngstown, OH - New Castle PA area. Some interesting stories I suppose perhaps for Mexico..
ReplyDeletePretty country from there to Erie as I remember.
Ride easy
g
When you mentioned the large lawns of the homes you were passing, I can only wonder how large the backyards might be. When I was house hunting, I wanted a large backyard and a minimized frontyard. I've never been one to hang out in the front and I wanted a large area for the dogs to play and the people to relax and enjoy in the back. Emma and Piper, two frequent and welcomed guests, enjoy the space to run and chase either other. Piper also loves to keep an eye out for squirrels. She's quite good at it.
ReplyDeleteNancy
The canine members of the Beach Bike Trek Team would like to put in a good word for large lawns, which they like (in front or back, it doesn't matter, as long as the lawn attracts squirrels, birds, and children - all of whom are equally fun to chase).
ReplyDeleteOde to Lawns
We like lawns
as much as prawns
but the prawns are more fun to eat
whereas the lawn is easier on our feet
Submitted by Les Domestiques
Large lawns are a sign that local government has been infiltrated by gophers! Enjoy PA. Eat a whoopie pie for me once you get to the Amish and Menonite farmer's markets - a MUST EAT experience! They're celebrating the first dry 24 hours in NYC in a long time.... hopefully all the rain in the NE has blown through for you.
ReplyDeleteSafe trails! B
Dang, Jim...your Beach Bike Trek Team canines are considerably more literate than my feline domestiques! Their contributions via keyboard are something more along the lines of ";lkjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjj". I have yet to decipher it, but I'm pretty sure it's not odes to kibble, lawns or litterboxes...
ReplyDeleteBetsy