43.47, the hard way

Yesterday, bf and i rode the mepkin abbey loop up in huger, sc. It started right where we turned around last weekend for the 50 mile out and back. Despite the fact we had no sunshine, the weather was nice for riding, it was probably 68 degrees but a tad too humid. We commented that it is a good thing we have been putting in miles as very soon it will be HOT!

we rode to mepkin abbey, a monastery way up the cooper river.

this is a shot of bf as we head down the beautiful tree-lined driveway

this gorgeous tree is in front of the store the monks run where they sell their wares. They used to raise chickens and sell the best local eggs, now they grow lovely oyter mushrooms and keep bees to make honey. in addition, they have several crafts, the pottery is really nice and i can't wait to go back to purchase gifts.

we rode down to through the gardens and this bluff at the end it so picturesque. a wedding was being set up as well as an obnoxious family having a less than low-impact picnic all based around their rugrats birthday and cooing and what seemed like hundrerds of flashing cameras were all encompassing our serene setting, ugh, total birth control

upon leaving there we rode past miles of this beautiful thinned forest of dark trunked trees from contolled burning surrounded by dense flourescent green ferns, and in the cloud covered light it was spectacular, hard to translate in iphone photo, but it was beautiful.

patient bf while i had to stop and photo the forest.

i don't usually like to stop while riding unless it's a planned diversion like the monastery but i had to try to capture the beauty of that forest.

this is strawberry chapel, the last stop of the ride and not real interesting but noteworthy and historical (picture found online as underwhelming as it was i did not bother to stop long enough to pull out my phone).