Don’t you love perfection?
I am quite fond of it myself, and today I came mighty close to the perfect bicycle ride. This particular route is one of my favorite easy rides. At just under 60 miles, and only 2700 feet of climbing, it is the ride for newbies to get their first taste of a medium length ride. Today was Zachary’s turn. I knew he could do it and he took my word for it.
We met Bill Dukart at the intersection of Rt. 92 and Rt. 39 out of Marlinton, WV. The necessary greeting and faffing completed, we mounted our two wheeled steeds and proceeded north on one of the prettiest roads in the area. It’s a nice easy route north and then we detoured off Rt. 92 to swing by Senator Rockefeller’s farm. The one interesting climb on today’s route was up to his driveway which topped out with an incredible view of a large valley of cattle and sheep. I might add, the poor slob who monitors the CCTV at the end of the driveway has the camera aimed away from the view of the valley so there is no respite from the view of the gate. The route continued on a country road ( well maintained we joke, due to the presence of said senator) lined by new lambs and their respective ewes.
The observatory is always amazing. A quintessential government installation, especially of the 60’s and 70’s. The old wood buildings, the pretentious architecture of the visitors center, the plethora of signage, and the intangible je ne sais quoi of these older installations. I love it. I must have gone to one of these places as a child because it just resonates with me.
We stopped to eat at an outdoor table at the visitors center. I had my trusty PB&J and spring water from home. The visitors center was as busy as I have ever seen it, which I like. The idiots who try to run our government want to defund one of the most important astronomy research centers in the world. So when a large number of visitors show up, I am hoping that it’s showing the bureaucrats that this project is important to the people. We rode from the visitors center through the antenna farm along a road lined with models of the planets spaced to scale (poor Pluto is still there, but with a black flag at half mast).
The observatory is home to the world’s largest fully steerable single aperture antenna. Rebuilt in 2002 it now explores the outer galaxies for stuff that I appreciate but don’t understand at all. I just really appreciate research and the quest for new information. Gallileo would be in his element and be so excited! But the gov doesn’t think along these lines. Damn. Already funding is being cut for important research.
Heading south we branched over to route 28 which took us through the beautiful Seneca State Park with a long climb. OMG, it’s a beautiful ride. I am constantly amazed at the roads in this country: very well maintained and very little traffic! How we can justify the tons of asphalt for so little traffic!
Of course I am pleased with Zachary’s strength and fortitude to complete this ride today. There are numerous stories in our bike club of riders bonking or close to bonking on the climb in the Seneca State Forest. Today there were no complaints.
Oh, there is one complaint, not to do with the ride, but with one particular driver: what in blazes do some of these people think of bicyclists? This fellow in a red car passed so close that we could have reached out and touched his car as he sped by. I raised my open hand in an exasperated question, which the driver saw in his rear view mirror, and then responded to me by sticking his middle finger in the air. An articulate response on his level, I guess.
Now we are home with a plate of spaghetti, and one hamstring cramp. The muscle cramp because I stupidly neglected my stretches. Time to relax and plan the next two wheeled voyage! and to let my body relax to stasis……..
