Rush Hour

Over the years I've learned there are some hours during the day it's simply unsafe to be riding a bike.

We ignored that yesterday in order to beat a line of thunderstorms heading towards us. It was hot yesterday (mid-90s) and humid. I had to be in Exton in the morning and Janet accompanied me. We had lunch, did some shopping, and headed back. I checked the weather when we got home and figured we had about 2 hours before lots of strong thunderstorms would be overhead.

So we changed into cycling clothes, pulled out the bike, and headed out for the back roads of western Lancaster County.

On Strickler road (a connecting road we use to bypass busy roads and reach quieter locales) we saw more cars then we've seen in weeks. The Route 283 bridge was busy. Auction road was quiet. We were happy to see the Shencks Mill covered bridge open for traffic. Unfortunately a car and two trucks were happy to see it open, too. The pickup pulled on while we were still crossing -- he simply wasn't paying attention. I yelled, he slowed -- a bit -- and we slipped between the truck and the bridge beams with a foot to spare.

We made it to the Lancaster Junction trail and took our first tandem rid eon the short stretch of crushed stone. It's a pretty trail and shaded -- welcome relief from a blistering sun. It's all too short (3.5 miles) so we made the left onto Auction road and followed it back to S Erisman. We completed the loop on Roher Road, made the left onto S Esbenshade road, and raced back to Strickler.

The second half of the trip didn't have any close calls, and we were grateful for the Con Way Tractor Trailer driver who waited until we could cross the 283 bridge.

That same route anytime between 0900 and 1500 would have been very quiet. After 3:30 PM people start the mad rush home, oblivious to anything they are not used to seeing.