Day 4 – Fort Wayne, Indiana – 8:51 pm

24 Mile Bike Ride

Yesterday my sister and I decided to head out on a little bike ride.  We loaded bikes onto the back of her car and made our way to a small country town outside of Fort Wayne.  It wasn’t until we were a mile or so in that she told me she planned to ride 20 miles.  A 20 mile ride is far from the longest I’ve ridden but I was weary considering I was on a mountain bike and she on her road bike

For anyone who has ridden a road and mountain bike, the differences are numerous and an easy 20 mile ride on a road bike can feel twice as long and much more challenging on a mountain bike.  This was also not my first road ride on a mountain bike.  A couple years ago I went to visit my sister in Colorado.  While in Aspen we decided to ride to Maroon Bells, a mountainous region made famous in numerous photographs.  It was a 13 mile ride from our hotel to Maroon Bells but felt much longer on a mountain bike.  We reached our intended destination but my muscles ached for days.

Fast forward to yesterday’s ride.  The miles ticked by and I felt good.  The temperatures were in the mid 50s and the sun was shining through partly cloudy skies.  The wind was steady but we were prepared with appropriate clothing.  We rode out on a country road for approximately 11 or 12 miles before deciding to return to the car.  It was only after turning around that we first felt the steady headwind that challenged us for the remaining miles.  Our pace slowed as we made our way over rolling country hills while bracing ourselves against the chill of the unceasing wind.  We eventually reached our car and I was in desperate need for a drink of water and lunch to replenish the calories I burned cranking the pedals.

 Flight in a 4 Seater

This morning my brother-in-law decided to take part in a flight lesson he received as a Christmas gift.  After arriving at Smith Field in Fort Wayne, we took part in a 30 minute general briefing on the controls and instrument panel of the plane my brother-in-law would be piloting.  For an additional fee my sister and I were allowed to sit in the back two seats of the plane during the lesson.  Following the briefing we walked into the hanger and ran through a preflight safety check alongside the instructor.  The plane was
brought onto the tarmac, we climbed aboard and plugged in our headsets.  As the engines cranked to life and we taxied to the runway, I was surprised by the cramped quarters of a 4-seater plane.  This was my first flight in a plane this small and I was excited to get in the air.  The instructor took control of the plane for takeoff and the immediate ascent.  After reaching 1000 feet or so, he handed over the controls and my brother-in-law piloted us for the next 25-30 minutes.  We covered approximately 30 miles during the flight and flew over downtown Fort Wayne, and the surrounding communities.  After descending and lining up with the runway the instructor took over control of the plane and safely landed.  It was a thrilling experience to be in such a small plane and learn about how it turns, climbs and descends.

Tomorrow I’ll climb back onto a plane, but it will be much larger than the 4-seater I flew in today.  Rather than simply flying around the Fort Wayne area, this plane will take me to Chicago and then onto Los Angeles before delivering me to The Aloha State late tomorrow night.  I’ve had a great 4 days in Fort Wayne, Indiana visiting with my sister and brother-in-law.  My time here, in addition to my final weeks in New England illustrates that it is your close friends and family that make life that much more enjoyable.