Muscatatuck and Beyond

By Allan Edmonds

By Allan Edmonds

Leader Mike Finger organized a group of 18 riders for the Saturday club ride on March 21. The weather was clear and crisp with temperatures in the low 40's at ride time. Because of the reported tree down across the road in Cascades Park and the size of our group it was decided to avoid Cascades on the way out of town, opting instead to take Gurley Pike up to Kinser and head out toward BHSN and beyond on Kinser. We made good time along Kinser. There was a regrouping after crossing 37 and before heading down the sandy, rough hill to Bottom Road. We then speeded along Bottom Road, passing Muscatatuck Nature Reserve without stopping. The next regrouping was at Fry Road, where 5 riders opted for the short route, while the others continued along the standard regular route. They planned to modify it on the way back by cutting over east so as to come in on Old 37 instead of retracing their route along Bottom Road. The smaller group doing the short option took Frye to Buskirk to Dittemore and from there returned to town on Bottom and Kinser. We did opt to go through Cascades to inspect the downed tree. It was easy enough to go around it on the grass on the east side of the road. We could not fathom why the tree had not been removed. It did not look like a major job. Altogether our OWLish group did 29 miles round trip from the park, at a respectable 13.5 mph. Total climb about 2255 ft.