July 30, 2021
Day 1 - Tour Prelude - Shipshewana, IN
Amishland & Lakes Bike Ride - The Pumpkin Vine Trail
I only have time for a short trip this year and want to get my 13 year old son out with me. We decide to bookend the trip with a cycling weekend I had planned in northern Indiana, the Amishland and Lakes event and a trip to see the new grand baby in Michigan.
After many different scenarios I think we have a solid plan for a total of 6 days on the bikes; 2 at Shipshewana/La Grange, IN and another 4 along the east coast of Lake Michigan.
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We started our tour prelude by joining some Louisville Cycling Club friends at the Amishland and Lakes cycling event. And a prelude to this event was a club ride along the Pumpkin Vine Trail. This would be Simons longest ride ever so was going to be a warm up for the main event in the upcoming days. After some pre-ride photos and club sign in we left our hotel (Super 8) around 3 pm. The group got off to a brisk start and Simon and I dropped back pacing ourselves for the whole ride. Besides we were riding tour bikes while the other road carbon.
After 8 or so miles we stopped at the Krider Garden in Middlebury for another photo op.
The Pumpkin Vine Trail runs between Shipshewana and Goshen and is heavily used by the Amish people on their bicycles. It was a pleasant sunny 75 degree day and we saw many families out, while others were riding with loaded shopping bags. The trail mostly runs on an abandoned rail line but in other areas cuts around farmers fields in the countryside.
After 18 miles we reached the end of the trail in Goshen. Our little band of 10 to 15 riders had by this time splintered into smaller groups and shortly after the u turn for home Simon and I found ourselves riding on our own.
We arrived back at the hotel around 6 pm and headed out to dinner.
This was Simon's longest ride so far.
Today's ride: 35 miles (56 km)
Total: 35 miles (56 km)
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