160717 25 Mile Ride

I got up early and did a 25 mile ride today.
I remembered to "tank up" on water before I left.
My plan today was to try for a little more speed.

Unfortunately, I haven't been as regular as I would like with my riding, and I chose to leave before breakfast and I didn't eat anything before the ride, so I ended up "bonking" pretty bad about a quarter mile before I finished; but I did manage to finish.

Along the way I saw some amazing scenery, including one stretch of road where both sides of the road were lined with wildflowers - chicory, Queen Anne's Lace, ditch daisies, and clover - that looked like someone had planted them on purpose.

 

My ride took me through Chapmanville, a small village with ties to my family (my cousin lives there.) - history snippet below.

STATS

25.73 miles

2.094  hours

Average Speed 11.9 MPH

CHAPMANVILLE. 
This village is situated on the Oil creek road, the shortest route between 
Meadville and Titusville and a much traveled thoroughfare before the open- 
ing of railroads through this part of the state. The first settler on the site 
of the town was one Carver, whose residence was evidently brief, as nothing 
of a personal nature concerning him has been preserved in the traditions of 
the neighborhood. He was succeeded by David Chapman, a worker in 
wood who had previously lived at Diamond but removed to the place which 
has since received his name. His house was a small log building diagonally 
opposite Whitman's store. A brother, Ezekiel Chapman, built a frame 
house on the site of the hotel. It was to this collection of houses and in- 
habitants that the name of Chapmanville was first applied. The first mer- 
chant was Eli Holder. There are three churches in the village, two stores, 
a planing mill, and blacksmith shop. The post office name is Plum. 

Lieutenant Herron Command, No. JO, Union Veterans' Union, was 
mustered January 21, 1888, and numbered the following comrades: J. S. 
Scharp, R. W. Davison, Philip Smith, James F. Davison, William Sharp, 
C Billio-. D. \y. Davison, Samuel Erhart, Charles J. Smith, A. W. Richey, 
G. Beei, G. AV. Grove, J. F. Lamberton, T. T. Watt, J. S. Davison, W. 
J. Harry, J. W. Morse, Levi Shields, Nicholas Reibt, Justice Smith, and 
L. E. McFadden. The place of meeting was at Sunville for a time. 

Plum Tent, No. 52, Knights of the Maccabees, was instituted January 
16, 1888, with the following officers: Thomas H. Richey, P. S. K. C. ; 
William F. Whitman, S. K. C. ; George W. Grove, S. K. L. C. ; Frank 
Gehr, S. K. R. H., and John W. Arters, S. K. F. K.