A Different Kind of Road Hazard

Day 107, July 17, 2011,  Different Kind of Road Hazard

Route from Wolcottville, IN to Cold Brook Campground, Climax, MI

74.2 miles, averaging 14.1 mph

Worst Moment – There certainly is something to be said for “dry heat.”  This area of the country is having record temperatures, and it isn’t a dry heat.

Best Moment – The shower from the overflow of the irrigation sprinklers felt pretty good.

For nearly 20 miles, I was on Indiana back roads in Amish country.  There is a different kind of road hazard here – from all of the horse drawn buggies.  

The horses are beautiful animals.  And so are the farms and family gardens. 

Shortly after leaving camp, there was a Sunday Service at one of the homes.  The yard in front of the barn was filled with black buggies.   The men in their somber black hats, and white shirts were gathered in a circle, holding hands, heads bowed in prayer.  It was a very impressive sight.  I’m not sure where the women were.

On the same road there were several other families on their way to the meeting.  Two couples were walking and another few families were guiding their carriages into the front of the barnyard.   Sort of interesting to see the kind of businesses that this religion fosters.  There was a buggy repair shop and a buggy store selling black buggies of every kind.  It gave me pause to consider their devout simple lifestyle.

I crossed into Michigan somewhere along Scott Road.  In Michigan there’s lots more corn and they irrigate it with huge lines of overhead sprinklers.  In a couple of places the sprinklers also hit the roadway and felt pretty good.

Here’s a photo of a covered bridge in Michigan – not quite as picturesque as those in Vermont, but still pretty cool.

Neita’s latest plan to kill fruit flies that seem to invade us is to capture them in her wine glass then cover the glass with her hand (as seen in this photo) until the insects get drunk and die.

If you would like to donate to my ride, my link for the Lance Armstrong Foundation is http://grassroots2011.livestrong.org/billsbigride197.  I really appreciate your support.