Biking the Hoosier Uplands, Summer 2008

Picture Album
Weather: Cool with both sun and clouds

Jojo and I headed out our normal route to the lake, which includes riding to Jackson Creek School on the city bike route and then up Rhorer to Harrell Road, and then down the no brakes hill on Stipp Rd., which leads right to the gravel boat ramp at Moore’s Creek Road. We often then ride up Swartz Ridge Road and head south to go down and back on Pine Grove Road, there is always great bird watching at the near the water, and a good place to take a break and then head back up the hill, and then back home along Knight’s Ridge Road (which runs parallel to SR 446.)

But we knew that Stipp Rd. was closed due to the high water (the lake is just a foot below flood stage, when it start pouring over the spillway and over Mission Valley Road. So we stayed on Rhorer Road rather than go south on Harrell, and we rode down Moore’s Pike instead, but slowly as it was quite sandy all the way down. We rode a little past Schwartz Ridge Road, but we were soon stopped by the flood waters, they totally covered the road. We couldn’t see it, but the bridge over the creek must be totally under water, as well as about half a mile of road.

We climbed Schwartz Ridge, and got bit warm doing so. When I first started riding I never thought I could ride all the way up this road, it is just so steep and straight, there is nothing to do but keep pedaling and pedaling. But once again, we made it all the way, no problem.

Since we did not get the extra miles by going down Harrell Rd., we decided to head farther down SR 446 to Rush Ridge Road, which heads east just before the highway rolls down to the causeway over Lake Monroe. Jojo and I came off the lake ice at the very tip of the pennisula last winter, and found a dirt road that then connected to the paved road connecting the various housing developments back on the main ridge. Jojo spotted a both a pileated woodpecker and bald eagle, which We rode where the road goes left and the dirt road begins. We saw a private property sign, but assumed it was for cars, this was IU property, or so we thought.

We rode on a ways, the road was not even graveled, like a logging road. We went nearly to the end, then pulled over to eat some lunch and watch to lake below. A couple of guys pulled up in a jeep and offered to sell us lots, and the whole place was for sale for $2.7 million. The realtor told us they expected to sell 5 acre lots, put I wondered how many house they could get on this narrow ridge. I asked about the problems they would have with septic permits, but they did not seem concerned, as anyone willing to build here would have plenty of money for what they called “creative” solutions, I guess they think they have enough land for some mound systems, but who knows. If there is anyone out there reading this with a few million to invest in saving this great piece of land, let me know!

Nature Journal: I found a patch of Spring Beauty on Rush Ridge, apparently it has small tasty tubers that are edible, but I did dig any out, they were somewhat scarce. Also along Rush Ridge Road we saw mature Bald Eagle sitting in a tree limb. We heard a couple of red-bellied woodpeckers, and saw a pileated woodpecker in perfect profile sitting on the side of a tree, his bright red cockade a contrast to his dark black and white feathers.

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