I will start with today’s blog and work backwards – I have been frustrated by poor internet connections, plus busy schedules, so I have not been consistent in my postings.

The weatherman forecast a warm today, warm enough at the start to shed my jacket even before leaving the hotel parking lot.  Our route was taking us through Lancaster County and into the outer suburbs of Philadelphia. Early on we passed a young Mennonite girl pedaling strongly along the road – she too commented about the early heat of the day.  We missed a turn about mile 5 and climbed an extra hill before discovering our mistake – there are plenty of hills in this area so we really didn’t need any extras. As we entered Bowmansville we heard something resembling fireworks and discovered it was a gun salute, part of a Memorial Day celebration.  I was glad that my riding partners Susan R. and Janet were interested to stop and observe.

Part of the Bowmansville Memorial Day observation was the playing of Taps.  By coincidence, the Morning Reflection I received today from Rev. Glenn McDonald included this historical information about Taps:

During the summer of 1862, while the Civil War was raging between North and South, Union General Daniel Butterfield was searching for a new way to signal “lights out” at the end of the day.

Butterfield wrote a simple tune that his bugler, Oliver Wilcox Norton, first performed at Harrison’s Landing, Virginia.

A few months later a highly regarded member of a Union battery was killed in combat. It was tradition at the time to fire three volleys after a soldier’s burial. But the unit occupied an advanced position, and it was determined that gunfire might compromise their security.

Someone suggested that Butterfield’s new bugle call – “Taps” – be played instead.

That was the beginning of a tradition that has endured for more than a century and a half. “Taps” is sounded at the burial of America’s veterans.

Here are the three verses originally penned to accompany those 24 lyrical notes:

Day is done, gone the sun

From the lakes, from the hills, from the sky
All is well, safely rest
God is nigh.

Fading light dims the sight
And a star gems the sky, gleaming bright
From afar, drawing near
Falls the night.

Thanks and praise for our days
Neath the sun, neath the stars, neath the sky
As we go, this we know

God is nigh.

Around mile 19, the cue warned of a 1.2 mile climb, with 8-10% grades. Susan R. is a great motivator and our mantra is “see the hill, be the hill, take the hill.”  It didn’t prove to be anywhere near as daunting as we had feared (many other hills during the day were of much steeper grade – and I pedaled them all!).

After encountering some local riders, we took a “variation route” to get to St. Peter’s Village, with notations on the cue sheet for ice cream and a bakery (both closed), as well as a restaurant.  Quite a group of us stopped at the restaurant for some lunch.  It must be a destination spot as the restaurant filled up while we were enjoying our meal.  There is a river behind the restaurant and people were enjoying climbing on the rocks (very little water).

Here are some other fun photos from today:

While it was in fact warm, there was a gentle breeze from the south – and we were heading east. As we neared Phoenixville, we missed a turn and decided to use Google maps to get us to the hotel.  We pedaled through historic downtown Phoenixville, which looked interesting, though not near to the Hampton Inn where we are staying.  We crossed the Schuylkill River and came in from a different direction than the other riders.

A hiccup or two on my Garmin so mileage not totally accurate – Susan R. reported 45.5 miles, 3200 ft on ascent.