Taylor's Island again, took a couple of shots. An evening service was just letting out at Old Trinity Church. The pastor invited me in to visit, snow-coverd bike clothes, cleats and all.

Christmas Eve, about 4:15 p.m.
Parsons Creek, Maryland
N 38.492478, W 76.253636

Christmas Eve 2009, about 4:30 p.m.
Old Trinity Church
Church Creek, Maryland
N 38.50407, W 76.16594

Rode down and back to Taylor's Island, about 20 miles.

Chapel Cove Marina
Taylors Island, MD
N38.469731, W-76.297254

Celebrated an important anniversary with a bike ride—snow be damned.

N38.448349, W-76.137528

Could have turned around and did, but found another way.

N38.491051, W-76.130541

Back on the Eastern Shore and rode this afternoon. Took some eagle pictures with a point-and-shoot pushed out.

Rode near the Kushi Institute, Becket, MA. My first ride with snow in years, but it doesn't show in the picture.

N42.334936, W-73.039244

Berkshire Hills

Took a brief ride today from the Kushi Institute along some of the local roads, about 10 miles (route map). The hills were mild, but had me standing occasionally. Being new to the free-floating Speedplay pedals on the bike I had borrowed made that a bit unnerving at first.

I spooked two white tail bucks at different points. The traffic was light, but not as light as in Dorchester County Maryland. The livestock is different also.

Tomorrow's forecast includes a chance of thunder showers and rain early, but clearing somewhat later. Hoping to get some more.

Visiting "The Lady Killigrew"

Rode about 34 miles from Hatfield, NH to Montague, NH (route map) with one old friend and two new ones. The was chilly, in the mid-40s, and windy. The scenery was good, but wildlife sightings nonexistent. There were some really quaint "children playing" signs (similar to this). Unfortunately, I didn't get a picture. Our turn-around was at the Book Mill in Montague, NH where we stopped for coffee and cold drinks at "The Lady Killigrew." Oddly, they don't have ice available in the colder weather. The why of that seemed logical to the server, but escaped me.

I was borrowing a friend's bike, titanium with a carbon fork and Speedplay pedals--a first for me with those three items. It was a very nice ride. Although the pedals took some getting used to, they are a very good design.

The hills were fairly mild as the route was mostly alongside the Connecticut River. Nonetheless, they were a bit of a challenge as I've been riding the flatlands of the Eastern Shore for the last couple of years. My legs were very restless while trying to sleep that night.

Ad-libbed Ride

Water, water everywhere. The ground is saturated and there's been about 8" of rain over the last few days. There is abundant new waterfront property in the area.

It was overcast but not raining—at last. I pushed off at about 4 p.m. after watching the temperature rise throughout the day. It continued to rise during my ride. I had planned on a 25-mile loop, a reverse of my Smithville Road loop. The high tide, however, suggested a different route. The boathouse picture below is at about the far point of this loop, on Hooper Island Road (map link).

Wildlife was fairly abundant as the high water levels brought many birds close to the road, feeding in the overflowing drainage ditches. There were quite a few Great Blue Herons—always impressive up close—as well as a variety of egrets and a few ducks.

It was a good ride, about 23 miles with an average speed of 15.8 mph (route map).

Balance and More Eagles

Did the routine 15 mile ride this evening (route map). Made it back just before it got dark enough to need a headlight. Really nothing special about the ride except that it was my first since Tuesday. It seems I was experiencing a bout of dehydration and the symptoms became quite severe on Thursday. Balancing my fluid intake is a continuing and complicated challenge.

Wildlife sightings were minimal; however, I saw a pair of bald eagles sitting in the same tree—unusual (map link). I wonder it they are the same pair I have seen elsewhere on the marsh (earlier posting). I didn't stop for a picture as I was hurried by the setting sun.

Passing a Telescope Riding to Taylors

This evening, I biked past a a telescope house (map link), pictured below. It's a distinctive local Chesapeake design from the 17th to early 19th centuries where two and sometimes three sections of the house are added, arrayed from smallest to largest. They were typically built over a number of years. Examples sometime are found in Pennsylvania and New England also.

I rode down to Taylors Island and had planned to include a circuit of the island; however, the road was underwater at the "Becky Phipps" monument (map link) so I turned back toward home.

It was about a 20 mile ride with an average speed of 16.8 mph.

From Facebook to Blogger!

I started on Facebook intending to use it as a blog of my local biking jaunts on Maryland's Eastern Shore and related wildlife and mushroom sightings. It worked for a while, but now Facebook is enforcing a 420 character limit on posting. Ergo, here I am.

I'm planning to back-fill the blog with ride reports from emails and FB postings. Is that legit?

Half Moon in the Dark

Did the regular 15 mile ride that includes Blackwater's wildlife drive. I felt good and strong, but I have no idea about my pace as I completely forgot to set the bike's computer. It was entirely in the dark. The half moon was already high in the sky when I pushed off, but was mostly obscured by gathering clouds. The ride is almost entirely within you when riding on a dark night. My field is only as far as the reach of my headlight and I hear only the wind in my ears.

