Saint Louis Fabrication Arts Sculpture in front of Big Shark

A couple of weeks ago, while we were loitering in front of the Regional Arts Commission, waiting for the day’s bicycle ride to begin and some of us were contemplating yarn bombing a portion of our much diminished bicycle fleet, I stole across the street to take this picture. It shows the bicycle themed sculpture that is outside of Big Shark Bicycle. Depicted in outline form are two cyclists, a man and a woman. They look like they are going fast.

We didn’t go fast today, but we did complete the ride. We drove across the river to the land of Lincoln, Millstadt, IL to be specific. We participated in Trailnet’s Great Pizza ride. It was a great ride even sans pizza. Millstadt, Waterloo, New Hanover and Columbia were towns that we passed through. Both Millstadt and New Hanover are quaint German heritage towns, while Waterloo was the first permanent American settlement in the Northwest Territory.

The Great Pizza ride is an old Trailnet ride, but with new routes this year. Ole Captain Don met us at the start and bade us to weigh anchor and heave-ho. The new route was much hillier than the old was, but also more scenic. Funny thing about that, hills and valleys lined with trees are more interesting than pancake flat corn fields. In addition to hills, at least on the outbound leg, we faced a steady headwind. What with the aches from yesterday’s ride, I was feeling it today, when we hit the first rest stop. I would have been happy just doing the short route, but Anne was determined to do the middle route. She is dedicated to being in shape for this summer’s Michigan Lakeshore Tour. We did do the middle route, but not fast. We got home and unloaded before the rains came. This was our longest ride of the year, new rule, long ride, means short post.