Spring Metric MLCB Post #95, June 13-2015

I did a 38 mile ride on Saturday, although it was both hot and humid. I decided from the first not to loop back to the starting area after each loop of the ride, but rather to ride each loop from its junction with the previous loop, avoiding repetition, and cutting down my ride time and distance in the torrid weather. I got more than 600 feet of climbing done in the 35 miles I rode. I wound up ending my ride in Carlock, Illinois, which had orange soda at the gas station, rather than riding all the way back to my start point.

These cattle were grazing in a hilly field, beneath interesting clouds.

Corn is growing really well, with all the rain and humidity we’ve had

This farmhouse appears to growing hops, a crop I haven’t seen much around here

The spillway at Lake Bloomington, handling some of the overflow from recent storms

Hilly country, full of cornfields and cattle

Recent rains have also caused flooding of fields in the countryside

In many places, the areas the Spring Metric traverses are the hilly country surrounding the Mackinaw River as it wends it’s way through the Illinois Countryside.

Sometimes, it gets really hilly.

This marker, at the McLean/Woodford County line, commemorates Lincoln’s travels on this road as part of his duties with the circuit court. The plates on the bottom denote which county is on either side of the marker.

Panorama, showing Carlock, Illinois from the heights above the town.

An old style of grain elevator in Downtown Carlock.

My Specialized Sirrus in the Municipal Park in Carlock, where I chose to end this ride.

Weather was not so bad, I had a great time, and I stretched my riding distance just a bit farther for this year. The Sirrus did a fine job as a distance bike for this trip, although a drop bar tourer would have been better. But the Fuji is awaiting new shifters, and I’m needing to order a granny gear for the Austro-Daimler. This trip makes me see the granny gear as a necessity, especially with the step-and-a-half gearing on the AD. The Mclean County Wheelers Bicycle Club did another great job this year with a fine event.