Day 2, Pt.1 - Terror Incognito

Luckily the weather for Day 2 looked much more promising, with clear blue skies and temps in the 70s. Started off from Middletown with a fully-loaded bike and headed NNW, stopping briefly in Farmersville for some breakfast. Winds alternated from tail to cross, then became a steady cross-headwind, which slowed me down a bit. Clouds began rolling through by noon, increasing as the day went on.


Rode from Middletown to Greenville, zigging and zagging to various small towns and other points of interest. I'm guessing I covered about 80 miles, which was really 20 miles too many, but I finished just before dark.


Found three of the barns I was looking for - 1 round and 2 octagonal. Despite their appearance, they are HUGE! One I spotted from almost 2 miles away, convinced myself it must be at the next farm... 3 farms later I finally arrived. I think the round shape must make then appear smaller than they really are.


Lots of wildlife - a large, shiney midnight-blue Black Snake wriggled across the road in front of me. Hundreds of Kestrel patrolling fields from the power lines. Ducks, thousands of Killdeer, lots of squirrels, but almost no dogs! Even saw a few Buffalo on one farm.


Stopped for a mocha in a Mennenite coffee shop in Arcanum. I'll have to do some more research on that one.


County Fair in Greenville, so lots of tractors and cotton candy. None for me, thank you. I was too tired to fight the crowds.


Seas of soybeans. Narrow country lanes lined on either side by tall cornfields. Quiet roads where I didn't see an automobile for 15-20 minutes at a time. I stopped and marvelled at sound of crickets in the weeds and wind through the corn. Other than tha, almost total silence with no traffic noise at all. That alone was worth the trip.


It's a drizzly, cold Saturday today. I'm headed to Fort Recovery, OH; Portland, IN; then up through Geneva, Berne, and on to Decatur for the night.


After that, Auburn and its car and armor museums!


Here's a few pics, in no particular order, of my first day on the road...

Pic 1: This red bike trail connects the sidewalks of Farmersville, Ohio to the community park west of town, and runs along the very edge of several farmer's fields.

Pic 2: Neat and tidy farm west of Farmersville.

Pic 3: The trees on either side have canopied this quiet country road north-west of Farmersville.

Pic 4: Wind rippling through a lush field of soybeans near Verona, Ohio.

Pic 5: The Mary Celeste parked in one of the innumerable corn fields of West-Central Ohio.

Pic 6: Barnyard laundry line in Pitsburg, Ohio.

Pic 7: Silo array at Pitsburg Seed Grain.

Pic 8: Ecclectic sign at abandoned gasoline station in Pitsburg. Note the weathervane mounted on top.