Squirrels and Skinned Knees

So Saturday. That was something.

We rode 50 miles! I was pretty proud of that accomplishment. We started out in Shipshewana, rode trails & roads to Ox Bow Park in Goshen, then turned around and came back the same way. And the coolest part? I wasn't even sore the next day! Well, except for the battle scars from my run-in with the pavement. I'll get to that later.

The day was pretty warm, but it was still an awesome day to ride! I'm still loving the Pumpkinvine Trail. It's just so pretty, and perfect to bike on. Nice smooth pavement and no cars to worry about.

But there are squirrels. Nevin ran over this one.

It was sitting on the trail, and we were going to pass on either side of it since it wasn't moving. But just as we got there, it took off running- right in front of Nevin. He ran over it, while I cringed and yelled... and cracked up. When we went back to see what happened with it, the poor thing was part way up the tree, and just sitting there panting. And bleeding out the mouth. I tried to get closer for a picture, but he was feeling self conscious and went farther up the tree so I couldn't get a photo of its face. Oh well.

The trail passes through Oakridge Cemetery in Goshen, which has all kinds of history. I'm sure there are a ton of interesting stories behind those gravestones, and I would love to hear some of them. There are veterans of every major US war buried there, and graves dating back to 1832. There is a green octagonal building in the center of the cemetery where they used to put the coffins in the winter time until the ground thawed enough to bury them. We know all this, because Nevin had plenty of time to read the signs while I was recovering from my attack on the trail...

A little under 20 miles in, just as we got to Oakridge Cemetery, I up and dropped off the side of the trail. After that, I can't be sure exactly how everything went down. Nevin could probably give a more accurate rendition of what happened, because for me it was all kind of a blur. There was panicking, over-correcting, diving for the cement, bleeding, checking for bones jutting out anywhere, white light, "Moses? Abraham, is that you? I'm coming home!" ...wait. That's just Nevin, asking if I'm okay. Hi Nevin. Let me check. Yep, I seem to still be alive. Then I laid in the grass and started laughing. And I couldn't stop. I think I saw Nevin wiping tears at one point, and I'm pretty sure he wasn't crying... In true Miller family fashion, once he knew I still had a pulse, the laughing and mocking began. Once I was able to stand again, and felt like I could maybe remember how to ride a bike, I got back in the saddle and we headed out to finish up the 50 mile ride. I need to take Maurice (my bike) to the shop to see if they can fix the bent handlebars, and let my knee and other bruises heal up a little, then I'll be ready to go again!



Added to the trip supply list: First Aid kit.

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She Needs Help

Last night, I went for a little solo ride. About a half mile or so down the road, I discovered that my sunglasses were missing from my pack on the front of the bike. Huh. They must have fallen out right when I opened the pack, and I didn't notice. So I stopped, set my bike in the ditch, and started walking back along the road to see if I could spot them.

Then I remembered where I had put them.
Right here, below my helmet:

Please send help. Soon.

I stopped at this abandoned church for a little break. I love old buildings, and I so badly wanted to see what was inside this one. The doors were securely closed, but I found a few windows that were broken out and not boarded up, so I climbed up to look around. And then I wanted to crawl inside and poke through everything. But I refrained. There was some pretty awesome looking junk inside, though. I left with a mysterious rash on my leg, presumably from the weeds I had stomped through while getting to the one window. And it was worth it.

Then I got to watch the beautiful sunset as I rode. So pretty!

Last night's ride: 21 miles.

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Planning Session

Today we planned our route, found our stopping points, and discussed lodging along the way. 

Stay tuned- we'll be sharing more of this info soon!

(Nevin bonding with GoogleMaps)

Also, we did this: 

So. 

That was something.

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In Which We Ask For All Your Cash

We think you should give us all your money. But it's not for us. While we would very much enjoy that cause, we have one even better.

While I know we will feel an immense sense of accomplishment and victory when we arrive at our destination, we also want this trip to be about more than just us. So we decided to use this trip to raise money for someone who needs it more than we do. We wanted to find someone in the Sioux Lookout area (our destination) that could use donations. After asking Galen about needs there, we settled on Ashawaabic Ministries.

