Teaneuring #6

Thursday, October 29, 2015

Number 6

• Biach Tea Room, Edmonds WA
• Occtober 29, 2015
• 30 miles
• Shared "refreshing" and Jasmine Pouchang tea (a new tea for me that I like a lot -- another to put on my list of favorites!)

 

Tea and tea sandwich party!

I beat the rain (again) that was forecasted for the afternoon. Riding from home it was looking "iffy" as to whether the weather would catch me or not! Five of us enjoyed a little tea party at Biacha -- a very favorite place of mine. It is a little far from home to get there often, but when I do, I load up on the delightful tea choices to take home with me.

It is a small place with lots of ambiance and a delightful young woman who is so welcoming and accomodating (Ann or Anna, I can't recall). There is no actual bike parking, but plenty of room in front of the windows to put a bike and be able to watch it if you don't want to lock it.

 

Seating outside in good weather, bike parking in bad ;'-)

 

Behind the counter where Ann usually is...

 

Look at all the choices of tea we have!

 

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Cemetery ride for "Halloween"

Friday October 23, 2015

The ride started and ended on the Centennial Trail. Our leader, Astrid, took us off the trail a few times and onto some quiet neighborhood roads. In the "spirit" of Halloween, we visited a cemetery.

 

1896

 

Babies

 

Very Halloween-looking

 

They died young back then

 

Unlike some, I have not thought of, or felt that, cemeteries and graveyards are spooky. They are a quiet and calm place to spend a time of reflection, and visit the site where there may be the memory of a loved one.

This was a great ride on a cold and cloudy day that warmed up just as we pulled into the restaurant at the end!

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Ending our time in MI

Tuesday and Wednesday, October 20 & 21, 2015

On Tuesday Gerry and I got to ride our bikes into town while Vickie took hers to the bike shop to get untangled (it's a story). The ride to town is short but very pleasant on these flat, traffic free roads, and we got the bonus of riding along the Chippewa Nature Center Trail for several miles into town. We crossed the Tridge (photos in our last Midland visit) and entered town to find the coffee shop.

 

Best coffee/tea shop in town

My "office" set up for blogging

As we started our ride home, it rained! It lasted for about the first mile and a half of our ride, and returned for the final mile. It was not cold and the ride in some rain actually felt good. There are some hints of Halloween sprouting up.

 

...ashes, ashes, one fall down

Wednesday is a day for Vickie to finish up the last of the list of things to do for her dad as she heads back to her home on Whidbey Island. As well, we would need to return the bikes, pick up the car rental for our trip to the airport, and stop at the library to print our boardaing passes. All this, and we would get in at least a short ride. On this day we took the longer route into town, thus, connected to yesterday's ride, completing the circle to and from Len's house.

More spookieness in evidence...

 

Ghosts wedding? Blue Beard's wedding?

 

A closer look...

Half of our route, the last part into town, was on the Pere Marquette rail trail and brought us to the Tridge (the three pronged bridge), a short ride up to the bike shop to return bikes we had rented.

 

Then, home and packing for our departure .... today (Thursday) actually. Another fine visit in Michcigan thanks to Vickie, and to her dad, Len.

 

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The Heartland Trail -- Michigan

Monday, October 19, 2015

What a day of great cycling. We drove to a new trail (I do think that Michigan has the most trails of any state). After all those days in the 30s and low 40s, today we had 70 degree weather and sunshine.

 

The trail began in the college town of Alma MI

 

It was soon warm enough to shed a layer or two

 

Interesting stone building in Elwell, one of several towns along the trail This one like a ghost town

 

A forgotten church

 

Grain elevators in what must once have been a thriving town

We got a little hungry about halfway on the trail and the Ice Cream sign looked promising. We didn't really wnat ice cream, but maybe that meant other food as well. Entering the town of Vesterburg, we stopped in the ice cream store to ask if there was a Main Street. "You're on it" they said. This was the ONLY business in town and fortunately they had grinders as well as pizza and ice cream.

