Airplanes, Bikes, and Chili! The ABC's of Riding!
Saturday, October 13, 2007
All week long I thought a ride on Saturday might be in jeopardy. Sure, Tuesday of this week it was sunny and near 90! but I had a bald front tire on the bike. That got changed on Tuesday Evening, but then mean Mr. Weatherman started talking about big changes!! It looked like outside it was going to fall through autumn.
As the day drew closer, it appeared that the skies would be clear, but the clearing would make for cool overnights. When I woke up on Saturday Morning, the temp was sitting at 37 Degrees. The sun rising was making the mercury rise, but it would be a chilly ride to start out.
Because of the cooler morning, I had moved the start time back to 10:30. We were heading to the Shelbyville Airport. If you read last year, you know I went to this even alone, but ran into people that I knew.
It was was still in the high 40's, but the sun made it feel a lot warmer. I cruised down my street, crossed Washington, and pulled into the Thornton's Gas Station, and parked near the group of bikes. Besides my dad and brother, Pete and Al were also there. Wade was still to come. It was going to be a nice group, and I had nice little meandering route planned.
We waited until 10:45, kicked the stands up, and headed east on Washington Street. After passing under 465, we went south on Franklin Road. At US 52/Brookville Road, we headed south and east. We would this way until the outskirts of New Palestine.
We turned south on CR 600, although it is listed as CR 700 on maps and GPS. This would have been a nicer ride if we had not got trapped behind a truck picking up traffic cones. The guy was very good, and never missed grab of the orange markers. They turned off our path, and we were able to move along at a better pace, just in time for the straight section of road!
We got on London Road, and cruised through the town of Sugar Creek. We were able to hit some curves and have a good time, as I was getting my front tire scrubbed in. Then another issue. A truck pulled up to an intersection, it was pulling a front loader, no signal, so I assumed he was going straight. No chance, he turns righ on our path, keeping us slow going until Boggstown, and you guessed it, more straight sections of road!
We meandered on more County Roads, and eventually crossed back over I-74, and then into the Shelbyville Airport. We found a good place to park, and began looking at the airplanes that had flown in for chili. There were at least four times as many planes as last year, and the hanger door was open! I greeted Tom, our host, and told him I felt bad for not bringing any food, maybe I will anyway next year, despite his pleading that I don't!
After the chili and some of the wonderful desert items, we gathered at the bikes, and planned to take the alternate route that I planned for home. It was about 60 miles longer than just riding home, but most of the guys were game!
We took out north from the airport, and watched a few more planes coming in. We then meandered south and east on County Roads, eventually ending up on Union Road. We pulled on SR-44 for just about a mile or so as we pulled into Homer, Indiana. Sorry, no D'oh-nut Shops here!
We went south, and headed for the town of Moscow, that has a festival, and its theme is that it is not the Olympic City, but has an Olympic Sized Covered Bridge. We crossed the Sheltered Span, I am told the longest one in Indiana you can still drive across, and parked on the other side. We chatted and took pictures.
From there we traveled a few miles to another Emmett Kennedy Bridge, traveled through, and then on into Rushville, Indiana. We got on US-52/Brookville Road, and headed north and west back towards Indianapolis. We stopped in Morristown, as I though some might want to top off the tank. No one did, but the break was nice.
We continued on US-52 for about another 20 miles, and then began splitting up. Wade went north on Post Road to hop on I-70, Al went straight when Kevin, Dad and I went north on Franklin Road. We turned west on Washington Street, and I returned home. I guess there were two types of Chili (chilly) on this ride, one was very tasty, the other was ignored!!
All week long I thought a ride on Saturday might be in jeopardy. Sure, Tuesday of this week it was sunny and near 90! but I had a bald front tire on the bike. That got changed on Tuesday Evening, but then mean Mr. Weatherman started talking about big changes!! It looked like outside it was going to fall through autumn.
As the day drew closer, it appeared that the skies would be clear, but the clearing would make for cool overnights. When I woke up on Saturday Morning, the temp was sitting at 37 Degrees. The sun rising was making the mercury rise, but it would be a chilly ride to start out.
Because of the cooler morning, I had moved the start time back to 10:30. We were heading to the Shelbyville Airport. If you read last year, you know I went to this even alone, but ran into people that I knew.
It was was still in the high 40's, but the sun made it feel a lot warmer. I cruised down my street, crossed Washington, and pulled into the Thornton's Gas Station, and parked near the group of bikes. Besides my dad and brother, Pete and Al were also there. Wade was still to come. It was going to be a nice group, and I had nice little meandering route planned.
We waited until 10:45, kicked the stands up, and headed east on Washington Street. After passing under 465, we went south on Franklin Road. At US 52/Brookville Road, we headed south and east. We would this way until the outskirts of New Palestine.
We turned south on CR 600, although it is listed as CR 700 on maps and GPS. This would have been a nicer ride if we had not got trapped behind a truck picking up traffic cones. The guy was very good, and never missed grab of the orange markers. They turned off our path, and we were able to move along at a better pace, just in time for the straight section of road!
We got on London Road, and cruised through the town of Sugar Creek. We were able to hit some curves and have a good time, as I was getting my front tire scrubbed in. Then another issue. A truck pulled up to an intersection, it was pulling a front loader, no signal, so I assumed he was going straight. No chance, he turns righ on our path, keeping us slow going until Boggstown, and you guessed it, more straight sections of road!
We meandered on more County Roads, and eventually crossed back over I-74, and then into the Shelbyville Airport. We found a good place to park, and began looking at the airplanes that had flown in for chili. There were at least four times as many planes as last year, and the hanger door was open! I greeted Tom, our host, and told him I felt bad for not bringing any food, maybe I will anyway next year, despite his pleading that I don't!
After the chili and some of the wonderful desert items, we gathered at the bikes, and planned to take the alternate route that I planned for home. It was about 60 miles longer than just riding home, but most of the guys were game!
We took out north from the airport, and watched a few more planes coming in. We then meandered south and east on County Roads, eventually ending up on Union Road. We pulled on SR-44 for just about a mile or so as we pulled into Homer, Indiana. Sorry, no D'oh-nut Shops here!
We went south, and headed for the town of Moscow, that has a festival, and its theme is that it is not the Olympic City, but has an Olympic Sized Covered Bridge. We crossed the Sheltered Span, I am told the longest one in Indiana you can still drive across, and parked on the other side. We chatted and took pictures.
From there we traveled a few miles to another Emmett Kennedy Bridge, traveled through, and then on into Rushville, Indiana. We got on US-52/Brookville Road, and headed north and west back towards Indianapolis. We stopped in Morristown, as I though some might want to top off the tank. No one did, but the break was nice.
We continued on US-52 for about another 20 miles, and then began splitting up. Wade went north on Post Road to hop on I-70, Al went straight when Kevin, Dad and I went north on Franklin Road. We turned west on Washington Street, and I returned home. I guess there were two types of Chili (chilly) on this ride, one was very tasty, the other was ignored!!
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