Snap Freeze

Holland Ridge Farms

1 December 2024

Two weeks ago, a week ago even, it was still too warm for November.

I led an unscripted ride to Sergeantsville on November 17. Everyone ahead of me had to wait for me because nobody knew where I was going next. It was a small group and I was mostly in the middle anyway.

We had to stop for the Mount Airy cows. It's the rule.

I expected Heddy to find me a spider at the Covered Bridge Cafe and Market in Sergeantsville. She did last time. This time, I found one on my own, a furrow orbweaver (Larinioides cornutus) tucked into a lamppost. You can zoom in if you want to.

I took a day off on November 25 to go on a short hike with a friend I haven't seen since well before the pandemic. I wanted to take her to the Goat Hill Overlook and the trails there, but the road into the park was closed for tree-trimming. We ended up at the Ted Stiles Preserve on Baldpate Mountain instead.

I seem to have a penchant for sending unsuspecting folks (including myself) up rocky inclines.

We managed. It leveled off. Eventually, we got to the Strawberry Hill mansion and the view from there.

We used iNaturalist to figure out that this tree was some species of cypress. 

Then we got a view of the Delaware River.

And a wasp nest.

Thanksgiving happened, and more rain. Things had dried out by Friday morning. It was noticably cooler. Tom led an off-the-books ride under the pretense of sneaking a peek at the new windmill at Holland Ridge Farms. We rode into the parking lot entrance, even though the place definitely looked closed, and took pictures. The farm has a nighttime light display, for which they charge money. It wasn't night and we didn't pay, so we got out of there quickly.

The wind was out of the west, and picking up. We were heading into the wind and the edge of a cold front. As we neared the heavy clouds, the light got weird, that sort of silvery look when the sun is behind you and the sky is black up ahead.

I was on Kermit. Kermit eats headwinds for breakfast. I felt a drop of rain.

The next day, Saturday, was blustery. The air temperature was barely above freezing; the wind chill took it down to the high 20s. I'd signed up for Dave H's C+ ride days before. Overnight, the registrations doubled, filled with an infestation of B+ riders who really ought not to have been there. After all, other fast rides were listed that day. The thought of dropping out crossed my mind. I could get as many miles on my own, but I decided to suck it up and drive to the ride instead. I found another rider who is at my level and stuck with him. The rest of the group was off the front and gone in the first few miles. Dave H, gracious as he is, stayed back with us. We picked up a straggler halfway through, someone who chased the fastboys and wound up with cramps. He never really recovered. 

Today was even colder than yesterday, with less sun. Ken W had a towpath ride from Lambertville to Frenchtown. This stretch is now my favorite section of the towpath. The surface is in excellent condition, the path is wide, the northbound view of the river is spectacular*, there aren't a lot of people to dodge, and there are often tall trees on either side, making a cathedral ceiling over our heads. The rest stop, at the Perfect Day Cafe, serves worthy cortados. I shared a caffeinated cappucino muffin with Heddy and almost caught up to Dave H on the way back. Now that we've had some rain, we didn't end up covered in dust.

So I guess it's winter now? We won't be out of the 40s for all of next week. We still need rain.

(*In the winter, anyway.)