I marched across Indiana today on a long ride that brought us a little north of Fort Wayne. The Indiana countryside is much the same as we have seen since Minnesota: cropland and a few hog and dairy farms interspersed among forests. It was a bit flatter than Minnesota, and quite a bit flatter than Wisconsin.
The ride was beautiful, if a bit plodding for much of the day. That changed at the end of the ride as the threat of thunderstorms motivated me to finish the final 6 miles in about 20 minutes, despite headwinds.
As I’ve mentioned, songs often fill my thoughts while I am riding. Today I was able to dwell on one of the songs that has popped up off and on during the ride and come up with more appropriate lyrics.
“Northwest Passage”, by the late Canadian singer-songwriter Stan Rogers, tells the story of a traveler driving the route of the explorers seeking a northwest passage to the Pacific. The line i keep hearing in my head is “Through the miles, behind the wheel, the mileage clicking west.” Appropriate to my journey, except I’m behind handlebars and the mileage clicks east.
Today I was able to devise lyrics more suitable to my journey for the chorus and one verse:
For just one time, I would ride across the country; to see the land unfolding at a gentle easy pace;
Tracing one thin line, through a proud and kindly people; to taste the nation’s spirit sea to sea.
Through the miles, between the wheels, the mileage clicking east, I think about my old job and its worries not the least;
Seeking homemade ice cream, finding weathered broken barns; and the roads that lead me to the journey’s end.
Well, it’s a start.
The line about “proud and kindly people” just popped into my head, but as I reflected on it, I have found it largely true. Granted, some people are more proud than kindly . . .
Albany, Wisconsin
But by and large the people we have met (of any political persuasion) have been kind, helpful and welcoming. (See an example in Toni’s post in The Conversations today.)
Here are today’s barns.
Walkerton, IN
North Liberty, IN
North Liberty, IN
North Liberty, IN
Lakeville, IN
Millersburg, IN
The technical stuff:
Michigan City, IN to Kendalville, IN
88.2 miles
2,200 feet of climbing (The elevation function on both Garmin and Ride with GPS are acting up and this is an estimate).
Average speed 15.1 miles per hour
Weather: Partly cloudy all day, with thundershowers in late afternoon. Temperatures around 60 to start and 80 at the end, with high humidity. Winds calm in the morning and front quartering winds of about 10-15 MPH in the afternoon.
You can see the entire route to date here.