Day 14, June 25
Randolph Vermont
bike 31 miles
Suz moved into the room that Diane and Luke had occupied so we each had a luxurious queen-sized bed to sleep in. Nonetheless, I was up at 6. No one else was up, and Gordon & Bonnie wanted to sleep in after their last day of work, so I got back in bed and read my book until I heard the others up and smelled brewed coffee. We had bagels and lox on the back porch of this enormous house. (Bonnie is NY Jewish and Gordon is a Scot. Somehow this couple with their different backgrounds, customs, and religions blend beautifully.)
After breakfast, Suz and I dressed for a ride. We couldn’t ride yesterday because it rained all day. We’d actually planned on leaving this morning, but Bonnie told us to stay and ride in the area because more rain was expected tomorrow. This seemed like a good plan.
Bonnie & Gordon were packing for a weekend in NYC with their son and daughter-in-law and their 8-month-old baby. They planned to take dog Maggie to be boarded and then take off at 1pm to catch their plane, so we were given the house key and instructions before we said our goodbyes and left for our ride about 10 o’clock. Below a few of the whimsical sights along the way.
What a fantastic ride. We took Route 12A south. It was a beautiful two-lane road through a valley with big farms and farmhouses along it; chattering, rocky streams running beside it, and an occasional country store. The trees were tall enough to cast their shade nearly across both lanes, so it was also cool and comfortable—temps in the mid 80s I think. A few minor hills but the best and most beautiful route winding along the Third Fork of the White River and the Amtrak railway for the first half of the ride.
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| Beautiful country church |
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| Our glorious route |
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| Hand carved tombstone |
We rode 15.6 miles to Roxbury where we stopped at a country store. Suz tried a maple soda. I took a sip, and it was quite good. I had a Gatorade and a delicious, large, homemade oatmeal cookie. Mine was plain but Suz bought one that had white raisins & cranberries. Each cookie cost $1.50. I wanted to buy some more but restrained myself.
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| Roxbury Country Store where Suz tried a maple soda, I had a Gatorade and we both had a delicious homemade oatmeal cookie |
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| Directly across from the Roxbury Country Store was the Roxbury Historical Society housed in what appeared to be a very small historical house |
Shortly before we got to Roxbury we found a small dead animal beside the road. Neither of us knows what it is, but I am pretty sure it was a mink. It was black with a longish body and a somewhat rounded snout. Soft black fur.
When we got back to the Grant’s, we did another laundry and organized our gear. Suz’s rock collection is growing alarmingly. Gordon had left a note on a large white rock on their steps: "Don't even think of taking this!" Of course the temptation was too great, and we carried the stone up and placed it under the covers in the middle of Bonnie & Gordon’s bed. Then Suz left a note in a plastic Ziploc where the stone had been on the porch: “Even though your friendship means a lot to me . . . I couldn’t resist.”
We ate leftover and very soggy taco salad for dinner, loaded our bikes and gear, and then Suz went up to her room to read and sleep, and I sat up to work on this journal and to finish Wheel Issues, my bike club newsletter. I’d already posted Feathers, my Audubon chapter newsletter to the Payne County Audubon website, of which I am the webmistress.
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| Our bikes loaded and ready to go tomorrow; we always try to protect the seats with plastic bags, but the bags get torn and tattered on the drive |
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