Off Script

 

Hendrickson Farm, Lawrenceville

9 March 2024

Unable to ride on Sundays for the next 8 weeks, I'm hell-bent on getting something in on Saturdays, no matter how short.

With a flood-warning rainstorm predicted, I didn't want to list a ride only to have to cancel it later, so I contacted a handful of regulars for an off-the-books ride. The goal was to do a relatively short route from Pennington that would take us for a quick visit up in the Sourland Mountain, and to get back to the start before noon, when the rain was predicted to start.

I had three takers: Our Jeff, Heddy, and Blob. I rode in to meet them at Twin Pines.

The Hendrickson Farm cattle herd was grazing by the stream next to Van Kirk Road, so we stopped to admire their headgear.

We were 14 miles in, near the foot of the mountain, on Moores Mill-Mount Rose Road, when we had to admit that it was raining. Blob, who had ridden in from Hillsborough, headed for home. We cut 9 miles out of the route, skipping the mountain and taking Crusher Road towards Pennington instead. 

Of course the rain petered out as soon as we went off script. As we got close to Twin Pines, Our Jeff suggested we go to Terra Momo after the ride. In deference to my not having driven to the start, Heddy decided we should all stay on our bikes. We turned towards Pennington, rain be damned.

Terra Momo was crowded. Heddy and I ordered our cortados. I bought a loaf of "Sourland" sourdough bread. The woman behind the counter put it in a plastic bag for me, lest we get rained on. 

I was wearing my winter jacket from 2000, the one with the double-zippered, deep pocket that runs the entire length of the back of the baggy jacket. Heddy watched in amazement as the pocket took the loaf.

As we were riding back to Twin Pines, Heddy said, "I can't believe you got the whole loaf in there. It's a magic pocket."

"It's a TARDIS," I explained. "It's bigger on the inside."

With the flat side against my spine, the loaf was keeping me in good posture.

I waved goodbye to Heddy and Our Jeff at Twin Pines and kept going. It was starting to rain again. Minutes after I got home, the rain set in for real.

Maybe next Saturday we'll have good weather and I can lead a real ride to somewhere out of this area code.