Today I traveled back to the rural county that I lived in for the past 6 years. It was a sunny, warm (61 degrees F) day ripe for a ride out on the peaceful back roads.
No, not on the scooter, but in the car. No, I did not have my camera along, sorry. So I will post some photos from last summer.
I found myself driving down some of my favorite scooting routes, remembering fond times last summer and anticipating future ones this spring.
I stopped at our old the dairy bar to have a cheeseburger deluxe. Could not resist!
I said to the lady there, "I sure miss this place since we moved out from the county towards the city. The burgers here are the best!"
She responded, "There's nothing like dairy bar food!" Man oh man is she right!
I sat in the car with Maxi and enjoyed my cheeseburger with onions, lettuce, tomato, pickle, and mayo along with my fries with ketchup and a frosty root beer.
For just a moment it was spring and I was seated in my mind's eye over at the picnic tables with my scooter parked alongside. Many, many memories of scooting up here for a snack and especially for ice cream!
Then I did a few errands out in the village and drove by our old house, up the twisty rough road that I had traveled a million times on my Rucki and my Met.
My heart was trembling a bit as I recalled so many sweet memories of riding out here, up this road past neighbors front porches, cows lazing in the fields, hawks soaring overhead.
No matter how many times I rode this old chipseal path I never got tired of it on my scooter.
They say "you can't go home again", and well, I guess it's true. As I rounded the bend to look over to our old property and house I was met with a surprize. The entire acreage has been cordoned off by poles and wire strung for horse pasture.
Gone was the vast, open field next door between our house and the older farm house next door. Chopped up by white poles and white wire roping.
Not only that, but there was an Amish buggy in our drive and an Amish family getting into the buggy. Our house has been rented out! My heart gave a little tug of sadness.
You know when you rent, you always sort of believe "it's yours" for a little while. I always did, but deep in my heart I knew there would come a day when we would leave there because it really wasn't ours.
Well, the day "solidified" today when I saw other people living there. It's just an odd feeling, a mixture of emotion. There is no going back, not even in my mind. It's over, gone, done.
So, after that I traveled along the "ride that refreshes" in the car (see that previous post title from last year)...
The covered bridge was in neglect, with wooden exterior pulled off and stacked alongside. Guess some repair work is in progress...
This barn was closed up, no horses in sight...
This pond was semi-frozen over and the trees were bare...
The ground was snow covered here where the shade prevented the melting...
The nursery and landscaping center was shut up tight...
As I wound down the back roads out to the main road I realized that I have never really left here in my heart of hearts. I'd pined for the quiet fields so many times since I'd left them behind.
But today I realized that I had not lost it forever, it was an hour's ride in the car or on the scooter (a BIG scooter!) away, just waiting for me to return!
Since I moved to the burbs two counties over I've really been homesick for these foothills and back roads.
Coming here today, escaping a rough bout of "cabin fever", I realized that this place is forever part of who I was and AM.
It was a glorious day in the country!
Deb
ReplyDeleteI felt the same about my floathome, it has been converted into a Mexican Restaurant and has been towed to a wharf that is essentially a tourist trap. My beautiful house where my baby spent her first year and Christmas, I pine for it but I've moved on. You will always have a good destination to ride to on 'supa scooter'
Now THAT I cannot imagine what you feel when you see that! Did you guys ever go in and eat there, just to see what it's like? At least it's bringing joy to others...if the food is good, that is! LOL
ReplyDeleteThe passing of time and change are elusive things, aren't they? I just get all emotional about it myself. Moreso as I get older.
I am glad you had a chance to go back and see how things are. Moving forward is not always easy.
ReplyDeleteAt least you don't live too far away and can go visit by car or big scoot anytime the weather allows. You may not live there anymore but it can still be a favorite place to visit.
The whole area out there is kind of a "get away place" for people here in the city. Most days there are "tourists" haunting the Amish markets and backroads.
DeleteYes, I'm lucky. Where I live I am not really "in town", but in the semi-rural areas. I CAN be on my back roads in 15 minutes, one of the reasons I've always loved this burb location.
Deb, I had to stop and say hello. I saw "Ruckus Scooter Love", then "Glorious Day in the Country" and finally the Ohio Scenic Byway link. These are all things that easily 'hook' me. I've been north and south of the river but have never spent time along the valley. Hoping to visit for the last few years after seeing many ride reports, the plan was to make a counterclockwise loop up into the NE corner. Our daughter attends school in Cleveland so I've had a good excuse to go.
ReplyDeleteCompletely agree that the passing of time and change are elusive things. "Foothills and back roads"?? They are both things I carry along even when far away from them.
Happy for you that you made that trip today.
Nice to see you! Stop by anytime!
DeleteThe Ohio River Byway would make for a nice summer tour, or at least that's one of my plans.
Ah, Cleveland..what state is that in? LOL
Deb, it just hit me...I know Cincinnati is a big place but do you know Angie(Bonegirl)? She rides a pink Buddy, or did and I got to know her since I had one just like it.
ReplyDeleteI do know Angie! She runs a little website locally call "ScooterCincinnati" (see link to the left) and is a forefront gal in the scooter community. I met her once around 2006 in person when I bought a bike from her hubby. I've spent the last 7 years "out in the boonies" so no contact, but I'll likely run into her this season on a ride. How do you know her?
DeleteForgot to mention...her pink Buddy is now in the Genuine "hall of fame"! Genuine gave her a Black Jack and I believe I read somewhere that she had it customized again in pink!
DeleteIf you post on ScooterCincinnati she will catch up with you as she moderates that site.
Angie and I shared Scooter brands and color as well as hospital employment. She and Ben put lots of miles on scooters.
ReplyDeleteAh, memories. It seems I've left many places over the years. Some I've gone back to, most not. Some I've wanted to revisit, many not so much. My conclusion? Returning is at best bittersweet. I'm suspecting my nomadic days are behind me. At times I'm still surprised I ended up where I did.
ReplyDeleteNice post and I'm very glad you got out and about.
~Keith
I remember your article on the Elite and your posts about how it felt and how you missed your Ruckus, but I don't recall you saying anything about how heavy it felt, how uncomfortable or not you felt with that weight leaning into you, pushing it around, etc. How did it feel?
ReplyDeleteThe sense of the extra weight was not overwhelming at all. The center of gravity felt low. I was almost flat footed. It was a very plush and smooth ride.
ReplyDeleteI had an Elite 250 for a time, sold it to a workmate and he loves it probably more than I did. The 150 looked much the same, but may have been a tad smaller physically, I don't know. Mine was definitely more "scootery" than my Helix, though it essentially shares all of the same running gear, motor, etc. The Helix sits much lower and is far longer, not really feeling or handling like a typical scooter at all. I'd always tell friends the Elite was my Gadabout machine; the Helix my long distance machine.
DeleteDeb, I was 52 in 2007 as well :)
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