Preview: Time to wheel it in and wrap up about this Underground Railroad Tour adventure. I'm done. Access to broadband terminals (and free time) was sketchy on the road but I want to finish these notes. This post will catch me up to Lake Erie. One more will describe my gentleman's tour camping through the northeast's wine country and getting to Niagara Falls. A last post relating the pros and cons of my experience seems in order. Since I'm online again, I'll also field any questions.
I awoke rested, warm and dry after surviving semi-rig alley to get to the motel outside of Mansfield, OH. I was also off route, even off the map I carried showing the way to Oberlin. The Adventure Cycling Assoc. route required backtracking and a big left turn to get going the right way (North). I decided on freelancing the hypotenuse of the triangle on county roads into and through Ashland and picking up the route 20 miles later. A free county map at the desk helped me sort out a plan.
The sun shone brightly after the prior day's rain. A 15 to 20 mph head wind out of the north, though tough, now seemed a bargain compared to yesterday's weather. You just tuck, get as sleek as you can, use your gears and grind it out. A fast and easy downhill on U.S. 42 toward town seemed a good omen. Climbing up the other side of the gentle valley, before reaching Ashland's city limits, had me pay for every fun foot in altitude I used in that downhill. My friend David "Bump" Runge interchangably refers to these as "altitude and/or attitude adjustments" and anyone who's ventured farther than a 6-mile fun ride knows what he means. Soon after getting off the highway onto the main road into town (Claremont Ave.), I saw a one-horse Amish buggy coming towards me trotting at a spritely pace. I marveled then, and many days afterwards, about what "one horsepower" was capable.
Also reaffirmed was what poor judges of distance most people are. After passing a major intersection, I pulled off into a car dealership to double check my route. The owner was cordial, said he had passed me on U.S. 42 on his way to work, and assured me the downtown intersection for which I was looking was only a mile away. "A professional," I thought. He was off by almost 100 percent. Persistance found the interesection 1.8 miles later. This happened so many times it was noteworthy how people were wildly off in their estimates of distance, often by miles. So, check as often as you need but don't obsess. Making my way through 30-plus more miles into the wind also tamed me of watching the computer too closely. Like waiting for the tea kettle to boil, the miles don't pass if you're constantly watching them.
It was a long afternoon and no towns had cafes for a lunch break (an unfortunate fact related to our car-dominated modern life) until I got into a small burg called Sullivan with an intersection sporting a park, Masonic lodge, antique store and post office on one side and a small grocery store next to the volunteer fire department on the other. Good food becomes a hallmark of each day when cycling and the Sullivan Market delivered with a more than respectable ham and turkey sub dressed with fresh tomato and lettuce on a bun the girl assured me was "baked right here every day". A couple of root beers out of the cold case and I was revitalized for the final run to Oberlin. A 42-mile day mostly against the wind had me delighted to reach this destination, home of the first college in America to admit women and blacks and today still a beautiful, historic town crawling with students happy the school year had just ended. I downed a pint of Newcastle Ale at the local watering hole and then, sitting on the deck of my B&B host, called home to share the good news. That evening I pored over maps with my host, an experienced sailor and outdoorsman, considering a turn westbound along Lake Erie to make a loop homeward. We agreed, despite the logistics of getting back home, the one way route to Canada was more open-ended, adventuous and in keeping with the spirit of my trek.
I awoke with aches. While nothing seemed wrong, I could feel every muscle bundle in my thighs. Never having done a trip of this magnitude, discretion seemed wiser than pushing to an injury. I arranged a late morning hour with a massage therapist and left just after noon. Considering it a "recovery day", I pedaled only 30 miles through scudding clouds and occasional light drizzle to Medina where I treated myself in a fine restaurant on the town square to a great sushi dinner to celebrate Kathy and my wedding anniversary. I felt blessed but deeply missed her, our girls and home.
Under sunny skies next morning, I started east bound for Cayuhoga National Park and points beyond. Just five miles out of town I ran into some steep uphill rollers that I handled without strain, confirming the prior day's "easy mode" was a good decision. Later, after a delightful lunch in Peninsula with a couple cycling the tow path (Nate and April who posted a picture here earlier) there was nearly a mile long climb out of the valley. My legs felt strong and the break had done me good. Unfortunately, the skies darkened with threatening clouds and lowering temperatures soon after I reached Hudson, around 5 p.m. Several trys for lodging at local guest houses proved fruitless this Sunday evening, and I quickly moved on to Streetsboro where I could get a motel with breakfast thrown in. I was playing safe, but having left the National Park also meant all opportunities to camp were well behind me. Only 37 miles for the day, but I was out of the weather and able to get a nice diner before hitting the sack.
The next morning, Monday, the sun shone again and I was determined to get back on pace as I headed north. The weather held as I travelled through truly beautiful countryside east of Cleveland and into Amish country towards Ashtabula. I had my eye on a campground on the edge of town, but when I called ahead to inquire for a site with trees for my hammock, they said I "had to have a tent" to camp there. Unfazed and with sunny skies, the miles slipped away as I pushed on. Long lines of drying clothes at the Amish homes suggested they too were glad for sunny weather after the past three days of threatening skies. Blue jumpers, bib overalls, sheets, towels, T-shirts, bed spreads, most anything washable in the house was strung out taking advantage of the clear day. Sixty-one miles later, the last 8 on the Greenway Reserve Trail, I pulled into Austinburg and made arrangements for the night. A great day.
Tuesday, it was only another seven miles into Ashtabula on the shores of Lake Erie. I had to pass through all the town before getting to the rather industrial looking port and bridge over the Ashtabula River, but the wide, flat, green expanse of water as far as the eye could see was a major milestone in the trip. I stopped at the Hubbard House, one northern terminus of the Underground Railroad from which fugitives would have to cross only one quarter mile to the family's portside warehouse before catching a steamer (like the Indiana or Sultana) with a sympathetic Captain to be carried across to Canada. Today a historical museum, I was disappointed to read on the door it wouldn't open until Memorial Day, the official beginning of summer in these northern parts. I pushed off to see the lake and head eastward for lunch in Conneaut ("Conny-aut") another 11 miles out and ending the day after 50 miles in Erie, PA, where I stayed with a gracious family who hosted me with a cookout, visiting friends and a taste of the finer wines I could expect in the coming season. All along the day's ride, I was surprised by flowering redbud trees, dogwoods, lilacs and rhododendrons and cool breezes off the lake. The wonderful Spring weather just added to the delight of having made it without serious mishap 721 miles from home. (Knock on wood) with
Friday, June 01, 2007
Keep 'em coming.
It's a different sensation for me to be living vicariously through the rides of other -- Tommy down South, Mr. G up North, and Edward now out West.
Meanwhile, I'm told by my surgeon that in three weeks, maybe I can go out for a bicycle ride, it being suggested that by then the shoulder will have healed sufficiently to make the risk of reinjury lower.
It's been killing me not to be able to ride; January was the last time in the saddle. It's the longest I've been off the bike since taking up the sport again in 1999. Walking's okay, and my walking legs are back, but the biking legs are gone. It's looking like late June or early July, and devoting the remainder of the year to rehabbing for a big comeback in 2008.
Thanks for posting, guys. I've really been enjoying the accounts.
Meanwhile, I'm told by my surgeon that in three weeks, maybe I can go out for a bicycle ride, it being suggested that by then the shoulder will have healed sufficiently to make the risk of reinjury lower.
It's been killing me not to be able to ride; January was the last time in the saddle. It's the longest I've been off the bike since taking up the sport again in 1999. Walking's okay, and my walking legs are back, but the biking legs are gone. It's looking like late June or early July, and devoting the remainder of the year to rehabbing for a big comeback in 2008.
Thanks for posting, guys. I've really been enjoying the accounts.
Tuesday, May 29, 2007
'Twas a Dark and Stormy Night (and the suspicious Christian minister said "hit the road")
Day 11--Can we spell h-y-p-o-t-h-e-r-m-i-a?
Last post, I was avoiding grey skies and rain squalls in Bellville's public library. After a couple hours, I summoned the persistence to get going. Nothing looked good outside but finding out what the road would bring was at the heart of my venture and trumped the alternatives. Sometimes you just have to push off and go.
Six miles down the Mohican Valley trail to Butler, it started raining again and I ducked into the public park shelter to pull out rain gear and hope for another break in the weather. It was in the low 50's and riding in this rain wasn't like summertime 80's when you don't care if you're getting wet. I hung out almost an hour, visiting with a group of high school students also waiting for the rain to pass so they could shoot baskets. When the sun broke through the clouds, I wish them well and set off again. I didn't get a mile out of town before the skies opened up again, this time for keeps. At the side of the road, I quickly pulled on pants, boots, gloves and a rain poncho as a farmer rolled past on a huge tractor heading back to his barn. It was too wet for field work.
