Saturday, August 6, 2011

Stress Release

I haven't been on the bike too much lately due to an impending change in our housing situation. It seems the county is going to take our house to widen the road, which means we'll need to move. We've employed the assistance of a lawyer, and for the past several months we've been in negotiations. Well, negotiations are over, papers will be signed Monday, and all will be over, except for the crying.

Alex and I did get out last Tuesday night on the Rivergreenway for a nice, little ride. These warm summer nights have been very nice, although the daytime has been exceptionally hot. I can't imagine how you folks from Missouri to Texas have been handling the extreme heat you've seen. As hot as it's been here, we are nowhere near as hot as you folks.


This morning, I went on the club ride. Michael, of Ear to The Breeze, came up to ride with the club and me today. It felt good to get out and cruise the flatlands east and north of Fort Wayne. We left New Haven, headed up to Hicksville, OH, then over to Spencerville and back to New Haven. That's Micheal, below, on the left. Shortly after this photo was taken, Steve, on the right, broke a spoke in his front wheel. Greg got his wheel trued up enough for him to head back home. Steve's the Touring Director, and so he hated to head back, but Greg, a former bike mechanic, would have none of that. His radially-laced wheel, with aero spokes would not last for the rest of the ride (according to Greg).

Except when we were near the Maumee and St. Joe Rivers, these roads are straight and flat. That meant the group rode fast. And it was a welcome pain to be riding hard again after going a few weeks without pushing myself. Bike therapy. Great stress release.

After several months of house-searching, we found a home and made an offer on it. Yesterday the offer was accepted!

The new house is about 4 miles from here, on the other side of the St. Joe River. So I'll still have my same roads to ride, and the new road to work is a straight 14 mile shot.

Happy riding!

Bill

11 comments:

Steve A said...

I don't know that we really have it any harder than y'all. Our drought means we have lower humidity. I think Missouri may be getting the worst combination.

BTW, the Enduralyte pills Michael told us about seem to work very well.

GreenComotion said...

Bill et al.,
Congrats on finding a new home! I have been home for more weekends this year, than ever before, because of the heat. I am multi-tasking, doing some work, plus catching up on other things.

The photos look very nice!

Peace :)

Rat Trap Press said...

Eminent domain sucks! I hope your home wasn't handed down from generation to generation or anything like that.

Apertome said...

Nice writeup -- it was great riding with you again today. Once again, so sorry about the house situation! It must be a major headache. Glad you got some stress relief, at least.

Anonymous said...

It's sad and a bit ironic that a cyclist is loosing his house so that car traffic will have a better route... Anyhow, I hope you enjoy your new home and good luck with the move!

TrevorW�� said...

Always sad when you are forced to sell like this...PaddyAnne makes a very good point on the Irony of the situation. Pleased that you have found a new home though......

-Trevor

Anonymous said...

What a bummer, but you have a new place now.

Jon said...

I hope the new place makes for a happy home. I don't envy you having to move (I've done too much of that, in my life), but new beginnings can be good things. i sincerely hope that this turns out to be such, for you guys.

Big Oak said...

All - thanks for your concern. We are going to be fine, and are actually looking forward to moving into the new home. We bought this old farm house (128 yrs old) 13 years ago, and though it's not been in the family long, it is home. And another bit of irony - the county is putting bike lanes along the road!

The new home will be kind of like finding a new road on which to ride my bike. Something new to explore.

Bill

Anonymous said...

Glad to read that things are settling down for you all. Hope you can find lots of good new routes from the new home!!

Big Oak said...

twofeet - Thanks! As the crow flies, the new house is less than 2 miles from our old house. But it's on the other side of the river, so, by road, it's a little over 4 miles. Regardless, I'll still be riding my old roads, plus a few new roads I haven't ridden much.