Returning of the bikes

Wednesday, 6/12/2013

The day has come -- we must end this adventure and return the bikes to Ray's Bike Shop. The manager remembered us from last year and gave us the same good rental rate for the week that included the bike carrying rack for the car and a gear carrying rack for one of the rental bikes.

To begin with I was going to ride into town alone for updating the blog, and would meet the other two at the bike shop. As I was preparing my gear for the day, Gerry thought the ride into town sounded good to her too, so she started gearing up as well. Vickie (before her coffee) said she was perfectly happy to skip a ride today as she was feeling a little tired. UNTIL she was assisting with getting bikes off the rack and out of the car. Then she too thought a ride sounded good for the day. Soon we were all geared up and arrangements were made with Len to come to Ray's for pick up.

Gerry awaits Vickie for the start of the ride down the driveway

Our final ride down Len's driveway for this trip

You never know what you will run across on a simple ride. Along the road we came upon some handcrafted "art" work.

There was the owl from Mars...

...the Martian himself...

...and the human invader of Mars

Having Vickie along for this final trip allowed us to explore a little further than Gerry and I would have done on our own. A little visit to the Nature Center brought us memories of last year's visit, plus Vickie could get a look at her cousin's beadwork on sale there. In town we stopped for lunch at an actual restaurant (no abandoned house, cemetery or picnic bench this time), then meandered to the Library on scenic side streets.

Chippewa Nature Center

"Modern Explorers" must refer to chemists (Dow and all)

 

Overlook Park overlooks what was to be the Nuclear Power Plant that cost 5 BILLION to build and ended up being torn down (now a gas plant I think)

Then it was on to the coffee shop for coffee/tea and blogging before wandering across the way to Ray's. We turned in everything that belonged to them and I got to ride back home on Vickie's Bike Friday. Back across the tridge (see last year's trip blog) and onto the Chippewa Trail before riding the roads to Len's. I passed a deer alongside the trail but it was too well hidden in the high weeds for me to get a photo. Then I came upon a lone gosling that wanted to adopt me as its mother. I was saddened almost to tears when I had to leave it there with no mama anywhere to be seen. Perhaps mama was watching and would go to it when I left, perhaps the baby was sickly so the mama left it, perhaps the family that passed me going the other way toward it would have an idea of what to do. Whatever happens, there was nothing I could do for the gosling but mourn for it being alone.

The end our trip for this time, and an early morning on Thursday for the drive to Detroit airport and our departure for home. For those of you who have followed along, thanks for being here as I love sharing things with you. Stay tuned for the next adventure, coming soon. And, by the way, when you get a notice that I have posted on the blog, do not reply to that notice as it is to the server and not to me, so I will not get any responses. If you write anything to me (and I love it when you do), you can email me directly at my email address, or leave a comment on the blog.

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