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DAY 5

It just don't get much better than this...beautiful weather, beautiful ride.

DAY'S OVERVIEW: As the title said...it just don't get much better than this.  Today was a gorgeous day to ride...crisp early morning temperatures with a bit of fog in the area for effect.  By 10:00 it was absolutely perfect...sunny and warm.  The terrain was fabulous too.  There's some really great places to ride up here in Jersey.  Pretty much the whole day was spent riding down the Delaware River...one side or the other.  Our route took us through Worthington State Forest along the Delaware and at the foot of the Kittatinny Mountains before crossing on a pedestrian sidewalk on the side of I-80.  On the way to the I-80 bridge, we rode on quiet country roads with small family farms dotting the landscape.  At one point, we stopped the van to watch at least a dozen deer graze in the front yard of one of those farm houses (below right).  On that same stretch, we saw at least a dozen more standing along the side of the road or darting across in front of the van...really out in the sticks.

I spent the morning bumping up through the riders to the lunch SAG at 42 miles.  I needed to get out in front of the group so I could ride into Phillipsburg and find a better way to get to the motel.  Our route was scheduled to arrive via highway 57 and highway 22.  At some point they converged and with the heavy traffic we would be encountering at the time of arrival, I felt I needed to find a quieter way to approach the motel.  I had a plan to carry a can of paint and route everyone through old downtown...it turned out great with the route practically coming in the back door of the motel.  I've said it before, "I love it when a plan comes together."  But it took some doing and a bit of luck.

The doing included trying to find a route on the fly as I rode through and I needed to be fast enough to stay in front of everyone...no easy task with this group.  The luck came by accident.  I was off the front at about 10:00 leaving the lunch SAG just as Jill, Judy (on previous rides known as the J-birds), and Tom rode into the SAG.  I knew I needed to put the hammer down if I were to stay in front of those riders...they are always pushing the pace and usually get in about 3-4 hours ahead of the tail end everyday.  I was doing pretty well but came upon a "Bridge Out" at about 6 miles down the road.  I took the chance to mark the riders to get through, but sent the vans on the detour route.  It was a good call and I was pretty confident that everyone could get through since I remembered that bridge being out when we drove the route...I was taking a chance they hadn't ripped it out and that it wasn't any worse than it was in June when we came through.  After the bridge, I was just scampering on my merry way thinking of how great it was to be out here today and ahead of everyone...I could just groove have a good time painting directional arrows for the group.  That feeling of euphoria lasted until I was about 8 miles farther down the road and discovered I'd lost my route sheet...Yikes!

OK...no problem...we just follow the river the rest of the way to Phillipsburg...well, almost.  I remembered a couple of the roads since I'd done a little route study before leaving so I had an idea of where I was going...plus, how hard could this be with the river in sight?  I was pretty confident until I arrived at Riverton Rd...ah, I remember that road being on the cue sheet and I was in Pennsylvania so the river was to my left.  Only problem...there was a "Road Closed" sign to the left...OK...send the riders down that way anyway and go see if they can get through.  About a half mile I found a barricade over the road but it was easy to get my bike over...but the vans would have to follow the detour...no problem. 

I continued on and came to an intersection at a bridge that crossed the river...I knew I had to cross the river at some point so everything must be OK.  As I rode across the river I came into a small town but I didn't recognize anything I was seeing.  Boy, I wish I had a route sheet.  I know!  I'll call Barb and have her direct me from here...great idea.  Riiiiiiiiing!  Hello Barb!  I've lost my route sheet.  Read me the cues from the bridge out.  As she read me the cues, she got to the intersection at Riverton Road...she said to take a right.  A RIGHT?!    I sent everyone to the left through the road closed!!!!  What have I done??  Where am I??  Quickly, I saw a man (I wasn't sure, but it may have been the same one toothed guy that talked to the girls yesterday) walking down the sidewalk and asked him what was the name of this town.  "Belaoighqueion," was the reply.  "What?" I asked.  "Belaoighqueion," he said again.  I gave it my best try with my southern/midwestern accent to duplicate what I'd just heard to Barbara over the cell phone...I got the same reaction from her..."What?" she queried.  Finally, she read a cue I recognized...You're in Belvidere!  OK, that's where I'm supposed to be!  From there, she directed me the rest of the way to town...just take a right at River Road at each intersection until getting to 621 and then take a left.  That should take you to Phillipsburg.  Great!!!  I'm off again in time trial mode to get to town ahead of the group.

OK, I'm back on track...WHAT?!  Another road closed...good grief!  I've determined that we are so rural, that when a road gets in disrepair out here, they just put up a road closed sign or they just do it to keep outsiders from driving through their area.  Another Rider Leader decision...go for it!  Luckily, again only one half of the road was closed so everyone could get through...am I living a charmed life or what?

When I finally got to Phillipsburg, I was looking for South Main to take me to the motel as per the desk clerk I'd called the night before.  As I was approaching town I noticed I was on North Main...could it be this easy?  How did I fall into this.  I simply followed my nose again (sans map or route sheet) while stopping at every intersection to put down a directional arrow.  I was doing fine again until I noticed I was going out of town and it was getting pretty rural...is there a motel out here???  I figured before I got too far out of town, I'd better put my "manly side" aside and ask for directions.  I stopped at a house and asked, "Does this road go to highway 22?"  Then I got the reply you always get when you ask directions..."Where do you want to go?"  JUST ANSWER THE QUESTION!!!!!  The correct response would be a YES or a NO!!!  "I'm going to St Augustine Florida!" I replied.  "Don't know if 22 will take you there," she said.  Geeze o' weeze.  I finally got her to say that highway 22 was just ahead...Finally!!!  I continued another half mile and viola!!!  There was the motel in all it's glory on my left...again I say I love it when a plan comes together.  Made me look good, but it was a lot of luck floating around that kept me from being the Big Duh for today...even though I did all I could to try to be just that.

The rest of the day was pretty uneventful if you ask me.  All got in safely by about 5:30...just in time for rap and mechanics.  Boy, I'm hungry...let's eat and do this again tomorrow!  See you then.

HEARD ON THE ROAD:  Evelyn had a little problem today.  A bee flew into her lip and gave her a sting...ouch!  She didn't seem to have a problem until she rode about 4 more miles when she started to have a reaction.  Luckily, Mike S. came by with an eppy pin and gave her a shot.  Evelyn spent the rest of the day in the van with a swollen face.  Good news is, she's OK and will be back to normal by tomorrow.  The rest of the story...Gary, going to her aid, knocked on a door to get some help and the lady said, "Let me call my husband, he's a park ranger."  When he showed up, we discovered he was a classmate of our mechanic in college.  Small world huh?

DUH! OF THE DAY:  I guess this should be the big Duh of the day!  This even took pressure off me losing my route sheet. 

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