The road was hill climbs and rollers over the next seven miles--long, steep climbs up to ridge tops followed by scary, fast down hills in the wet conditions before another hard, cranking climb up to the next ridge--and the full rain gear just made me hot. I haven't got this figured out. Working hard leaves you wet from the rain or from the sweat building up inside your protective gear and modern, pricey GoreTex fabrics don't "breathe" anywhere enough to keep you comfortable. After an hour of this, I was thinking hard of an alternative, like getting out of the weather. Thankfully, about four miles later, the rain let up and I was able to start peeling off some layers. The best thing about riding in the rain is being outside as it stops, the rafts of clouds separate and sun begins to again bathe the earth. It is always beautiful.
As I approached Charles Mills Lake south of Mifflin, a large Corps of Engineers flood control resevoir with recreational facilities, I thought everything would resolve into a camp ground there. A nice looking, rustic but refined restaurant appeared around a bend and I pulled over to dry out, eat and avoid having to cook for the night. But the clearing skies were bringing cooler air and falling temperatures. When I left after dinner, not completely dried out, I felt very cold on the bike, even with tights, long-sleeved jersey, and jacket zipped up tight. This didn't go away.
At Mifflin, site of the campgrounds, I feared a wet night in low 40 degree temperatures might mean shivering most of the night with little real sleep and a ruined tomorrow. I pulled over for directions at a coffee shop which had just closed but still had one car parked outside. The proprietress was inside roasting a batch of coffee and she invited me, offered me a warm cup of coffee and in an hour and a half conversation we got acquainted, shared family pictures, a tour of the 19th century cabin she had renovated into this beautiful place and broached the suggestion I could just sleep on the floor in front of the fire place until she came back early next morning to serve a breakfast group coming in. She just needed to call her husband, a second-shift manager at GM who also pastored a church. Ah, the thought of Christian charity soothed my weary bones.
It took nearly an hour to reach his cell phone and she retreated into the back kitchen when speaking with him. My chance of solace ended when she came back out, handed me the phone and said, "you speak to him".
"I'm sorry, but with the world the way it is, I want you out of there right now," the voice of the Rev. GM-Manager said at the other end of the line.
It was 8:45 p.m., getting dark, and as much as I wondered which part of the equation he placed himself and me on "the world the way it is" scale, I knew his wife's opinion and personal assessment of me didn't matter.
"Hey, it's your place, O.K., I can be out of here within 10 minutes but can you tell me where is the nearest motel?"
And in a vibe so typical of the day's weather, he tells me of a place 1.5 miles away where U.S. 30 and I-71 intersect and the caring wife opens the yellow pages and circles what she thought was the recommendation. I call ahead to confirm I'm coming and ask the East Indiana woman at the other end, "You're east of I-71, right?" In a heavy accent, she says "Yes, est", which I took to confirm they were close.
Dusk was ending as I turned left onto U.S. 30 westbound looking for signs of a motel before the interchange a mile away. No such luck. I get to the Interstate and call the motel again. "Yes, we are est of the Interstate," she tells me again. A partner gets on the line and clarifies they are two more exits West, another two miles. I rig a flashing red rear lamp and a headlight as darkness falls and start pedaling as best I can along a thankfully wide shoulder as car-carriers, flatbeds and tractor trailer rigs go booming past. The whole two miles is uphill. I expect the CB radios crackling with "We've got some idiot out here on a bike on the right shoulder, better cut him a wide berth," and am praying I don't get rolled over by a dozing driver. All I want is to get off this road, get off this road, get off this road and my heavy breathing stifles uncharitable thoughts of the Reverend's demeanor with his church and lines I could add to his sermons.
When I finally make the exit ramp, the view is of an indigo Western sky with a clear, delicately etched, new crescent moon just getting ready to set. A new phase of the journey has begun. And, after about 20 minutes of soaking in a bathtub full of hot water, the tingling sensations in my cold feet go away.
Last post, I was avoiding grey skies and rain squalls in Bellville's public library. After a couple hours, I summoned the persistence to get going. Nothing looked good outside but finding out what the road would bring was at the heart of my venture and trumped the alternatives. Sometimes you just have to push off and go.
Six miles down the Mohican Valley trail to Butler, it started raining again and I ducked into the public park shelter to pull out rain gear and hope for another break in the weather. It was in the low 50's and riding in this rain wasn't like summertime 80's when you don't care if you're getting wet. I hung out almost an hour, visiting with a group of high school students also waiting for the rain to pass so they could shoot baskets. When the sun broke through the clouds, I wish them well and set off again. I didn't get a mile out of town before the skies opened up again, this time for keeps. At the side of the road, I quickly pulled on pants, boots, gloves and a rain poncho as a farmer rolled past on a huge tractor heading back to his barn. It was too wet for field work.
The road was hill climbs and rollers over the next seven miles--long, steep climbs up to ridge tops followed by scary, fast down hills in the wet conditions before another hard, cranking climb up to the next ridge--and the full rain gear just made me hot. I haven't got this figured out. Working hard leaves you wet from the rain or from the sweat building up inside your protective gear and modern, pricey GoreTex fabrics don't "breathe" anywhere enough to keep you comfortable. After an hour of this, I was thinking hard of an alternative, like getting out of the weather. Thankfully, about four miles later, the rain let up and I was able to start peeling off some layers. The best thing about riding in the rain is being outside as it stops, the rafts of clouds separate and sun begins to again bathe the earth. It is always beautiful.
As I approached Charles Mills Lake south of Mifflin, a large Corps of Engineers flood control resevoir with recreational facilities, I thought everything would resolve into a camp ground there. A nice looking, rustic but refined restaurant appeared around a bend and I pulled over to dry out, eat and avoid having to cook for the night. But the clearing skies were bringing cooler air and falling temperatures. When I left after dinner, not completely dried out, I felt very cold on the bike, even with tights, long-sleeved jersey, and jacket zipped up tight. This didn't go away.
At Mifflin, site of the campgrounds, I feared a wet night in low 40 degree temperatures might mean shivering most of the night with little real sleep and a ruined tomorrow. I pulled over for directions at a coffee shop which had just closed but still had one car parked outside. The proprietress was inside roasting a batch of coffee and she invited me, offered me a warm cup of coffee and in an hour and a half conversation we got acquainted, shared family pictures, a tour of the 19th century cabin she had renovated into this beautiful place and broached the suggestion I could just sleep on the floor in front of the fire place until she came back early next morning to serve a breakfast group coming in. She just needed to call her husband, a second-shift manager at GM who also pastored a church. Ah, the thought of Christian charity soothed my weary bones.
It took nearly an hour to reach his cell phone and she retreated into the back kitchen when speaking with him. My chance of solace ended when she came back out, handed me the phone and said, "you speak to him".
"I'm sorry, but with the world the way it is, I want you out of there right now," the voice of the Rev. GM-Manager said at the other end of the line.
It was 8:45 p.m., getting dark, and as much as I wondered which part of the equation he placed himself and me on "the world the way it is" scale, I knew his wife's opinion and personal assessment of me didn't matter.
"Hey, it's your place, O.K., I can be out of here within 10 minutes but can you tell me where is the nearest motel?"
And in a vibe so typical of the day's weather, he tells me of a place 1.5 miles away where U.S. 30 and I-71 intersect and the caring wife opens the yellow pages and circles what she thought was the recommendation. I call ahead to confirm I'm coming and ask the East Indiana woman at the other end, "You're east of I-71, right?" In a heavy accent, she says "Yes, est", which I took to confirm they were close.
Dusk was ending as I turned left onto U.S. 30 westbound looking for signs of a motel before the interchange a mile away. No such luck. I get to the Interstate and call the motel again. "Yes, we are est of the Interstate," she tells me again. A partner gets on the line and clarifies they are two more exits West, another two miles. I rig a flashing red rear lamp and a headlight as darkness falls and start pedaling as best I can along a thankfully wide shoulder as car-carriers, flatbeds and tractor trailer rigs go booming past. The whole two miles is uphill. I expect the CB radios crackling with "We've got some idiot out here on a bike on the right shoulder, better cut him a wide berth," and am praying I don't get rolled over by a dozing driver. All I want is to get off this road, get off this road, get off this road and my heavy breathing stifles uncharitable thoughts of the Reverend's demeanor with his church and lines I could add to his sermons.
When I finally make the exit ramp, the view is of an indigo Western sky with a clear, delicately etched, new crescent moon just getting ready to set. A new phase of the journey has begun. And, after about 20 minutes of soaking in a bathtub full of hot water, the tingling sensations in my cold feet go away.
