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).