Fifty Plus (50+) - Blackberry Cobbler and the Cow

I suspect if I refer to our December Saturday Century ride as the Blackberry Cobbler Ride many of you will know what I'm talking about. I was able to join the group again today and do the 100+ miles and we actually averaged over 18 mph since there was hardly any wind.

Anyway, I don't think I've seen a cow do this before. For the second week in a row a cow had gotten out of the pasture along our route. This week it was a bull and a pretty large one at that. He was walking along the road beside the pasture and was really spooked when 25 of us came riding along out of nowhere. We were also very nervous as the bull was darting all around and we could not tell which way he was going to go. Those riders that were wearing bright red were especially worried!! If the bull had darted out in the road it would have looked a lot like a bowling ball busting through the pins at a bowling alley.

What happend next took us all by surprise. We had the cow so spooked he took about 2 strides and JUMPED Over the barbed wire pasture fence that was a good 4-5 fee tall. I'm sure all of you have heard of Angus, Jersey, Holstein's and Hertford's-well we called this an "Olympic Cow" for his incredible high-jumping feat. It could very well have been a world record for a cow....Maybe there is a little truth to the cow jumping over the moon thing after all. Makes you wonder what they had been feeding this fellow.......

Oh yeah-the blackberry cobbler was just as good as last week......

Whoa...I recall summers on my grandpa's ranch....I can see a steer going over that fence....but hardly a dairy cow. Should give her an honorary membership (senior status) in FiftyPlus. 'Course, she may not give any milk for a while. LOL.

** Maybe she was headed for the cobbler?

In what pert of NC is this ride??

jppe - thanks for brightening my day - nice story, good time, perfect end.

My only experience so far with animals on the trail was similar to yours. Had a deer charge at me from 100yards away. Fences both sides and I was just getting ready to throw my bike at it and jump the fence, when it turned left and jumped the fence itself. Don't know what sort of deer but it was big with massive great big antlers that probably made it look larger than it was, so did have me worried.

This morning went for a ride and ir was obvious after a few miles that this was not going to be a long ride. Left home with the temperature at 19deg F and it got colder. We headed off for the coast where it should have been warmer, it wasn't, and had problems. First of all I put the winter gloves on, and they are not comfortable. They are no longer windproof so the hands got cold. Feet were Ok with two pairs of socks and the waterproof shoes, and the body was fine with an extra layer. Those hands though were very cold, and numb and getting painfull. Stopped for a coffee at our normal cafe, and the attachment is of their pies for you to drool over. The Sticky Toffee pudding is very sticky and very toffeeish and was beautiful, espevially after the eggs on toast.(They don't do a full breakfast here)
While queuing fot the eggs, my hands came back to life and one of the waitresses came to my rescue and gave them a massage. She was latvian, and 24 and very tall and slim with blonde hair. Those hands hurt, and I don't think the massage worked, but you should have seen the jealousy on the faces of my riding companions.

Apparantly the temperature got as low as 12degF on the ride, but at no time was speed any part of it- due to wind chill factor. only 25 miles and a good ride, but I have got to get better gloves.

In what pert of NC is this ride??

This weekly December ride starts from a LBS north of Charlotte in the Cornelius Davidson area. It does a loop heading north from there. If you're going to be down this way come join us!

The Sticky Toffee pudding is very sticky and very toffeeish and was beautiful, .

Given the pye, the pudding, and the Latvian chick warming your hands....why would you leave Stapfam? Surely not for some bicycle. All this cycling passion has definitely gone over the top.

First it's pie. Now it's Latvian hand massages. And people wonder why we cycle so much?

mmmmmmm blackberries. The Food of the Gods!

one of those plates is Fruits of the Forest--including Blackeberries. Hate to say it though- A full English Breakfast is better.

Great stories and it's great to see that many here enjoy good eating!

The cobbler sounds good, however, the apple-mincemeat pie at Irmas this sat. last wasn't so bad(although a piece of cheddar cheese lightly melted on top would have made great frosting). Skipper and I rode out to Irmas in my car as the weather was still bad , we sure as heck didn't see any bulls jumping fences and nobody of any nationality rubbed my hands.
Hope to get a ride in this week-end, of course to Irmas. The temps are predicted to get as high as 32 and I'm hoping that the roads will clear. Happy Holidays to all!