Monday, May 28, 2007
Tanglewood North Carolina National
Put another weekend in the books for the National Bicycle League's National BMX racing season. With gas prices killing everyone's wallet, it was the smallest national I have been to. 106 motos on day one and 90 something on day two. Usually, this is a 175-200 moto national.
Day 1 got off to a rough start. Pulled 2nds in class all day until the main and had to settle for a third. In cruiser action, started off the first round with a 3rd, but 2nd and 3rd rounds I came back to pull first and eventually winning the main.
Day 2 was a little different in class. 3rds all 3 rounds of motos and then put together a great lap for a 2nd behind my team mate. Cruiser was all first.
The team didn't gain any ground on the team leaders, however, we did win both days of team comp.
The Tanglewood facility was awesome with a lot of shade, stuff for the kiddos to do and great volunteers!
Next stop is the USAC U.S. Championships in Waterford, MI. Should be a who's who for this race and the winner gets their own U.S. Champion jersey!
Day 1 got off to a rough start. Pulled 2nds in class all day until the main and had to settle for a third. In cruiser action, started off the first round with a 3rd, but 2nd and 3rd rounds I came back to pull first and eventually winning the main.
Day 2 was a little different in class. 3rds all 3 rounds of motos and then put together a great lap for a 2nd behind my team mate. Cruiser was all first.
The team didn't gain any ground on the team leaders, however, we did win both days of team comp.
The Tanglewood facility was awesome with a lot of shade, stuff for the kiddos to do and great volunteers!
Next stop is the USAC U.S. Championships in Waterford, MI. Should be a who's who for this race and the winner gets their own U.S. Champion jersey!
Sunday, May 27, 2007
Saturday, May 26, 2007
Friday, May 25, 2007
Thursday, May 24, 2007
Mr. G update.
An update on Greg's progress along the Underground Railroad route, courtesy of his wife Kathy:
New York state ... already through PA and into NY ... Greg's less than 40 miles to Buffalo and to Niagara Falls. He's getting great views of Lake Erie, and planning on spending several days at the American and Canadian sides of the falls. He's decided that the journey will be ending here, rather than pushing further into Canada, and is looking into renting a car after the holiday weekend to get home. He's on top of the world.
New York state ... already through PA and into NY ... Greg's less than 40 miles to Buffalo and to Niagara Falls. He's getting great views of Lake Erie, and planning on spending several days at the American and Canadian sides of the falls. He's decided that the journey will be ending here, rather than pushing further into Canada, and is looking into renting a car after the holiday weekend to get home. He's on top of the world.
Wednesday, May 23, 2007
Thanks!!!
I just wanted to thank Mayor Garner for taking time out and meeting with me today about bringing BMX back to New Albany. It's not a done deal and it's far from even being put into motion, however, it was just a cool thing for a busy man to take time out to meet with me and show interest!
I feel that a BMX track in New Albany would be a very good thing and we all would benefit from such a facility. Shoot...maybe somebody will revive New Albany Schwinn?!?!?
tommy
I feel that a BMX track in New Albany would be a very good thing and we all would benefit from such a facility. Shoot...maybe somebody will revive New Albany Schwinn?!?!?
tommy
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
Update: Mr. G crossing into Pennsylvania today.
Here's another update on Mr. G's progress along the Underground Railroad Bicycle Route, courtesy of wife Kathy. It was received this morning.
Greg continues to make good progress and is in good shape. He has worked his way northeast through Ohio, and is currently just south of Lake Erie, near Ashtabula OH. The attached photo is in Oberlin OH with newly-made friends, met at a restaurant. He's making occasional use of his foul weather gear, and has encountered some cold and windy conditions. Luckily, he's had a few home stays, and checked into a few motels when it was just too darned miserable to camp out. He plans to cross into PA today and spend the night in Erie PA, anticipating a more level ride as he parallels the lake coastline. So, all is well, but I'll continue to hold my breath a bit as I think of those 18-wheelers blowing past him ...
Monday, May 21, 2007
Sunday, May 20, 2007
Friday, May 18, 2007
Thursday, May 17, 2007
Central Ohio--Frosty Night Coming Up
Believe me, it's not about the miles. There is so much else that is the reward of a trek, not just keeping your head down sweating out a long conversation between your heart and some target zone. Yes, you have to cover ground and today, ten days out, I am 476 miles along the way. If we don't count the rest day in Maysville, I've averaged about 53 miles a day. I'm pleasantly surprised, but face it, whether on a trek or at home, days vary.
After leaving Maysville, a short visit to famous minister and Underground Railroad activist John Rankin's home, up a half-mile hill above Ripley, OH, turned into a two-hour stay chatting with Prof. Todd, a Phd. candidate at University of Kentucky, who works summers with the Ohio State Historical Society. Overlooking the broad sweep of the Ohio, he fed me with stories of the area, Rankin's operations and those of free blacks like John Parker (whose Phoenix Foundry was the largest ironworks between Pittsburgh and Cincinnati) and in which creek draws on the Kentucky side fugitive slaves would approach the river.
You have to take time when such opportunities arise and, Prof. Todd traded my attentiveness with "better route" up river and up the valley hills to East Fork State Park, my destination for the day. The route's advantage was requiring the equivalent of only one climb up Paoli Pike instead of two, but it was still about 7 p.m. when I arrived at the State Park, and at the southern end instead of 10 miles further where the formal campgrounds were. Fifty-five miles, a significant climb, stick a fork into me, I was done.
While calculating off of which trail or service road I was going to "stealth camp" for the night, a strapping, white-haired 65-year old gentleman out on his Specialized triathalon bike pulled along side. He was sweating bullets and said he was working out "to open up his arteries" in preparation for a 150-mile ride the next day. He assured me the area really was unpopulated and confimed my plan. I told him about my Hennessy Hammock, plans to make couscous with olive oil, chicken and pine nuts and then climb into my sleeping bag and go to bed. He smiled and said, "Simple. And life is good." We parted after sharing an experience of what I call "the brotherhood of the wheel": like-minded people viewing the world from the wonderfully crazy contraption called a bicycle.
I won't belabor how one stays civilized stealth camping without showers doing 50-plus miles a day, but suffice it to say it involves wet wipes, as many as it takes to wipe yourself down from head to toe. You remain better company with yourself and don't frighten people when you stop to chat with them.
The couscous was great and more than I could finish. The next morning I'm sitting on one bucket pannier heating water with my mountain stove on the other while I made coffee and reheated leftovers for breakfast. More olive oil, pine nuts and a few shakes of hot sauce made a lively and nutritious breakfast to get me on my way.
Twenty-two miles got me to lunch at Milford, OH and the Little Miami Trail, a 70-mile rails-to-trail conversion Ohio seems to have done plenty with. I called home to wish happy Mother's Day to Kathy and the girls and then spent Sunday afternoon amid hundreds of people of all shapes, ages and skill levels out enjoying the newly mild weather. I made another 25 miles before tucking into a canoe livery/campground along the river. Being Sunday night, the campground was practically deserted. I washed, just snacked and got cozy for a night in the 40's while the sound of water riffles over a gravel bar lulled me to sleep.
For those of us used to roads in rural, urban and suburban areas, rails-to-trail conversions seem almost miraculous. The Little Miami Railroad was the first West of the Allegheny Mountains and, boy, did those surveyors do a good job through what in the early 1800's was forest primeval. Gentle grades carry you through miles and miles of riparian woodlands, skirt farms and glance through small towns that still survive despite their distance from the bustle and commerce of the Interstate Highway system. To those who risk roads on a regular basis, these trails are unusually calm, almost mesmerizing, even a touch monotonous. But they are good and right and necessary as alternatives to our car-addled culture and we should all start advocating and supporting their development where we live.
During the next two days I passed thousands of acres of black-soil farmland but never saw a roadside stand. If necessary, community gardens could easily spring up to feed local communities, much as the "truck farms" dotted towns where I grew up as a kid in northern Illinois. But what I saw this week was acre on acre of corn and soybeans planted to supply the industrial food systems on which we now rely. Feed stock, oil and fiber, vegetable proteins, perhaps even ethanol for our cars. It had been sunny and all these three-inch sprouts swirling in rows like Maori tatoos across the landscape looked a little dry, liked they needed a good soaking to really get on with summer's growth.
Rain was forecast for late Tuesday, vicious squalls in fact with 40-mile per hour winds and the possibility of hail. Luckily for me, strong southwesterly winds preceded the approaching front and urged me on my way.