Below is a picture of the bike I'm currently riding, with it's new battery pack and retrofit headlight. I was hoping to capture the beam in the picture, but the flash mostly blew that out. Check out the duct tape covering my helmet—the height of cold weather riding fashion.

Golden Moment

It's been a whole week since I last rode—rain, no headlight, cold, rain, sometimes lightheaded, still no headlight.

Today was a routine 15 miler including Blackwater's wildlife drive. The water and the sky were uniform and distinguishable only at the horizon. As I was looking towards the sunset I watched a heron rise from the water. It wasn't until I looked up a bit that I realized that I'd been watching the reflection on the still, glassy water.

Below is a shot of a heron along the way (map link). It was one of those golden moments of light that only happen early or better late in the day. I had to push the digital zoom to get the bird, but I like the colors.

Old Church, Old House

Rode a 15 mile loop including Blackwater's wildlife drive. It's gotten chilly. Thankfully I have plenty of cold weather biking gear to choose from. Everything was warm but my nose. A runny nose seems to be part of cold weather biking.

The wildlife was fairly unremarkable. The migratory waterfowl still haven't shown up in any appreciable numbers. The first duck season starts this weekend.

I startled a pair of Canada geese and they took off in directly opposite directions. It was kind of cool. On the way home I scared an immature bald eagle off of something dead. It's always impressive to see them up close.

Below is a picture of a church along my route (map link). Though in need of serious repair, it's not abandoned as so many others in the area are.

Also below is a house on the site of the planned Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad National Historical Park (map link). I understand that it's free for the taking, if you can remove it from the site. I didn't look in any windows, but folks who have been inside say it has some wonderful features.

32 Miles to Chicken Chesapeake

Had a long-time biking friend come out to ride with me. We used to ride home together to Bethesda along the Capital Crescent Trail. He was always a bit stronger of a rider than I was and he still is. Nonetheless, we rode well together at a good pace over a 32 mile loop.

There was really nothing exceptional about the ride except the company. Migratory waterfowl continue to gather on the Blackwater, but slowly. We stopped at Slaughter Creek Marina for a cold drink and it was dark when we pushed off for home.

The battery pack for my headlight will no longer take a charge. I had to follow my friend with his new powerful headlight attached to his new very expensive bike. I was glad to see that he treated himself to something that nice. If it gets used, money spent on quality bike gear is never poorly spent.

We finished the evening in town at the Portside enjoying some "Chicken Chesapeake" sandwiches, grilled chicken breast topped with Crab Imperial, on a deck overlooking Cambridge harbor (map link). We followed that with a pair of beers at a different bar where we talked too long and drank too little. When we were done, it was too late to push off for Assateague Island and pitch camp as we had planned.

I'd intended to ride the "metric" portion of the Sea Gull Century this morning, Saturday, but the logistics got complicated when we didn't get out to the island last night. Rain clouds are closing in also. I've bagged the Sea Gull this year. I had been looking forward to riding with a large group again, but it's not to be. I'll be joining friends on the island later this morning for our annual fall beach camping session.

Below is a picture of boats at Slaughter Creek Marina (map link), mostly sport and pleasure boats, where we enjoyed our drinks. Also below is a shot of sportsmen's lodging out on our loop (map link).

Dead Battery from Taylors

Another ride down to Taylor's Island this evening, 20 miles out and back with an average speed of 16.9 mph. The scenery isn't as nice as most of my loops, but the shoulders are very wide and well paved. It's good for sustained cadence.

The sun was setting as I pushed off and it was almost dark when I made the turn for home. The headlight was dead when I hit the switch. Why? I've got a smart charger for the battery, but a not so smart operator. The lesson of the day: Check the charge before pushing off on an evening ride. Luckily, I have a small backup light permanently attached to each of my bikes. It was enough to get me home safely.

The shot below is of some of the working boats down on Taylor's (map link).

Nause-Waiwash Band of Indians

Rode 27 miles into the marsh this evening with a running average speed of 15.7. It probably would have been faster if I hadn't needed to deal with water across the road for an extended stretch. Ultimately, it was too much and I turned back. This piece of road is underwater more often than it isn't. Too bad. It's a beautiful way through the marsh.

Wildlife was good this evening. It started out as a squashed snake ride with about half a dozen along the way. I'm guessing that the cooler weather has the snakes seeking the warmth of the asphalt, not so good. At the point where I turned back because of the water, I saw two adult bald eagles perched in adjacent trees, pictured below (map link). It's unusual to see adults together when not nesting. Later, on the top of Blackwater's wildlife drive, I came upon a pair of sika deer. I very nearly hit one. They wouldn't move and seemed completely unafraid. I could have touched them. It took some effort to get them to scamper off the pavement into the woods. Further on, I saw another eagle perched alone in an isolated tree. There were the usual herons and egrets as well, but almost no migratory waterfowl of any kind.

