… OPENED A CAN OF INDIANA TRIKE DELIGHT
Round trip … Pensy Trail … US 40 … Knightstown
America’s 1st federally funded highway, began in 1811 in Cumberland, MD. My ride began in Cumberland, IN … enough to make me shiver.
WAS RAISED IN THESE PARTS … RELATIVES DOT THE COUNTRYSIDE … 90 MILES OF TRIKE GRIN
Guyer Opera House/Absolute Antiques … Chuck Covey/Me … Lakeview Resturant and Macy, lovingly on my lap, pacifier daringly in mouth…
Cousin Chuck in his motorized tricycle … Cousin Sheila & I
WHAT AN ADVENTURIDE!
If you want to feel patriotic, take a recumbent tadpole ride down America’s coast to coast Main Street … National Highway US40. I chose a round trip on the stretch from Cumberland IN to Cambridge City, IN. It’s like you’re riding through an animated history book … on a trike.
My child inside switched between humming Bill Wilson’s Indiana Song and Bruce Springsteen’s 4th of July as I rode through childhood memories of the wonderful years spent at school in New Castle while just minutes away from visiting a great friend, Chuck Covey, who’ve I’ve not seen since graduation and precious memories from times with 2 of my favorite cousins, Chucky and Shiela. They played their parts in the soul-shaping childhood antics that helped make us who we are today and their families, Martha and Anna and Larry.
Chuck Covey spent 12 years working in Saudi Arabia. Looking through his huge antique shop full of Persian rugs, I could not locate the door to his harem. His Absolute Antique shop is next to Lewisville’s well known Guyer Opera House … imagine the exchange of stories and thoughts of future visits.
A few more miles down US40 brought Lakeview Restaurant… great memories when as a 4’ kid, riding in a horse-drawn carriage around the lake. Had lunch there … fish. Cooked in clean perfect temperature oil with a secret recipe batter. An all-the-fish-you-can-eat menu option there all day Fridays. Many make very long drives for this.
After a few more miles I reached my night’s refuge. I greeted Shiela with a bottle of Blackberry Social Wine, her favorite from Lanthier Winery in Madison, on the Ohio River where she and I used to sit as 5 & 6 year old adventure-seekers, camping and boating with families … totally amazed at how big the Vevay barge waves were as they splashed up over our extended legs.
Chucky, who as a 12-13 yr old drove a mean riding lawn mower over frozen snow-covered country ground pulling screaming 7&8+/- year old’s clinging for life to a rope-drawn bobsled. He took me for an, at times, explosive ride around their Cambridge City countryside in his motorized trike … with a Chevy 350 something … what fun that was! Now riding in his trike, next time, I might want to wear a helmet.
The 5 of us sat around Sheila & Larry’s breakfast table finishing off sliced fruit and French toast drinking delicious Folgers coffee talking about many wonderful things like the first time we saw the Wizard of Oz… mine was when I was 6 years old with Chucky and Shiela in their living room… we think in black and white. Since those days, on our walk down life’s yellow brick road, it seemed like life’s Wizard of Oz treasure hunt for smarts and heart had been satisfied … to some degree. But it should be said that Macy was the only one who didn’t flinch at the mention of mountain lions, snakes & skunks … mountain lions, snakes & skunks… oh my! Lions, tigers & bears…. BOO!
WOULDN’T HAVE MADE THIS TRIP ON AN UPRIGHT
Wouldn’t have made this journey on an upright bicycle. With all due respect, the constant awareness of getting a sore butt while staring down into about 7’ of front roadway has lost its appeal. Lazing back into an ICE Jedi jet VTX and pedaling in perfect weather being able to watch American history slowly pass by was priceless.
Oh, yeah … come to think of it, when I returned and realized how alert and good I felt, I remembered that it was also some of the best possible exercise a human being can get. I’m sure the adventure bell will ring again … soon. It must be said how very thankful I am that I am able do this … me and my child inside.
MAY 29 – JUNE 2 is the US40 Coast to Coast Yard Sale … pick a rainless day and check it out.
Freewill Matrix 
Thanks for sharing your adventures!. Was this ride all on highway or is there s trail close by? I was born in Henry County, lived in the country most if the time, except for a shirt time in Centerville. Started school in Kitchen, then moved to Fountain City, then to Kentucky for four years and back to Centerville where I graduated high school in 1963. I now live by Michigan City. I hope to ride the Cardinal Greenway this year. Your travel brought back memories to me.
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Hi Delores,
Thanks for sharing your thoughts. The Pensy Trail parallels US40 in places along the way… out of Indianapolis a few miles … bypasses Greenfield w/several miles … outside of Knightstown to near Dunreth (crushed stone)…. US40’s 4 land and it’s too easy to see autos coming up from behind. It leaves a feeling of welcome when you see cars cutting a wider berth 500’ plus in the background…. they seem eager to make room for you…. The Cardinal Trail is nothing short of beautiful. You get to see Indiana farmland and small towns. There’s a bird sanctuary along the trail that you can ride through on your trike. My aunt and uncle live in Centerville. He taught high school there for many years. I will be riding there sometime soon. Thanks again and enjoy riding this summer!
Dave
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