One of my planned stops was Wilberforce, named after the Englishman who convinced the British Parliament to outlaw the slave trade 30 years before the United States did. (The recent movie "Amazing Grace" is about his efforts and it got excellent reviews.) This is also why fugitive slaves often had Canada, not yet a nation but British territory, as their ultimately safe destination. Today, Wilberforce is home to two colleges and the National Afro-America Museum and Cultural Center. When I stopped at "the depot" in Xenia, where three rails-to-trails converge (God, does Ohio have it right!) I phoned ahead only to discover the center was closed on Sundays and Mondays. It became an easy day as I just pedaled up to Yellow Springs, home of Antioch College, to my first home visit of the trip.
Since it's not about bikes or the UGRR, I'll go light on the details. But my friend who grew up in Shively and Pleasure Ridge Park, spent a lot of business time in the Bay Area during the '60's and '70's chose to settle in this progressive little community in 1981 and voices very few regrets about his choice. Conservancy green belts, great food, intellectual stimulation and no rush hour are all part of the charm of this village east of Dayton.
My weekend couscous had me missing a decent tomato, so I had phoned ahead to say I wanted to make bruschetta after I pedaled in. Richard, way beyond me in kitchen skills, knew where to shop for fresh mozarella, Italian parsley, and good wines and then blew me completely off by grilling duck breasts with a cherry pepper glaze, red and yellow sweet peppers and portobello mushrooms and a salad of baby greens (from his window boxes) with pistachio oil and an aged balsamic vinager nearly as thick as molasses. I pitched in a 2005 Covey Run Gewurtztraminer from Washington's Columbia Valley (we took the dog for a mile walk after this and the bruschetta before grilling) and a 2003 Piegaia Chianti Classico. My God, how simple. Life is good.
The next day, aided by the following wind, I made a record 79-mile run and tucked into a small camping cabin at Alum Creek State Park to ride out the storm. If it thundered or hailed, I never heard it, only the steady rain which started around midnight and lasted til about 9 a.m. In my minds ear, I could hear all those corn and soybean sprouts gurgling in delight.
During the day, I met a rider from Columbus who was "doing a 16-mile loop" and while we pumped together sharing tales he talked about going to Italy each year for biking vacations (Tuscany, this fall). I snacked at small town milk shake stands and little groceries, which road karma requires you to patronize as thanks for their existence and persistence on the landscape (no fast food joints yet). The epitome though was in Rathbone, a mere intersection south of Delaware where I needed to stop (after 67 miles) and figure out where I would shelter myself from the approaching storm. Scioto Valley Bait Shop, the sign said, but they had pation tables outside and signs announcing wood fired oven pizza! In one room was the bubbling minnow tank and next door these gods and goddesses of the road weary traveler, were making caesar and caprese salads from scratch (fresh mozarella and slice tomatoes on pesto foccacia all drizzled with olive oil) and fresh pizzas baked in a marvelous oven on a trailer out in the side parking lot.
I mean, what are the odds of that? I stayed and ate and laughed for an hour and a half before busting out the last dozen miles to the state park. Remember, (and Ed, we must talk about this when I get back) it is not about the miles.
Wednesday, approaching Amish country, I rode through beautiful, wet fields and small towns punctuated by oaks and cottonwoods. Over hill and dale, stopping for lunch at a small town's grocery, gas pump and cafe (all in one building plastered inside with posters of beer girls and NASCAR drivers) I made my way to Bellville for a home visit and potluck with nine new friends from the local Unitarian fellowship. The small, rugged stone church built in 1894 in this village of barely 2,000 souls suggested another example of something right about Ohio (though they assured me the politicians here are not part of that picture). My gracious hostess and the good company's discourse allowed me to digest the road already traveled and that yet to come.
Today started in the low 40's with showers passing through and a good wind kicking up from the north. That's why I'm here in the library on the computer, tipping my hat in your direction and telling a bit of this tale. I've got my tights and rain jacket on, neoprene gloves and over boots ready if I run into rain. I'll be camping tonight somewhere between Bellville and Oberlin. They forcast a frost tonight, so it'll be an experience. Fleecies, windbreaker, down bag, stocking hat. But, oh, that hot oatmeal and coffee will probably taste really good in the morning.
Remember, Friday, May 18 is national Bike to Work Day. I'll be pedaling into Oberlin. You all make a statement on the roads back home.
After leaving Maysville, a short visit to famous minister and Underground Railroad activist John Rankin's home, up a half-mile hill above Ripley, OH, turned into a two-hour stay chatting with Prof. Todd, a Phd. candidate at University of Kentucky, who works summers with the Ohio State Historical Society. Overlooking the broad sweep of the Ohio, he fed me with stories of the area, Rankin's operations and those of free blacks like John Parker (whose Phoenix Foundry was the largest ironworks between Pittsburgh and Cincinnati) and in which creek draws on the Kentucky side fugitive slaves would approach the river.
You have to take time when such opportunities arise and, Prof. Todd traded my attentiveness with "better route" up river and up the valley hills to East Fork State Park, my destination for the day. The route's advantage was requiring the equivalent of only one climb up Paoli Pike instead of two, but it was still about 7 p.m. when I arrived at the State Park, and at the southern end instead of 10 miles further where the formal campgrounds were. Fifty-five miles, a significant climb, stick a fork into me, I was done.
While calculating off of which trail or service road I was going to "stealth camp" for the night, a strapping, white-haired 65-year old gentleman out on his Specialized triathalon bike pulled along side. He was sweating bullets and said he was working out "to open up his arteries" in preparation for a 150-mile ride the next day. He assured me the area really was unpopulated and confimed my plan. I told him about my Hennessy Hammock, plans to make couscous with olive oil, chicken and pine nuts and then climb into my sleeping bag and go to bed. He smiled and said, "Simple. And life is good." We parted after sharing an experience of what I call "the brotherhood of the wheel": like-minded people viewing the world from the wonderfully crazy contraption called a bicycle.
I won't belabor how one stays civilized stealth camping without showers doing 50-plus miles a day, but suffice it to say it involves wet wipes, as many as it takes to wipe yourself down from head to toe. You remain better company with yourself and don't frighten people when you stop to chat with them.
The couscous was great and more than I could finish. The next morning I'm sitting on one bucket pannier heating water with my mountain stove on the other while I made coffee and reheated leftovers for breakfast. More olive oil, pine nuts and a few shakes of hot sauce made a lively and nutritious breakfast to get me on my way.
Twenty-two miles got me to lunch at Milford, OH and the Little Miami Trail, a 70-mile rails-to-trail conversion Ohio seems to have done plenty with. I called home to wish happy Mother's Day to Kathy and the girls and then spent Sunday afternoon amid hundreds of people of all shapes, ages and skill levels out enjoying the newly mild weather. I made another 25 miles before tucking into a canoe livery/campground along the river. Being Sunday night, the campground was practically deserted. I washed, just snacked and got cozy for a night in the 40's while the sound of water riffles over a gravel bar lulled me to sleep.
For those of us used to roads in rural, urban and suburban areas, rails-to-trail conversions seem almost miraculous. The Little Miami Railroad was the first West of the Allegheny Mountains and, boy, did those surveyors do a good job through what in the early 1800's was forest primeval. Gentle grades carry you through miles and miles of riparian woodlands, skirt farms and glance through small towns that still survive despite their distance from the bustle and commerce of the Interstate Highway system. To those who risk roads on a regular basis, these trails are unusually calm, almost mesmerizing, even a touch monotonous. But they are good and right and necessary as alternatives to our car-addled culture and we should all start advocating and supporting their development where we live.
During the next two days I passed thousands of acres of black-soil farmland but never saw a roadside stand. If necessary, community gardens could easily spring up to feed local communities, much as the "truck farms" dotted towns where I grew up as a kid in northern Illinois. But what I saw this week was acre on acre of corn and soybeans planted to supply the industrial food systems on which we now rely. Feed stock, oil and fiber, vegetable proteins, perhaps even ethanol for our cars. It had been sunny and all these three-inch sprouts swirling in rows like Maori tatoos across the landscape looked a little dry, liked they needed a good soaking to really get on with summer's growth.
Rain was forecast for late Tuesday, vicious squalls in fact with 40-mile per hour winds and the possibility of hail. Luckily for me, strong southwesterly winds preceded the approaching front and urged me on my way.
One of my planned stops was Wilberforce, named after the Englishman who convinced the British Parliament to outlaw the slave trade 30 years before the United States did. (The recent movie "Amazing Grace" is about his efforts and it got excellent reviews.) This is also why fugitive slaves often had Canada, not yet a nation but British territory, as their ultimately safe destination. Today, Wilberforce is home to two colleges and the National Afro-America Museum and Cultural Center. When I stopped at "the depot" in Xenia, where three rails-to-trails converge (God, does Ohio have it right!) I phoned ahead only to discover the center was closed on Sundays and Mondays. It became an easy day as I just pedaled up to Yellow Springs, home of Antioch College, to my first home visit of the trip.
