Spring on the Wabash Trace

Almost perfect weekend for biking. Yesterday I rode the road bike from Wabash Trace trailhead to Western Historic Trails Center (and back). Wanted to get a couple miles to top over 14,000 miles since I started cycling in July 2005. Mission Accomplished.
Today was a beautiful Spring day for a ride on the Wabash Trace. It was the first ride on the Trace this year. Sunny, slight breeze from the South, and pushing 80 degrees. Yes, 80 degrees in late March!
Was good to get off the pavement and ride the hardtail (Trek 4300). Been a while since I rode that bike. It was outfitted with platform pedals and studded tires for the winter. That was not needed with my winter trips and the mild winter.
Headed south from Silver City. Rode as far as Silver Creek Bridge. By the time I was there, I could feel that my legs might rebel because of the fat, knobby tires and softer trail surface. Add to that this was the third ride in a row. Think they need a day off.
First think I noticed that there has been horses down the trail. They are not supposed to be on that section of the Trace. (Only allowed on the dirt trail that parallels the old railroad bed and then between CB and Mineola). Another rider I met said the horses cam down the trail about 3 weeks ago.
The trail is mostly clear except for branches partially out into the trail surface. The rider I talked with also mentioned to me that the mile marked 393 had been pulled out and dropped on the other side of the trail. Others had reset the sign (including concrete) into the hole left there. Can't understand why folks would such vandalism.

Our Weekend Job...

(As if we didn't do enough last week to help Mom, she decided to put us to work over the weekend. Maybe that's why, again, we couldn't get her to come and visit as many of you as we would have liked.)

Ma, get me a crayon! These need to have names on them!

Our tongues came in handy for this job heheh!

Winter-greens

Several members of my wildflower group are already itching to get out in the wild. They're dying to dig.
Unless it's a rescue, I'm more of a looker than a digger. My thrill is in the hunt. I do enjoy garden tours, but to me, there's nothing like finding the flowers in their natural environment. (And then leaving them there!)
Anyway, I wouldn't recommend digging in January or February. But this Jacob's Ladder (Polemonium reptans) is one of the plants you can scout early - it's probably easier to spot the green now.
The plant's a lot taller in the spring, but some of the lower leaves stay green throughout the winter here. I'm not sure if that's the case in the north or not - maybe someone will comment and let me know.
There are several different types of Jacob's ladder, in almost every state and several Canadian provinces. But reptans is the only one in the south.

MidWest Mountain Bike Fest

Today was a busy day the the mountain bike fest. The day started with a pancake feed sponsored by the Eldridge Lions Club. Needed the food and coffee to get started. The breakfast was served at the Sac-Fox campground site - convenient for all the camping festers.

Next was MtB101 workshop. I want to give a SHOUT OUT for the instructors - Ray Nees and Becky Barnard. This was the best presentation of building mountain bike skills I have ever seen. I should have brought my bike this morning and participate in the class.

MtB101 was a logic progression starting with basics like pedal location, attack position, looking up the trail, et al. Each participant learned riding: a large stick, stick & log, skinny, short drop, log bridge, teeter-totter, and combo with ramp ending with logs. On the naugabike web site I will spend more time detailing the workshop (with photos).

Also in the morning group rides were heading out to ride the other trails FORC maintains in the area - Sunderbruch Park, Sylvan Island, and Illiniwek Park. Others stayed at Scott County Park for group rides. I positioned myself on Long Grove Loop to take photos of the some of the groups.

By this time, it was lunch and then heading back to the hotel for some horizontal time.

By the time I got back to the park, it was about time for the games. Billed as the "Not Lame Games". There was the ever popular "Huffy" toss, followed by Bunny Hop, and "Dodge Tire".

There were more games, a cook-out at the camping area, beer potluck, movies, and night ride. Just a bit too much for this old body. I headed toward the hotel, picked up a Blizzard, and settled in for the night.

Watch for my fest photos on my photo web site: http://win-photo.photoreflect.com

Sunrise Splendor

Here is my favorite shot from this morning. December is my favorite time of year to shoot sunrise at Hollow Rock because you can catch the light coming through the hole in the rock. Today I had the magical combination of ideal sunrise conditions and awesome waves. Too many clouds and the light would not have shone through the hole. Not enough waves and the light wouldn't have reflected so strongly on the water. It really was one of those mornings that a photographer dreams about!

A week of rough water on Lake Michigan

It has been an amazing week of rough water along the Chicago shoreline. Day after day of 25 to 30 knot winds out of the north and northeast have given us large waves, massive clapotis and loads of fun.

Sharon, Bonnie and Scott playing in the clapotis near Foster Ave. beach.

The key to having fun in conditions such as these is knowing your own ability and having friends who are skilled paddlers. We were fortunate this week to get out on our own and also with our paddling partners Scott Fairty, Aaron Litchfield and Bonnie Perry.

Today, the wind had dropped. The forecast promised waves of 4 to 6 feet, but in fact the lake was much calmer. At first, we were disappointed; the lake looked relatively flat. Waves of 3 to 4 feet were still rolling into the beaches, but we felt let down. Still, there's always fun to be had if you know where to look, so we set out for some areas where the waves reflect off of hard surfaces and create chaotic conditions.

The lake was relatively calm, but the area near the break walls was rough enough. Here, Alec is practically airborne.

Bonnie amid waves.

Scott--or at least part of his boat.

Sharon--or at least her helmet and paddle blade.

Thomas Merton and Solitude

I've long been interested in the works of the Cistercian monk Thomas Merton. I've read Thoughts in Solitude and have in my library but haven't read The Seven Storey Mountain and The Secular Journal of Thomas Merton. I hope to read them both soon.Now I'm reading The Value of Solitude, The Ethics and Spirituality of Aloneness in Autobiography by John D. Barbour, and he devotes a chapter to Thomas Merton. The above image is from this book.There are an amazing number of opinions on solitude held by as many people. Some crave it and some are repulsed by it calling it the utmost in selfishness. I fall into the first camp. How about you?