SEPTEMBER MORNING -- September 12, 2015

The weather guys got the forecast spot on today.  If I wanted to get my ride in I needed to do it before 9 AM.   After that I could plan on dodging raindrops.  Setting an alarm for 6 AM on a Saturday morning isn't my favorite thing to do but it's what I had to do to avoid the rain...and get back for a breakfast date with my wife.
Sunrise at the York Fair, "America's First Fair" -- September 12, 2015
North gate of the York Fair -- September 12, 2015
I think I hit the sweet spot of the day.  Leaving the house I didn't see any signs of rain.  As a matter of fact, by the time I got down the Susquehanna Trail the sun was up in all of it's glory.  My goal today was the same as my goal last weekend.  I really wanted to get to Lakes Redman and Kain south of York City.  The most direct route took me past the York Fair.  Yesterday was the beginning of Fair Week in York.  I never saw anything like it prior to moving to the area in 1995.  York Fair is "America's First Fair" and has opened every September since 1765.  I passed the main gates and the some of the fair rides just as the morning sun was rising.  

September morning sunshine highlighting the tops of the corn fields along Hoke's Mill Road -- September 12, 2015
Just west of the fairgrounds I turned south onto Hoke's Mill Road.  By now the sun had fully risen and was making the tops of the drying cornstalks turn golden.  I stopped to take it in for a while and figure out what I wanted to do at this point.  Again, I wanted to get to the lakes, but that was looking less and less likely.  9AM....I need to be home...I have a date with my wife.  

Sun shining over the fields at the intersection of Indian Rock Dam Road and Access Road -- September 12, 2015
If the lakes weren't an option anymore I still had time to take a trip to Indian Rock Dam.  I always thought the dam was neat.  Indian Rock Dam was the response to horrible flooding that happened in the area way back in 1933.  York received thirteen inches of rain in just three days from the Chesapeake-Potomac Hurricane.  The United States Congress authorized the construction of Indian Rock Dam shortly afterward.  Construction of the dam was completed by the Army Corps of Engineers in 1942.  It has protected the area from flooding ever since. 

Indian Rock Dam.  Construction completed in 1942 by the Amy Corp of Engineers -- September 12, 2015
South side of Indian Rock Dam with last of day's sunshine poking through the clouds -- September 12, 2015 
North side of Indian Rock Dam with rain clouds moving in -- September 12, 2015
After I left the dam I had the moment when I thought I was faster than I really am.  Instead of doubling back towards Hoke's Mill Road I headed towards the lakes with a delusional hope of meeting my original goal.  Once on Reynolds Mill Road the reality of my time frame set in.   Instead of making a right to the lakes I continued up and up and up  Reynolds Mill.   No lakes today...but a good work out.   A left turn onto George Street gave me a straight shot through York City and back to Manchester.  Just in time to have breakfast with my wife.

David A. Raymond -- September 12, 2015



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