Since it's not about bikes or the UGRR, I'll go light on the details. But my friend who grew up in Shively and Pleasure Ridge Park, spent a lot of business time in the Bay Area during the '60's and '70's chose to settle in this progressive little community in 1981 and voices very few regrets about his choice. Conservancy green belts, great food, intellectual stimulation and no rush hour are all part of the charm of this village east of Dayton.
My weekend couscous had me missing a decent tomato, so I had phoned ahead to say I wanted to make bruschetta after I pedaled in. Richard, way beyond me in kitchen skills, knew where to shop for fresh mozarella, Italian parsley, and good wines and then blew me completely off by grilling duck breasts with a cherry pepper glaze, red and yellow sweet peppers and portobello mushrooms and a salad of baby greens (from his window boxes) with pistachio oil and an aged balsamic vinager nearly as thick as molasses. I pitched in a 2005 Covey Run Gewurtztraminer from Washington's Columbia Valley (we took the dog for a mile walk after this and the bruschetta before grilling) and a 2003 Piegaia Chianti Classico. My God, how simple. Life is good.
The next day, aided by the following wind, I made a record 79-mile run and tucked into a small camping cabin at Alum Creek State Park to ride out the storm. If it thundered or hailed, I never heard it, only the steady rain which started around midnight and lasted til about 9 a.m. In my minds ear, I could hear all those corn and soybean sprouts gurgling in delight.
During the day, I met a rider from Columbus who was "doing a 16-mile loop" and while we pumped together sharing tales he talked about going to Italy each year for biking vacations (Tuscany, this fall). I snacked at small town milk shake stands and little groceries, which road karma requires you to patronize as thanks for their existence and persistence on the landscape (no fast food joints yet). The epitome though was in Rathbone, a mere intersection south of Delaware where I needed to stop (after 67 miles) and figure out where I would shelter myself from the approaching storm. Scioto Valley Bait Shop, the sign said, but they had pation tables outside and signs announcing wood fired oven pizza! In one room was the bubbling minnow tank and next door these gods and goddesses of the road weary traveler, were making caesar and caprese salads from scratch (fresh mozarella and slice tomatoes on pesto foccacia all drizzled with olive oil) and fresh pizzas baked in a marvelous oven on a trailer out in the side parking lot.
I mean, what are the odds of that? I stayed and ate and laughed for an hour and a half before busting out the last dozen miles to the state park. Remember, (and Ed, we must talk about this when I get back) it is not about the miles.
Wednesday, approaching Amish country, I rode through beautiful, wet fields and small towns punctuated by oaks and cottonwoods. Over hill and dale, stopping for lunch at a small town's grocery, gas pump and cafe (all in one building plastered inside with posters of beer girls and NASCAR drivers) I made my way to Bellville for a home visit and potluck with nine new friends from the local Unitarian fellowship. The small, rugged stone church built in 1894 in this village of barely 2,000 souls suggested another example of something right about Ohio (though they assured me the politicians here are not part of that picture). My gracious hostess and the good company's discourse allowed me to digest the road already traveled and that yet to come.
Today started in the low 40's with showers passing through and a good wind kicking up from the north. That's why I'm here in the library on the computer, tipping my hat in your direction and telling a bit of this tale. I've got my tights and rain jacket on, neoprene gloves and over boots ready if I run into rain. I'll be camping tonight somewhere between Bellville and Oberlin. They forcast a frost tonight, so it'll be an experience. Fleecies, windbreaker, down bag, stocking hat. But, oh, that hot oatmeal and coffee will probably taste really good in the morning.
Remember, Friday, May 18 is national Bike to Work Day. I'll be pedaling into Oberlin. You all make a statement on the roads back home.
Wednesday, May 16, 2007
Tuesday, May 15, 2007
Mr. G now well into Ohio.
Here's a new update from wife Kathy on Greg's trip.
Hi all, I've heard from Greg...he's tucked into a sleeping hut at Alum Creek State Park OH, in anticipation of predicted storms moving thru tonight. The state park is NW of Columbus OH. He had a great day today---79 miles of pretty countryside. Altogether we figure he's made about 425 miles so far, and holding out pretty well. He reports sunburn, but otherwise in good shape. Last night was his first night to sleep in a bed, and I hear it felt just great. He spent the night in the home of the son of a church friend of ours. All in all, he remains very pleased with progress...so the story continues to unfold.
Hi all, I've heard from Greg...he's tucked into a sleeping hut at Alum Creek State Park OH, in anticipation of predicted storms moving thru tonight. The state park is NW of Columbus OH. He had a great day today---79 miles of pretty countryside. Altogether we figure he's made about 425 miles so far, and holding out pretty well. He reports sunburn, but otherwise in good shape. Last night was his first night to sleep in a bed, and I hear it felt just great. He spent the night in the home of the son of a church friend of ours. All in all, he remains very pleased with progress...so the story continues to unfold.
Friday, May 11, 2007
Oh, the beautiful Ohio!
--Maysville, KY, four days out, about 206 miles underwheel. No problems but some formidable hills between Carrolton, KY and here. A few I shall never forget.
If I succumbed to all the worldly tempations to become a grouch (I yet resist), I would blame my situation on Roger for planting the alluring idea of bicycle touring about a year ago with his talk of Bavaria, the Czech Republic and large pints of delicious beer. I would blame Ed Parish for sharing that great 16-mile loop around New Albany, which I took many times last summer while my fair daughter was at swim team practice at Camille Wright pool. I would blame Debbie Harbeson for her delightful late summer post about weekend ride that included ing up Corydon Pike.
You, and others, urged me on with this and now I am out in the middle of it all, far away, on a bike?!!
Verging on old coot, (60 later this summer), the thought something grand, expansive, larger than I could see appealed to both the 12-year old inside and the now grey uncertain what more aging would bring.
Hell, why not go 1,000 miles on a bike, get sunburned, get rained on, camp out in woods and pastures, meet strangers and see immense skies full of stars at night? When the Adventure Bicycling Association (www.adv-cycling.org) came up with its only second historical-themed national trail, the Underground Railroad, it clicked. Ride north, follow the drinking gourd, follow Spring and extend the cool weather, it all made sense.
Between central Indiana and Eastern Ohio were 15 major crossings for blacks fleeing slavery to the Northern states and ultimate freedom in Canada. Over the past few years, I met and spoke with historians Pam Peters in Floyd County, Jeannie Burke in Clark County and Dr. J. Blaine Hudson at University of Louisville and started to learn about the history of the Underground Railroad, arguably the nation's largest civil disobediance movement that cut across lines of race, education, economic standing and social class.
So, with that as intellectual companion, along with the 12-year old's curiosity, I set off last Monday from the Carnegie Center (go see their exhibit, "Common people, Uncommon Courage", it is one of the best of its kind).
No, I did not become a hardbody fanatic like Ed before leaving. February was so damn cold, I could get off my Nordic Trac and onto a bike until March. But I ride and explore, mostly the western side of the county from Georgetown to Starlight and Greenville to N. Skyline Drive.
I did the loop down to New Albany and up Corydon Pike several times and friends Joe Ward and David Runge took me for a test ride, fully-loaded from Memphis up and out 160 over Pixley Knob on the way to Pekin and back before pronouncing me "ready to go".
I am still training into the trip. Fifty seven miles up to Clifty Falls day one was civilized and included a nice lunch at the Copper Kettle in Charlestown, but my butt was still sore when I got there.
Through Madison and over that skinny bridge into Milton, KY and then up 36 along the river to Carrolton was still a shakedown. No problems and the bowl of vegetable soup with corn bread and as much sweetened ice tea I could drink (they even filled my bottles before I left) at Welch's Restaurant for $3.85 holds the hallmark of hospitality and value. The two-mile climb ing up to Easterday was the trip's first serious altitude challenge but was soon followed by crossing I-71 and an exhilerating four-mile downhill spree down to Eagle Station.
I camped outside of Sparta that night, once cattle and tobacco country now tatooed by NASCAR images because of the new 1 1/2 mile track there. Trains rumbled by most of the night, their horns seldom woke me and morning brought a beautiful, mist-filled valley in which cows were still lowing their appreciation.