 

We did save half for later ;'-)

The trail was basically empty except for us and one racoon! We had a delightful day on our bikes.

 

A typical Michigan framstead

Half way between two Great Lakes

 

We found our tea stop ... at the tavern in Riverdale.

 

 

 

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Frankenmuth, MI

Sunday, October 18, 2015

Another cold morning found us taking a drive to the "Bavarian" town of Frankenmuth (basically a tourist shopping and eating mecca). Vickie had never been there and of course neither had Gerry or I, so we thought it a good cold weather outing. We arrived during a "lull", easily finding parking in an almost emptly lot, and looking at goods and trinkets in almost empty shops. Soon however, the throngs arrived and our thoughts of lunch in one of the town restaurants were rearranged as the throngs of visitors lined out the door of every eatery in town. The after-church crowd had arrived and filled the parking lot as well as the streets, waiting for our parking space to empty so they could pull in.

 

 

Plaing in Frankenmuth

 

 

Vickie was taken with all those ghords

 

Gerry thought this side more colorful

After stopping for lunch in a "mom and pop" cafe outside of Bay City, we drove home in what seemed like warmer weather! Once home, we quickly wrapped up in some warmer clothing and got on our bikes for a delightful hour ride around the quiet neighborhood and traffic free roads that surround Len's homestead. We were all happy!

 

Time to get the bikes out for ride!

 

A stop at the gravesite of Vickie's aunt Dorothy

 

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Cold Enough for SNOW

Saturday, October 17, 2015

With temps in the mid to upper 30s for the past two days, we find it too cold to bike. This morning we went to town to the Farmer's Market. Vickie wanted to get some of what will soon be the last of the delicious tomatoes, and we would also take a little walk around town.

 

May be the biggest sunflower I have ever seen

 

Many many pumpkins

 

White fire escape against a red wall

 

The one breakfast place available had a waiting line out the door, so we came home for breakfast ala Vickie. Afterward we bundled up in whatever clothing we had (I had packed little in the way of cold weather gear so donned double/triple everything) for a walk in a snow shower. We drove to the Chippewa Nature Center and took the two and a half mile River Trial. Just as we began our walk, the snow shower started. Snow showers! It was off and on for most of our walk, and as has been typical, the sun came out the minute we got back to the car at the end of the trail.

 

 

A burst of color

 

At the Nature Center

 

Where the Pine River runs into the Chippewa River that runs into the Titabawassee River

 

Indian Seasonal Camp

 

Walls of thin bark

 

 

There has not been much in bright Fall color this year but the few colorful trees that we see are vibrant and beautiful. "They" say that the weather is to warm up for the next few days for the end of our visit here in Michigan so we are hopeful to get on the bikes for some riding.

 

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White Pine Trail - Rockford MI

Thursday, October 15, 2015

The sky was clear blue with not a cloud in it when we left Shipshewana at mid-morning. As we entered Michigan the clouds started to gather and eventually brought rain off and on for the day. The cold rain thwarted our plans to bike along a trail in Kalamazoo. It cleared and dried up for our arrival in the cute town of Rockford where there was anohter trail for our outing today -- The White Pine Trail.

 

 

Vickie and Gerry enter the trail in Rockford

 

Rogue River Dam in the town of Rockford

The one drawback of this trail is ---- no restrooms! We stopped at the Brewery for that.

 

A convenient bicycle rest at the brewery

 

A more official, and innovative bike stand at the brewery

 

Creative carvings in an old tree stump along the trail

 

Across the river in town is a picturesque walking bridge

After our ride we decided to have an early dinner in town and first tried the Brewery. But ... it is a brewery and not a pub, so no food there. We found a different spot nearby and enjoyed our meal in Rockford. Then we drove the two or so hours to Vickie's Dad's house in Midland, MI. And here is where we now are.

I have no internet access at the house, so any posts I will do will be at least a day late as I wait to travel into town and the Espresso Milano Coffee House. The weather has turned quite cold for today and tomorrow so we may find it not pleasant for riding. We'll see.

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