Coast2Coast Day 64:  Salamonie Lake State Park/Andrew’s, IN to Payne/Puckerbrush, OH; Getting back to birth state, and riding with Mike Miller!

After a wrong turn departing from the State Park, on my way back to the ‘route,’ made a bit of a wrong turn.  Recovered fairly quickly, and crossed the bridge across the Lake.  The Indiana State Park was very nice with great staff!

Back on the road, I slowed a bit to let a trailing rider catch up.  We rode together for nearly 20 or so miles.  Mike is primarily a local rider, and does about 200 miles.  That day, his local riding club would have an evening ride, as well.  We talked about our journey, but he also shared about his family.  He has a son that lives in the Denver area, and how he would like to get out to some of the ‘hills’ of Colorado.  He son graduated from the Naval Academy as a Marine helicopter pilot, and has piloted for presidents and their entourage.  

It was great to have a riding partner for a good while, especially one familiar with the local roads.  I wished I could have been more conversant of where my route would be taking me, at least more so than ‘to Ohio!’  He’s a retired High School PE teacher, that stays in good shape (at least his comfortable pace would indicate endurance)!

Mike rode with me nearly to the state line.  Unfortunately, after that guidance, I encountered a ‘closed road’ that straddles that Indiana/Ohio border.  Since the road re-construction was across both lanes, I needed to turn around and find a different route.  The construction worker that turned me back was of little help, as she lived more than an hour away from the construction.  After using Google Maps, I meandered to try to find a way ‘to the other side of the highway.’  Google Maps took me to several other ‘road closed’ dead ends, and even a non-existent road.  Eventually, I did ride a bit on the highway to find an exit that would take me to Payne/AKA Puckerbrush, OH.

Payne is a cute town, with a wonderful pizza+ shop owned/managed by Brian.  Cathy and I arrived there nearly simultaneously.  We had pizza, and also I had a smoothie from the coffee shop adjacent to the pizza shop.  We talked with Brian, the owner, and he rides a vintage (1979) ten speed Schwinn.  He said that juggling two businesses, and two small children (with his wife) doesn’t provide him the time he might want to ride ‘like I do!’  We did see Brian again the next morning, when the weather was cloudy and cool.  He wished us well on our journey, with a tinge of envy (possibly)!

 We drove to Van Wert to spend the night at an ABNB, that was clean and luxurious.  Van Wert is the home to the first county library in Ohio.  We were disturbed overnight by a livestock tractor-trailer that was stuck with squealing pigs/hogs just below our windows.  The local police were even trying to direct the truck away from the area.  Livestock transport has been prevalent on the roads, but this was the first encounter with the ‘passenger’ complaints.

In the morning we drove back to Payne, to start riding the next day, but not before stopping for breakfast sandwiches and both an apple and a cherry fritter for the trip!