I also rode past the Nause-Waiwash Band of Indians' Longhouse (map link). It seems to be used mostly for storage. A picture is posted above.

It was an unexpectedly satisfying ride, after the disappointment of having to turn back at the water.

Battle of The Ice Mound

Took a tourist-paced ride down to Taylors Island with a detour into the fishing community of Madison (map link), a total of just more than 20 miles with an average speed of 14.3. Nothing special about the ride, except that I should have dressed more warmly. I just don’t want to pull out the cold weather gear quite yet. The historic marker for the War of 1812's Battle of The Ice Mound, pictured below (map link), is just over the bridge on Taylors. I wonder about the fate of Becca, the cook that was captured along with the cannon, recalling that this was a slave-owning area at the time.

Old Trinity Church

Another brief ride, 17 miles total (route map) with an average speed of 15.7 mph. It started with a swing down to Old Trinity Church in Church Creek, Dorchester County (map link). Built about 1675 and originally called “Dorchester Parish Church,” Old Trinity may be America's oldest operating church. Being in a water-focused community, the church includes a dock and its web site includes information on navigation and tides.

After visiting the church, I picked up my regular 15 mile loop. The riding was fairly unremarkable, though slower than I would have liked. I came upon a red fox somewhat too quickly for both of us. No damage was done, but I slowed down and began riding within the range of my headlight. Good news on lighting, however, my housemate accused me of being lit like a Christmas Tree as I pulled into the driveway.

Old Trinity Church
Church Creek, Maryland
N 38.50407, W -76.16594

Squirrels and Succotash

Twenty miles, all in the dark—I’d forgotten how much I enjoy that. (Note that I use a high-powered headlight and two flashing taillights.) I was riding cadence, not minding the speedometer that I couldn’t see and finished with an average speed of just less than 14 mph. It was a ride of smells, fields smelling of harvest and the honey wagon, late-blooming plants, the marsh and dead things. (route map)

A storm was approaching and the sky was wonderful–clouds overhead and lightning on the horizon. The moon was three quarters toward full and shined nicely on the open water of the marsh when it was able to peek from behind the clouds.

There are endangered Delmarva fox squirrels along my near-daily loop (map link). I helped work for their protection years ago. That’s a cool realization. I still haven’t seen a live one though, only stuffed.

Dinner’s highlight, after the ride, was a succotash made with local corn, limas from a neighbor, fresh and cold-smoked tomatoes and one roasted, red jalapeno peppers.

Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge
Wildlife Drive
N38.44147, W-76.093259

Riding With ChesapeakeMan

I got out for a 30 mile ride today and beat the approaching rain that's already soaking much of the DC area. It's interesting to me how much of DC's weather never makes it across the Bay, especially in the winter. It often seems to slide up the I-95 corridor.

I delayed my ride a bit today to allow participants in the "ChesapeakeMan Ultra Triathlon" to complete their riding. However, I ended up passing a handful of them once I got out there and none overtook me. I was feeling kind of smug about it until I realized what they were facing for their day—2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike, 26.2 mile run. Nonetheless, my speed was good at an average of 16.8 mph over 30 miles of riding.

I'm considering riding the Sea Gull Century this year for the first time in a very long time.

Wildlife sitings were unexceptional, except for an apparently injured Great Blue Heron struggling and bounding to cross the road about 10 yards ahead of me. These really are very large and somewhat prehistoric looking birds. I see them often, but never before hurt like this. He crossed safely into an area of deep, uninterrupted marsh.

Below is a shot of a small church along my route today (map link). There are many small churches in the area, some forgotten, most are United Methodist.

Oak Grove Church
Church Creek, Maryland
N38.413623, W-76.233997

Puffballs

I took a rather slow 15 mile ride today (route map), including Blackwater's wildlife drive. The pace was lite partly because I was distracted by what I found along the way: puffball mushrooms, calvatia craniformis, pictured below. All puffballs are edible if they are firm and white inside, with no evidence of gills. No, I didn't find them in the basket.

Local Color on Taylors Island

Had a good ride this evening, about 20 miles down and back to Taylors Island (map link), roughly running along the Little Choptank River. Beautiful, as the sun was setting. This is the area that Harriet Tubman ran away from, though she returned some 19 times to lead others to freedom along the Underground Railroad. The buildings in the background of the photo below are Wiley's Seafood, providing some local color.

Taylor's Island, MD
N38.469685, W-76.296637

No Rain!

I got a bit of a late start, so I missed the sunset. However, I saw one of my regular friends in his usual spot (map link)—picture below. I also spooked a deer as I was riding through the Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge. It was about a 15 mile ride (route map) at a pleasantly quick pace.

Blsckwater National Wildlife Refuge
Wildlife Drive
N38.444018, W-76.123677

Started on Facebook, hoping to blog there

Today I opened a Facebook page and there's so much to do! However, rain is approaching and I need to get out for a ride. It's likely I'll see something like the attached picture (map link).