Wild Goose Chase 2009

[withm]

Since it was such a beautiful day yesterday and I didn't have anything more pressing to do I decided to go back to Blackwater and do the ride again. What a gorgeous day! I went to the high school where I was surprised to find hundreds of cars parked - good I can blend in nicely. Hmm many of cars have bikes. Uh oh, they are time trial bikes.... What have I wandered into?

Turns out it was the Annapolis Cycling club doing the Church Creek time trials. OK, I just want to keep out of their way. They assured me no problem. So I set out on my ride, but eventually I ended up on Church Creek road, and had quite a show. I stopped at the parking lot near the kayak launch and watched as the riders whizzed by. They must have started them at intervals - one would pass, followed in 15-40 seconds by the next, then maybe 2 or three nearly together, then a longer gap. The bikes seemed noisy to me with those disk wheels. Eventually I ventured back onto the road ever vigilant to hug the right. I only had a couple more miles before I turned off so all was well.

Every road I traveled either looked like this


or this


or better,


At one point I stopped at one of the bridge overlooks where people had been crabbing all morning and had over a bushel! I also came across a group of riders on hybrids from the Annapolis area struggling with a flat tire. At least they had a tube and a CO2 but it was clear they had little experience. I showed them a few tricks to help them out and lent my pump so they could save the CO2 for another time. The guy assured me that he ran his fingers around the tire and didn't find anything... I asked him a couple times about that but was not convinced. I hope he didn't get another flat later....

At the visitor center I wandered into the butterfly garden out back. WOW! There were so many flutterbyes that I was almost swatting them away from my face! A lovely sunny garden but it was hot and I wanted to get moving.
Mainly I had stopped there on the 2nd pass to visit the nice clean facilities, fill my water bottle, and get a coke before heading to Wildlife Drive.

The bulk of Wildlife Drive was closed "for construction" but expected to be reopened in October. The main entrance was barricaded. However there was a 2nd entrance, hastily marked which allowed you to traverse a smaller loop which I did. There I saw a bald eagle perched on a pole, a couple of osprey, and watched a great blue heron stalk, dive, catch, and swallow a fish! I had taken pix, but the better camera is the one in my mind. After the fact I was kicking myself for not putting the camera into video mode.. It was awesome to watch that. And this coming from someone who sees great blue herons nearly every day!



This is another view of the area where we kayaked


and in case you don't know that that orange thing is


Like the sign says, it's a bike!

I got 46 miles in and it was great.

So, I don't think I can wait till May to do this ride again. I'm thinking October or early November. By then it will be full of Canada Geese and Snow Geese. With fall colors it ought to be beautiful.

Martha