At breakfast at Marty Miler's "Quick Stop", where Mary McKenzie makes sandwiches so large they fall off the bread for $3, they warned me that what was behind me was no problem, "Now up to Folsom, that's a hill." Pedaling under sunny skies along Eagle Creek and the CSX grade made for a nice warm up, but that hill was "a real hill". It didn't take long, even down on my 26 inch grany gear, for my knees to ache and muscles to start shaking. Before losing balance and my whole rig a jumped off panting and sweating rivulets. Trudging up, pushing 28 pounds of bike with another 35 pounds of gear, trying not to get caught on the pedal or the panniers, I swear parts of that climb were near a 30 degree slope. I'm not sure how the formula works, but looking straight ahead, from eye level it wasn't but 90 feet before five feet in altitude was covered.
I later was able to ride up a similar climb out of Grassy Creek up to Hwy. 27 and into Falmouth, but going north from there to Kinkaid Lake S.P., there was another third mile of the steepest incline I had ever seen. Late in the day, pouring sweat, working to broach the crest, I was humbled. But 200 miles out, it seemed no shame to continue, even if I had to walk and push my dream over a few tough hills along the way.
Yesterday was like a five-hour workout at the gym, mostly pumping up rollers along ridge tops to Lenoxburg, Brooksville (fantastic sandwiches at Shari's Family Cafe, f/k/a (sic) Empirial Chile), Germantown and into Maysville. No problems, but I am taking a rest day to let my legs recover here where there is a library, bike shop and a few nice restaurants
Simple gratitude for: courteous drivers who slow down and pass safely and then wave or honk when they do; hot water showers at the end of the day, oh, Lord do they feel good; curious kids and kind people who merely say, "you're doing what?"; and how frequently the tale of your own adventure opens people up with smiles and advice and sharing all sorts of stories about their lives, their community and what's good about this all.
I'm going to check out the pub for lunch and see if they have a proper ale, porter or stout to quench my deepened thirst. Cheers.
If I succumbed to all the worldly tempations to become a grouch (I yet resist), I would blame my situation on Roger for planting the alluring idea of bicycle touring about a year ago with his talk of Bavaria, the Czech Republic and large pints of delicious beer. I would blame Ed Parish for sharing that great 16-mile loop around New Albany, which I took many times last summer while my fair daughter was at swim team practice at Camille Wright pool. I would blame Debbie Harbeson for her delightful late summer post about weekend ride that included ing up Corydon Pike.
You, and others, urged me on with this and now I am out in the middle of it all, far away, on a bike?!!
Verging on old coot, (60 later this summer), the thought something grand, expansive, larger than I could see appealed to both the 12-year old inside and the now grey uncertain what more aging would bring.
Hell, why not go 1,000 miles on a bike, get sunburned, get rained on, camp out in woods and pastures, meet strangers and see immense skies full of stars at night? When the Adventure Bicycling Association (www.adv-cycling.org) came up with its only second historical-themed national trail, the Underground Railroad, it clicked. Ride north, follow the drinking gourd, follow Spring and extend the cool weather, it all made sense.
Between central Indiana and Eastern Ohio were 15 major crossings for blacks fleeing slavery to the Northern states and ultimate freedom in Canada. Over the past few years, I met and spoke with historians Pam Peters in Floyd County, Jeannie Burke in Clark County and Dr. J. Blaine Hudson at University of Louisville and started to learn about the history of the Underground Railroad, arguably the nation's largest civil disobediance movement that cut across lines of race, education, economic standing and social class.
So, with that as intellectual companion, along with the 12-year old's curiosity, I set off last Monday from the Carnegie Center (go see their exhibit, "Common people, Uncommon Courage", it is one of the best of its kind).
No, I did not become a hardbody fanatic like Ed before leaving. February was so damn cold, I could get off my Nordic Trac and onto a bike until March. But I ride and explore, mostly the western side of the county from Georgetown to Starlight and Greenville to N. Skyline Drive.
I did the loop down to New Albany and up Corydon Pike several times and friends Joe Ward and David Runge took me for a test ride, fully-loaded from Memphis up and out 160 over Pixley Knob on the way to Pekin and back before pronouncing me "ready to go".
I am still training into the trip. Fifty seven miles up to Clifty Falls day one was civilized and included a nice lunch at the Copper Kettle in Charlestown, but my butt was still sore when I got there.
Through Madison and over that skinny bridge into Milton, KY and then up 36 along the river to Carrolton was still a shakedown. No problems and the bowl of vegetable soup with corn bread and as much sweetened ice tea I could drink (they even filled my bottles before I left) at Welch's Restaurant for $3.85 holds the hallmark of hospitality and value. The two-mile climb ing up to Easterday was the trip's first serious altitude challenge but was soon followed by crossing I-71 and an exhilerating four-mile downhill spree down to Eagle Station.
I camped outside of Sparta that night, once cattle and tobacco country now tatooed by NASCAR images because of the new 1 1/2 mile track there. Trains rumbled by most of the night, their horns seldom woke me and morning brought a beautiful, mist-filled valley in which cows were still lowing their appreciation.
At breakfast at Marty Miler's "Quick Stop", where Mary McKenzie makes sandwiches so large they fall off the bread for $3, they warned me that what was behind me was no problem, "Now up to Folsom, that's a hill." Pedaling under sunny skies along Eagle Creek and the CSX grade made for a nice warm up, but that hill was "a real hill". It didn't take long, even down on my 26 inch grany gear, for my knees to ache and muscles to start shaking. Before losing balance and my whole rig a jumped off panting and sweating rivulets. Trudging up, pushing 28 pounds of bike with another 35 pounds of gear, trying not to get caught on the pedal or the panniers, I swear parts of that climb were near a 30 degree slope. I'm not sure how the formula works, but looking straight ahead, from eye level it wasn't but 90 feet before five feet in altitude was covered.
I later was able to ride up a similar climb out of Grassy Creek up to Hwy. 27 and into Falmouth, but going north from there to Kinkaid Lake S.P., there was another third mile of the steepest incline I had ever seen. Late in the day, pouring sweat, working to broach the crest, I was humbled. But 200 miles out, it seemed no shame to continue, even if I had to walk and push my dream over a few tough hills along the way.
Yesterday was like a five-hour workout at the gym, mostly pumping up rollers along ridge tops to Lenoxburg, Brooksville (fantastic sandwiches at Shari's Family Cafe, f/k/a (sic) Empirial Chile), Germantown and into Maysville. No problems, but I am taking a rest day to let my legs recover here where there is a library, bike shop and a few nice restaurants
Simple gratitude for: courteous drivers who slow down and pass safely and then wave or honk when they do; hot water showers at the end of the day, oh, Lord do they feel good; curious kids and kind people who merely say, "you're doing what?"; and how frequently the tale of your own adventure opens people up with smiles and advice and sharing all sorts of stories about their lives, their community and what's good about this all.
I'm going to check out the pub for lunch and see if they have a proper ale, porter or stout to quench my deepened thirst. Cheers.
Tuesday, May 08, 2007
Mr. G hits the trail, and we'll keep you posted on his progress.
The great adventure has started for Greg Gapsis, a.k.a. Mr. G, who departed Monday morning for his month-long bicycle expedition northwards from New Albany past Niagara Falls to the shores of Lake Huron in Ontario province.
Greg is following the newly minted Underground Railroad Bicycle Route. Interestingly, the first group of cyclists to travel the entire 2,100-mile route passed through New Albany last week and visited the permanent exhibition at the Carnegie Center.
New Albany Tribune: “Riding the Underground: Cyclists pass through Southern Indiana on 2,100 mile trek.”
Mr. G’s communications are likely to be sporadic, but he’s included me on the list of e-mail contacts, and if he’s unable to report himself, wife Kathy will be disseminating information so we can bike vicariously through him. Here’s the first:
Hi all, Kathy here to give a brief update on Greg's progress. He started out this morning (Monday, May 7) at 9:30 a.m. from the Carnegie Center in New Albany, under blue skies and crisp spring temps. Fifty-seven miles later, he is at a campground in Madison IN, has had a hot shower and a reconstituted freeze-dried supper, and is feeling tired but pleased with the day. No report of any major forgotten items at home! He is hoping to ride about 50 miles tomorrow to Sparta campgrounds in KY, and about 50 miles the next day to Concord - both in hilly land in Northern KY. I'll send periodic updates as things progress ... thanks to you all for rooting for him as much as I am! He appreciates your interest and support.
Here are some links about the Underground Railroad Bicycle Route:
NA Confidential: Bicycle path through New Albany: The Underground Railroad Bicycle Route.
Adventure Cycling Association
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette article
Other links at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Greg is following the newly minted Underground Railroad Bicycle Route. Interestingly, the first group of cyclists to travel the entire 2,100-mile route passed through New Albany last week and visited the permanent exhibition at the Carnegie Center.
New Albany Tribune: “Riding the Underground: Cyclists pass through Southern Indiana on 2,100 mile trek.”
