Adventure by Bike - like, for real Part I

This past Memorial day weekend I went with Lucy and Ava to Landenberg, PA to hang with the extended family.  Visits to this lush part of the country started just about 15 years ago beginning with the classic "meet the parents" occasions full of nervous energy, trivia, good food, wine and all the stuff that goes with the territory. Through all the years I have only twice brought along a bike.  Once a little riding  along White Clay Creek with a FS mountain bike right next to the original house on Good Hope Rd - the next time a little road riding on the nice curvy hilly back roads on the Road bike.

This time I brought along the Vaya - and fitted her out with some WTB "Terrainasaurus" tires I picked up on sale.   They're typical hybrid type tires suited for moderate trail use and roll fairly well on the pavement.  Additionally I went online to the Garmin site and downloaded some rides I found close to the neighborhood.  There looked to be a nice ride further along the White Clay Creek that I had never checked out in the past and possibly a nice endurance road ride.

All ready to pursue some  "Adventure by Bike".

Saturday morning I headed out and followed the Garmin prompts on the main roads towards the entry area off Sharpless Rd.  Along Sharpless I couldn't help but think how suitable the Vaya was. The road was an old narrow farm road with a mixture of bad pavement & washboard laden dirt. 

They got some big trees round here..  Historic site / graveyard close to entrance.

I popped onto the trail along the river and zipped alongside on some smooth wooded double track.   A perfect morning ride accompanied by the sounds of birds.  Lots of horny birds..  

After awhile the trail crossed a road and then headed into an open field.  This part of the trail had some odd double track.  It was like two single-tracks right next to each other.  What's that all about??  

Continuing along the trail I finally reached the end (after a few stops along the way for sightseeing) in Newark, DE and then headed back across a bridge to the other side of the river.  Heading back I saw a little single track trail heading off and up the hill to the right.  So - I tackled the climb only to find some of this stuff - Oh yeah....!  Now we're talkin!

It was a perfect little single track loop through the woods that popped out behind a Bank America corporate building.  I turned around and headed back down then got onto the main trail and headed back home thoroughly satisfied with the 22 or so miles. 

On arrival I created and destroyed this bad-boy:  Cheddar cheese bagel, cream cheese, bacon and bananas.  Tasty. Very tasty.

Later, talking to the family they asked where I went.  I described where I had ridden and this prompted "Ken" (verrry extended family) to offer: "There's alot of mountain bikers that ride on the other side of the road opposite the Bank America building". 

Huh, that sounds interesting...