Sailing on Lake Maumee

With fairly strong southeast winds blowing Saturday, I decided to head into the wind for an hour and a half, then let it blow me back home. Unfortunately, when I go southeast from my house, I ride out onto the lake bed of the former Lake Maumee, a glacial lake that has receded to the present shores of Lake Erie. Although the ground is flat as a pancake, there aren't many trees, so the wind blows across the plain as if it was a lake anyway.


I rode past the former Casad Depot, a WWII strategic munitions storehouse. The depot now houses many different businesses, and is the current home for the Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society. The group has restored to fully functioning condition a large steam engine. The funny thing is that it is so heavy, there are limited rails on which it is permitted to run. The group did a great restoration though. We can't see it - they keep it inside a building most of the year.



Several miles east of the depot is this gravel pit. I can see the overburden pile three miles away.


Here it is close up. Beneath the ground is an abundance of clay delivered by the last glacier (thanks Ontario!). Beneath that is limestone, great for grinding up and putting on roads. The good Indiana limestone used for buildings all comes from southern Indiana.



Here's a house that would make Buckminster Fuller proud. Just after I snapped this picture a dog came running from behind the house. The dog was part Saint Bernard, part Pit Bull, and part horse. When driven by fear, I can out run all dogs, but not this beast. He ran right in front of my wheel and stopped. Fortunately, he only wanted to show me that he was boss, and I humbly submitted, and he let me go.


Coming back through Woodburn, I snapped this photo of the dairy store. I can't believe the high school still uses the warrior mascot. Woodburn is conservative enough they would probably enjoy taking on any opposition to their mascot.



Here's the new US 24 widening project that is consuming hundreds of acres of beautiful, productive farm ground. Pretty soon I can drive on a four lane highway directly to the Port of Toledo in one hour. I'm all for it for selfish reasons, I admit. With the opening of new 24, I get the old one. Well, not actually own it, but I will be safer riding my bike on it than now. It follows along the shore of the Maumee River and is a beautiful drive.


These are two of the beasts in our herd. They're not too crazy about the cold wind either.


Happy riding!