Mr. G’s communications are likely to be sporadic, but he’s included me on the list of e-mail contacts, and if he’s unable to report himself, wife Kathy will be disseminating information so we can bike vicariously through him. Here’s the first:
Hi all, Kathy here to give a brief update on Greg's progress. He started out this morning (Monday, May 7) at 9:30 a.m. from the Carnegie Center in New Albany, under blue skies and crisp spring temps. Fifty-seven miles later, he is at a campground in Madison IN, has had a hot shower and a reconstituted freeze-dried supper, and is feeling tired but pleased with the day. No report of any major forgotten items at home! He is hoping to ride about 50 miles tomorrow to Sparta campgrounds in KY, and about 50 miles the next day to Concord - both in hilly land in Northern KY. I'll send periodic updates as things progress ... thanks to you all for rooting for him as much as I am! He appreciates your interest and support.
Here are some links about the Underground Railroad Bicycle Route:
NA Confidential: Bicycle path through New Albany: The Underground Railroad Bicycle Route.
Adventure Cycling Association
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette article
Other links at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Sunday, May 06, 2007
'bout time!
it's been a long time since i've been able to post on here. not that i had much time to post with school in full-swing. with a teeny-tiny break i just wanted to remind everyone that if you are bored with you current riding settings, i urge everyone to take a trip over to E.P. "Tom" Sawyer State Park. we(derby city bmx) are getting our season off to a remarkable start, with a lot of the "old school" riders coming back to the racing scene. however, you don't have to be a "racer" to enjoy our track. it's open 7 days a week, dawn til dusk. it's closed only when: there's a race, or the track is too wet.
i've been contacted by our local government and there seems to be a small interest in bringing BMX to New Albany. i'm putting together a presentation that hopefully will demonstrate the benefits of bringing this sport to our community. wish me luck!
with the interest of our local government in cycling, i started to think about how New Albany could possibly become a serious cycling community! i believe i've read it right here @ NABC about how we have a bridge in our city, where you could convert the former car lanes into bike lanes and allow people to commute to work more easily.
with gas prices as a staggering 3 bucks per gallon (yes, we have it ez, compared to our over seas counterparts) and no signs of coming down anytime soon, how difficult would it be to open this up for commuting? don't answer that just yet...lol...
think about it. becoming a cycling town and revitalizing downtown, New Albany could become the place were we live, eat and sleep, while having an easy commute to downtown louisville. what i mean by that, is our downtown becomes a home for residence, artist galleries, bike shops, pubs, amongst other entertainment venues. i could see cycling lanes everywhere, with bike lock-ups on every corner.
here's another point to ponder. it's been shown that people who participate in at least 20 minutes of cardiovascular exercise 3 x's a week improves health significantly! the benefits are HUGE! it's proven that it lowers high blood pressure, helps with weight management, improves mood!, raises HDL (good cholesterol) and lowers LDL (bad cholesterol), significant energy improvement, so instead of coming home and crashing on the couch, you have more energy to spend with your kids, or get yard work done. helps manages insulin level for people with diabetes, strengthens bones preventing arthritis.
your health is also improved, because cardiovascular exercise stimulates the immune system, warding off infections, so less time is spent using health care expenditures, time off from work and the crappy feeling of just being sick.
becoming healthier physical, mentally and socially allows us to reach self-actualization and we as a community we become more healthy. also, who actually likes driving in that mess of a morning rush hour? i'm not saying you have to commute by bike everyday either. yes, it rains, or you have things that require a car on certain days. there's been times, where i've dropped my children off at daycare, then i come home and ride my bike to U of L. BTW, it takes approx. 20 minutes to get from oak street to the u of l campus by bike. that's generally what it takes by car, if not more.
well..i've babbled enough this morning....
have a great week!!!
i've been contacted by our local government and there seems to be a small interest in bringing BMX to New Albany. i'm putting together a presentation that hopefully will demonstrate the benefits of bringing this sport to our community. wish me luck!
with the interest of our local government in cycling, i started to think about how New Albany could possibly become a serious cycling community! i believe i've read it right here @ NABC about how we have a bridge in our city, where you could convert the former car lanes into bike lanes and allow people to commute to work more easily.
with gas prices as a staggering 3 bucks per gallon (yes, we have it ez, compared to our over seas counterparts) and no signs of coming down anytime soon, how difficult would it be to open this up for commuting? don't answer that just yet...lol...
think about it. becoming a cycling town and revitalizing downtown, New Albany could become the place were we live, eat and sleep, while having an easy commute to downtown louisville. what i mean by that, is our downtown becomes a home for residence, artist galleries, bike shops, pubs, amongst other entertainment venues. i could see cycling lanes everywhere, with bike lock-ups on every corner.
here's another point to ponder. it's been shown that people who participate in at least 20 minutes of cardiovascular exercise 3 x's a week improves health significantly! the benefits are HUGE! it's proven that it lowers high blood pressure, helps with weight management, improves mood!, raises HDL (good cholesterol) and lowers LDL (bad cholesterol), significant energy improvement, so instead of coming home and crashing on the couch, you have more energy to spend with your kids, or get yard work done. helps manages insulin level for people with diabetes, strengthens bones preventing arthritis.
your health is also improved, because cardiovascular exercise stimulates the immune system, warding off infections, so less time is spent using health care expenditures, time off from work and the crappy feeling of just being sick.
becoming healthier physical, mentally and socially allows us to reach self-actualization and we as a community we become more healthy. also, who actually likes driving in that mess of a morning rush hour? i'm not saying you have to commute by bike everyday either. yes, it rains, or you have things that require a car on certain days. there's been times, where i've dropped my children off at daycare, then i come home and ride my bike to U of L. BTW, it takes approx. 20 minutes to get from oak street to the u of l campus by bike. that's generally what it takes by car, if not more.
well..i've babbled enough this morning....
have a great week!!!
Saturday, May 05, 2007
More on the Underground Railroad Bicycle Route.
In today's Tribune:
Riding the Underground: Cyclists pass through Southern Indiana on 2,100 mile trek.
I referenced this at here and at NAC a while back: Bicycle path through New Albany: The Underground Railroad Bicycle Route.
Here's an excerpt from the most recent newspaper article. It's Mr. G, who registered here a week or so ago. If there's time, he might report in during the journey.
Local man ready to roll
Anticipating his 60th birthday this summer, Greg Gapsis plans to finish a long bike ride while he’s still in his 50s.
A history buff, the IU Southeast instructor and former reporter for The Evening News and The Tribune decided he would take the Underground Railroad route from New Albany to Canada.
“For me it’s a combination of historical curiosity, taking up cycling as a personal health matter and doing something challenging with a broad concept to celebrate my birthday,” Gapsis said.
Riding the Underground: Cyclists pass through Southern Indiana on 2,100 mile trek.
I referenced this at here and at NAC a while back: Bicycle path through New Albany: The Underground Railroad Bicycle Route.
Here's an excerpt from the most recent newspaper article. It's Mr. G, who registered here a week or so ago. If there's time, he might report in during the journey.
Local man ready to roll
Anticipating his 60th birthday this summer, Greg Gapsis plans to finish a long bike ride while he’s still in his 50s.
A history buff, the IU Southeast instructor and former reporter for The Evening News and The Tribune decided he would take the Underground Railroad route from New Albany to Canada.
“For me it’s a combination of historical curiosity, taking up cycling as a personal health matter and doing something challenging with a broad concept to celebrate my birthday,” Gapsis said.
Thursday, May 03, 2007
We Ride Again!
For those of you who had such a good time commenting about my "Barco Lounger" bike saddle, I get the last laugh.
Following my recent surgery I had my doubts about ever being able to straddle a bicycle again. Yesterday due largely to the boredom of cabin fever, I took the orange beast off it's hook, aired up the tires, rolled the dice, and headed downtown.
I made from my home on Spring Street to Pearl and back without incident. This is one of many hurdles I've cleared in the last three months and second only to coming out of the drug induced fog that I came home from the hospital with. This is FREEDOM to move about!
I'm a bit sore this morning due to using muscles that have been dormant for almost 90 days, but nothing like I had expected.
I'm far from being able to do double digit mileage, but at least I think I'll be able to get to the pub in the near future.
Happy Riding All!!
Following my recent surgery I had my doubts about ever being able to straddle a bicycle again. Yesterday due largely to the boredom of cabin fever, I took the orange beast off it's hook, aired up the tires, rolled the dice, and headed downtown.
I made from my home on Spring Street to Pearl and back without incident. This is one of many hurdles I've cleared in the last three months and second only to coming out of the drug induced fog that I came home from the hospital with. This is FREEDOM to move about!
I'm a bit sore this morning due to using muscles that have been dormant for almost 90 days, but nothing like I had expected.
