Steal This Ride

17 August

I am so going to steal today's route from the Joes. I'm so glad Smolenkak went easy on us yesterday because the Joes put some hills in today's near-metric.

We left from Lambertville. As usual we rode north along the river. Ira drove past us and waved, and Big Joe and I lamented that we miss riding with Ira now that he doesn't lead from Cranbury much. As we passed through Stockton we saw him turning around in a parking lot, looking for a ride that seemed not to be happening. So we talked him into going with us, which turned out to be great fun.

Instead of following the river north as we usually do, the Joes veered us off to the east on Lower Creek Road. From there we climbed a real hill, Sanford (the ones next to it are worse though) to the top of the ridge.

Here we are at the top. The specks in the first picture are Little Joe and Jack; the specks in the second are Big Joe and Ira. I need a real camera.




After that it was high and flat for a while, in a canopy of young trees on Kingwood-Locktown Road



and Locktown School Road:




I was delighted to ride on Whiskey Lane and turn onto Boarshead Road. I've been looking at those on the Hunterdon County map for a while, wondering how I'd ever get up there just so I could say I'd been on them.

We turned onto Route 12 and headed west into the headwind. I looked at the flowers by the side of the road: chickory and purple loosestrife, a mismatched purple pair; yellow asters, Queen Anne's lace, cattails already exploded.

When we turned north onto 519 the hard rollers started. I was so into the views that I'd be halfway up a hill before I realized I was working.





The rollers didn't let up and we stayed on them well into Death March territory (see How Not to See A Reservoir Part IV).

At 34 miles we stopped in Milford where I had too much coffee and not enough muffin to keep me from feeling tired and cranky as we hammered down Route 29 south. Instead of whining I channeled Dale, who smiles through all sorts of rotten things. It made me sit up straighter.

When we parted ways with Ira I was tempted to follow him down the rest of Route 29, but I decided instead to stick with the Joes into Sergeantsville. We turned onto Lower Creek Road again. Big Joe started singing CSNY's "Deja Vu," which got stuck in my head. I got back at him by singing back to him: "IfIhadeverbeenherebeforeIwouldprobablyknowjustwhattodo. Wouldn't you?"

I took my time up Sergeantsville Road. At the top was a cornfield. The plants are well over our heads now, and the way the sun and clouds were I had to get off my bike and get some pictures.




Once we got to Sergeantsville I realized how hungry I was. The Joes and Jack got dumplings. I washed down a half-melting energy bar with some cold root beer. Much better. Munching muffin tops just isn't going to cut it until Crazy Season is over.

And from the looks of it Crazy Season isn't going to be over until after fall begins. Between now and then we might be doing a century in Delaware next weekend, followed definitely by the Pumpkin Patch Pedal century in September and another one down in Cumberland County the first weekend in October. If all of these happen I'll be up to six in one season, twice as many as I've ever done in a year, 16 total since Smolenyak was my sherpa on my first in 2004.

We planned to mosey back to Lambertville via Buchannan. I told the Joes I was looking for the Oreo cows and that I wanted pictures. But the pasture seemed empty. I found them, though, at the very end, in the corner, in the shade by the road. Again I dismounted. Ever get a nasty look from a cow? I interrupted their nap, apparently.





By the time I got back on my bike the Js were out of sight. I knew where I was, though, and where I needed to go. I was surprised to find Little Joe waiting for me around a corner and I apologized for not telling people to go ahead. There were so many ways to plummet off the ridge from where we were, but Big Joe's favorite route is Alexauken Creek Road. He and Jack were waiting there for us. We really did mosey after that.

Before all of this long-distance nonsense is over I'm going to have to lead a ride on today's route. I've already found a place to stop for water on top of the ridge to keep the Slugs from dehydrating before Milford. Nobody wants a dehydrated slug. If I can figure out a way to get us onto Goose Island Road that will be even better.