Ashawaabic Ministries is run by Morley and Reta Beardy. They provide support for survivors of suicide with dealing and healing for their loss. Each year they host a Memorial Gathering in memory of their daughter Ruth Ann. They host the memorial gathering in May and it is planned for Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The Beardys invite speakers and musicians to have workshops and there is time for singing planned each day. The focus is Suicide Awareness & Prevention and Recovery. It is also a support for those families that have lost loved ones to suicide. This ministry is supported entirely by donations, and we would like to help them. 

And here's where you come in. We are "selling" our miles to raise money for this organization. By clicking on the Donate button on this post or on the right side of this page, you can buy miles for $5.00 each, and we will see if we can make our route reach Sioux Lookout by the time we leave! Every penny you give will be passed on to Ashawaabic Ministries. 

Thank you for your help!

P.S. If you do not wish to pay online, we will also accept donations of checks or cash. We draw the line at chickens, though. 

I tend to ride my fastest when I think someone might pass me up. Like another biker. Or a buggy. I love passing buggies and leaving them in my dust. But let one come up behind me and think he's going to get ahead? I ride like the wind. Even if I'm going uphill or against actual wind. This is why it's good for me to ride with someone. My determination is that much stronger, and I push myself to ride farther and faster.

Last night I rode with Nevin, and yes, I rode farther than I would have by myself. We drove to Shipshewana and rode the Pumpkinvine to Goshen and back. We kept going a little farther and a little farther until finally we were only 5 miles from the Goshen end, so we couldn't just not finish it out. Nevin definitely had to slow down a bit for me, and I had to push myself to keep up with his slower speeds at times, but it was a good time!

I got scared 98.7% out of my wits, and I think Nevin was scared completely out of his when a dog leaped out of the ditch, started barking like the dickens, and chased us down the road a little bit. I saw it just before it started barking, but Nevin never saw it coming. I screamed. I am not proud of that fact. But I couldn't help myself. I'm not sure what Nevin did, but I think it was a while before his heart rate returned to normal.

We woke up some relatives for a water bottle refill. (Sorry, Violet! But who goes to bed before 9:00 pm? Oh, right. People who get up exceedingly early.)

Then we stopped at Harvey & Leanna's to use their restroom and chat a little. Had a regular progressive family reunion going on. They wouldn't let us in the front door; we had to use the garage door like a couple of savages. Thanks for the warm welcome, guys. Ha! But they did let us go out the front door then, so that was nice. 

We rode 34.4 miles in all, which is a new record for me! Next time we'll have to get photographic evidence of our ride.

And now, it's vacation time for me. 4 days of being in the sun and doing as little as possible? I can handle that.

Sundays

Yesterday was a good day.

Lunch with the [now complete] family. (Except for the Canadians. Wish they were here!)
Hit another section of the Pumpkinvine with Jade & Brian.
Saw some wildlife.
Rode fast enough to catch one of them for a few photos.
Seriously. We are that speedy.
This trail is now my favorite place to ride. It's so peaceful and pretty and... naturey.

And ended the day with a little more family time.

All in all, a pretty perfect day.

Today I rode to Shipshewana, hopped on the Pumpkin Vine trail, and went to Middlebury. And back. 24.6 miles in all. This was the first time I had been on the Pumpkin Vine since it's finished, and I loved it! The trail is so nice, I saw rabbits (two adults and a baby), birds, flowers, a dead toilet in the woods (Seriously? Who throws their dead toilets out in the woods? Clean it up, people.), pretty little creeks, people... Except for the part where bugs flew into my mouth and eyes, it was perfect. And I found myself wondering, why didn't I take up biking sooner? 


Word to the wise: when biking, wear shades and keep your mouth shut. I may or may not have eaten a bug or two. I can't say that I did, but I'm not prepared to say that I didn't. It's possible that I managed to spit it out. Or maybe I swallowed it. I'll probably never know for sure.



(I took this photo while riding. I'm getting better at this!)

You guys. I really think I can do this.

I haven't always been sure.

But tonight I am.