Another perfect fall day - sunny, temps in the low 60s, and the colors are close to peak. And so I headed out to play two-wheels leaf-peeper. One of the great things about Lawrenceville is that from our house I can hit the road and be out in true country in a matter of about five miles (trivia time: our mayor is a farmer on the edge of the town limits). My goal today was the Sourland Mountains which is mostly preserved land with scattered country houses and small farms. And lest anybody jump to conclusions, let it be known that New Jersey is not really a mountainous state. We have lots of rolling hills but the high point in the entire state is only about 1200 feet of elevation. We therefore tend to be somewhat liberal in what we call "mountains." The Sourlands could also be described as just a whole bunch of rocky hills but that does not sound as romantic. In any case it is a region with lots of trees, wildlife (deer and an occasional black bear), and a couple of pretty little streams - great place to ride and take a few pictures. It was the first time since starting up on the bike again that I have gone after any kind of real hills but I must be getting stronger because I enjoyed every minute - and I have yet to test the granny gear on the new bike.
One of the neat little moments today was moving down one of the no-shoulder roads on an uphill section. I guess I was focused on the road more than the scenery because out of the corner of my eye I caught a sudden movement which turned out to be a deer who apparently didn't see me either. He (or she) was feeding at the edge of the road and I got to within five feet when he saw me and jumped almost straight up and then made an abrupt right turn and headed off into the woods with his buddy. Another reason why I love cycling...would never have that experience in a car.
The pictures are all in the Sourlands except the shot with the blue sky and white fence. That is on the edge of Lawrenceville and is actually the site of one of the last grass airports in the United States. It had been there since the early 20th century and, in fact, Charles Lindbergh had used it years ago (his house in the Sourlands was the scene of the Lindbergh baby kidnapping in the early thirties). The owner was in his mid-eighties and and sold it about a year ago. Fortunately it will be developed as soccer fields for the local kids and not as another suburban plot of colonials.
So for the day...forty three miles, a tad under 15 mph average, and the new bike is still an absolute joy. I'm a little sore tonight but I think that is going to be part of life for awhile - nothing that a couple of Advil cannot remedy.
Really neat photos of Fall. I thought at first they might be your back yard creek. &:)
ReplyDeleteWhile you were enjoying the temps in the low sixties, it was in the low eighties here in SoCal. We may not have any deer or fall leaves, but the volleyball players in bikinis are spectacular this time of year. Ride on.
ReplyDeleteWhat a specatular view! I don't think I would drive anywhere with scenary like that!
ReplyDeleteThose are some beautiful pictures. It must make the biking that much easier.
ReplyDeleteGive me another month or so when the snow starts flying and I'll gladly trade the deer for the bikinis...
ReplyDeleteWe passed within 10 or so miles of Lawrenceville on Tracy's East Coast ride last fall. It was a welcome respite that day, the first relief from heavy traffic since leaving Maine. I remember a couple of hills in the area, the last ones from there to Florida. The snow is flying here with more than 2 feet here this week. Enjoy your fall colors while you can.
ReplyDeleteTom D.