Rolled out of the garage at 9 am determined to scrub in my new Champiro rear tire. Rained most of yesterday. A little cabin fever.
40F on the Formotion thermometer.
Heated gloves, handlebar grips and jacket liner.
Riding through my subdivision still debating as to whether I should have put on riding over-pants. I don't like getting too bulky with clothing.
Too late, now I'm on the 6 lane for a mile before turning north on a 2 lane.
Gas stop and legs and toes don't feel cold. Good.
Breaking free of the suburban sprawl I go exploring.
So many narrow country roads.
After nearly 15 years you'da thought I had ridden them all by now.
Here's a new one that brings me into Ballground GA. A little town that has prospered since a major down town building owner died. Now there are delis, boutiques, meat market, a diner, art galleries all in the buildings the guy used to own.
On to Tate GA. I want to photograph my bike with the elementary school as the background.
An overcast day so the marble doesn't really look its best.
The school is unique because it is faced with Mezzotint marble veneer from the local quarries.
The local quarries also supplied the marble for Lincoln's 19-foot statue in the Lincoln Memorial.
Twenty-four Georgia White Cherokee marble columns, each one quarried and lathed from a single chunk of marble, stand in the east front exterior of the U. S. Capitol building.
I'm now headed towards Hwy 136 and need to ride up McLain Mtn Rd en-route. This is a steep curvy 1.3 mile section of road that 2nd gear and 3,000 to 4,000 rpm would make Scrooge smile.
The increase in elevation brings me closer to the low lying clouds and riding on to Hwy 136 would bring me into the clouds. Darn it.
So Plan B. Head for home and stop for lunch on the way.
I should have put on the riding pants. Legs and knees are feeling the cold.
Plan C. Stop at my local bar for lunch.
Start with a Bloody Mary.
Follow up with a burger and sweet potato fries.
I have no idea how much vodka was in the Bloody Mary but I needed to go home RIGHT NOW.
Rolled in to the garage at 44F and 101 miles.
Brrrrr.
