Round barn

Saturday
Today we were riding our tandem in the Great Greenway Tour on Indiana's Cardinal Greenway. We were doing the section from Muncie, south to Losantville, a distance of about 18 miles (one way). Unfortunately, for the second straight year, the weather wasn't very co-operative. Although we had come out of our camper early in the morning to sunshine, by the time we'd had breakfast and driven to Muncie, it was grey and overcast, and we hadn't gone far before there was a shower - fortunately we found a bridge to shelter under. I hadnt put any rain gear in - its been so long since we've needed it at home, and then the last several times rain has been forecast it's never really materialized. The forecast had said a 30% chance of rain, so I pretty much ignored it - big mistake! We made it most of the way out without further rain, but as we were getting close to the turnaround point there were distant rumbles of thunder. Fortunately at the turnaround there was a canopy for shelter and food and drink, so we took shelter from the at times quite heavy rain, and nibbled while talking to several other riders. Eventually the rain eased off and we headed off back toward Muncie. We made it perhaps about half way, when there was more thunder and it started to rain again. Fortunately, we were close to another food and shelter, in someone's garage, close to the trail. The husband runs a bike shop round the back of their house. We hadn't been there long when there was a real downpour, so we were very glad to have found shelter! While we were waiting we got talking to the wife - and she was telling us about how they had twice cycled across the country! She got out the two photo albums/scrapbooks to show us. The first time was before they were married, and they cycled, on a tandem, from Massachusetts, down the east coast to Florida, then across through the southern states to Ventura Beach, California. The last several pictures showed him proposing to her on the beach! The second time they went with their two year old son in a child bike trailer! Since they weren't sure this was going to work, they started from Ohio, where her father lives, and left their van with him, so he could go and pick them up if necessary, but they made it all the way to the west coast! While we were talking a couple of women arrived, wet and cold, and the wife went and put beach towels in the dryer to heat them, and brought them out to us! The rain seemed to have settled in for the day, but it did eventually ease off somewhat, so we decided to set off. I ride on the back of the tandem, so I had all the water flicking up from the back tire on to the back of my t-shirt. By the time we reached the end, we were soaked and cold. When I took my shoes and socks off, I could wring the socks out - they were so wet!
About the picture - I took this shot of the round barn, which was located just a little way off the trail, on the outward journey, before the weather really closed in! A "round" barn is a historic barn design that could be octagonal, polygonal, or circular in plan. The years from 1880-1920 represent the height of round barn construction. Round barn construction in the U.S. can be divided into two distinct eras. The first, the octagonal era, spanned from 1850-1900. The second era, known as the true circular era, spanned from 1889-1936. The interior layout of round barns was, at the time, promoted as more efficient. They were livestock barns and the round shape made caring for the animals easier. When feeding was done with pitchforks and shovels, the circular shape meant that no one animal was farther away at feeding time than any others. This made feeding easier and faster for the farmer. In the days before mechanization, labor-saving features were a big selling point. Also, in the Midwest, particularly, the buildings were thought more resilient against prairie thunderstorms.

One year ago: Moving Day