I'm far from being able to do double digit mileage, but at least I think I'll be able to get to the pub in the near future.
Happy Riding All!!
Wednesday, May 02, 2007
Sunday, April 29, 2007
Saturday, April 28, 2007
Thursday, April 26, 2007
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
Sunday, April 22, 2007
Wim Wenders
An early Sunday marked our first time pedalling since the faux-spring suffered its apt demise amonth or so ago. We managed 15 miles and I really wanted to ride in Louisville but the Second Street Bridge was still closed, the streets surrounding such were literally choked with debris as few of the unfortunate were seen sleeping in the viaducts under the bridge. One has to admire the present priorities. It WAS a divine day for cycling regardless.
Saturday, April 21, 2007
Friday, April 20, 2007
Sunday, April 01, 2007
Old Urbanism?
Having ridden three times in the last eight days, finding sufficient analogy to my reading of Peter Ackroyd to broach manifold topics while cycling with the Missus. It was certainly then unique to cycle out alone today, finding solace in the sun, the proliferation of political signs and the signs of relative urban despair. There is a slow motion crisis of undereducation in this burg, cycling yields both an intimacy with such as well as the means of extrication.
Saturday, March 31, 2007
0 miles.
Sigghhhhh ... doctor's orders, natch ... physical therapy's ahead of schedule, and I feel good. It's looking like June at the earliest.
Wednesday, March 28, 2007
Tuesday, March 27, 2007
Thursday, March 22, 2007
Lennon/McCartney
| yesterday was divine: the first day of Spring, Ed's birthday and signpost registering four and a half years of marriage: coupled with perfect cycling weather, it couldn' possibly be surpassed. My wife and I rode eight miles, noting the riverfront construction which will alter our normative route. It was an invigorating return to the saddle. |
Monday, March 19, 2007
Nah, not gone yet.
I haven't given up on the promise of this site, as envisioned by Ed last year, except that it isn't the best time for me to be leading the cycling charge -- and not because February was cold as hell.
On March 27, I'm having outpatient surgery for a shredded rotator cuff in my left shoulder, and this will put me out of two-wheel action for a couple of months. My surgeon ordered me off the bike in January so that I wouldn't hurt the shoulder any worse, and those of you who know me can attest to how disruptive it's been to be forced to drive to work every day after logging 2,700 miles last year on the hybrid.
The other news with me is a good omen for biking season, 2007, once it begins: 40 lbs lighter than last year, and hoping that fewer components snap this time around.
These comments are placeholders only. When the weather gets warm and I'm able to get back on the road, it is my hope to revive this blog. Stay tuned.
On March 27, I'm having outpatient surgery for a shredded rotator cuff in my left shoulder, and this will put me out of two-wheel action for a couple of months. My surgeon ordered me off the bike in January so that I wouldn't hurt the shoulder any worse, and those of you who know me can attest to how disruptive it's been to be forced to drive to work every day after logging 2,700 miles last year on the hybrid.
The other news with me is a good omen for biking season, 2007, once it begins: 40 lbs lighter than last year, and hoping that fewer components snap this time around.
These comments are placeholders only. When the weather gets warm and I'm able to get back on the road, it is my hope to revive this blog. Stay tuned.
Saturday, January 20, 2007
Went to Lexington, Viginia for the Blue Ridge National. The track was one of the best this season so far. The 2nd straight was blast and had many lines to take through it.
I got the wins on both days. Here is a pic of the main event coming down the first straight over the step up. I'm #401.
Another local BMXer, Weston Pope pretty much commanded his class all weekend. Weston was riding super strong, pulling people at will down the 3rd straight.
Thursday, January 04, 2007
New Albany Bicycle Coalition
NBL Christmas Classic @ Columbus, Ohio.
Went to the next hardest race on the National Bicycle League's national schedule and did well. We had over 40 people in our class, which gave us quarter finals, so that was good points for our team.
I ended up with a perfect on day one and on day two, I was working on another perfect score, but my gate start was a step slow and ended third.
Another local hotshoe, Weston Pope blew me away! Weston races in the 17-24 Expert class and he cleaned up! This class is the proving grounds for future pros and Weston is on his way to superstardom!
The pic is from day 1, me leading the old dudes into turn one.
Saturday, November 18, 2006
Adios
Today will be my last regular post here on this blog. I have created a new blog for my logging and you may visit at http://bikemetrolouisville.blogspot.com/.
Hope all is well......................
"Jazz is dead".....Miles Davis
Hope all is well......................
"Jazz is dead".....Miles Davis
Tuesday, November 07, 2006
Nice 2 Day Totals + Monday
I opted for the photo on Sunday rather than text what I personally had ridden over the weekend, I thought the election carried more weight than me on my bike. Any rate, I rode near 70 miles over the weekend in really nice conditions. Stayed on this side of the bridge and steered clear of the traffic both days on Blackiston Mill Road, but must say that it was a nice surface to ride upon.
Monday I started out after work only to get soaked to the bone before having to call my taxi for a pick up at the Floyd County 4H Fairgrounds. Then went to my work and road the exercise bikes for over twenty miles and felt like I had had a good workout, even though it was in doors.
FYI... The Silver Creek Bridge is supposed to open on November 15th if the weather continues to help out the workers.
Monday I started out after work only to get soaked to the bone before having to call my taxi for a pick up at the Floyd County 4H Fairgrounds. Then went to my work and road the exercise bikes for over twenty miles and felt like I had had a good workout, even though it was in doors.
FYI... The Silver Creek Bridge is supposed to open on November 15th if the weather continues to help out the workers.
Saturday, November 04, 2006
Thursday, November 02, 2006
Jorg & Olif Now Available In The U.S.
*story borrowed fromI know isn’t directly related to Portland, but I’ve been following the local bakfiets and Dutch city bike news lately and I know a lot of Portlanders (including myself) love these things. So here you go. Jorg & Olif, the stylish Canadian company who re-brands and modifies authentic Dutch city bikes has just announced that they have established a North American shipping operation. No retail store yet, but at least now you can get the goods without paying the crazy shipping costs.
They’ve even got this handy order guide (links to PDF). And, depending on if you’ve been naughty or nice, Christmas orders are due by November 5th.
The bikes are available in 1, 3, or 8 speeds and range in price from $795 - $1,295 respectively. I guess the Electra Amsterdam has its first direct competitor.
Wednesday, November 01, 2006
A Progressive Cycling Community
When I wanted to start this blog, this is the kind of site I had a vision of creating. With a little luck and lots of help it just might happen.http://www.bikeportland.org/
Sunday, October 29, 2006
This weekend
The last two days I have been riding in Louisville. Today I rode on the soon to be completed bridge spanning Silver Creek, it is not "open to peds" but no one was around and the devil came out of me one more time.
Saturday
My wife is taking a class at Holiday Manor on Saturday mornings, so despite the cold and gloomy conditions, I went with her, well I took my bike and rode back. By taking advantage of my Louisville Bike Book, I combined two of the rides and had one great ride back to NA. Total ride was 37 miles.
Sunday
Rode to Louisville and back today across two bridges and just over 14 miles in Old Louisville, Germantown and Downtown Louisville. From my house to the Clark Memorial Bridge is 9.8 miles. Fantastic sunshine and splendid fall color was a plus.
Saturday
My wife is taking a class at Holiday Manor on Saturday mornings, so despite the cold and gloomy conditions, I went with her, well I took my bike and rode back. By taking advantage of my Louisville Bike Book, I combined two of the rides and had one great ride back to NA. Total ride was 37 miles.
Sunday
Rode to Louisville and back today across two bridges and just over 14 miles in Old Louisville, Germantown and Downtown Louisville. From my house to the Clark Memorial Bridge is 9.8 miles. Fantastic sunshine and splendid fall color was a plus.
Saturday, October 28, 2006
bicycling for louisville
Barry Zalph has a very nice program going on in louisville about cycling and the benefits of it for health and community. They have a website, bicycling for louisville.
On another note. Watched a guy ride between a line of cars on Charlestown Road. The traffic had the red light. He rides between the cars and blows right through the light. No attempt at a signal or anything. He darts out then crosses over 3 lanes of traffic. Not cool at all.
If we want respect on the road, things like this need to halt. Not only was it not cool, but the safety issues are huge. I don't want to be the target of hostille drivers due to other peoples actions.
On another note. Watched a guy ride between a line of cars on Charlestown Road. The traffic had the red light. He rides between the cars and blows right through the light. No attempt at a signal or anything. He darts out then crosses over 3 lanes of traffic. Not cool at all.
If we want respect on the road, things like this need to halt. Not only was it not cool, but the safety issues are huge. I don't want to be the target of hostille drivers due to other peoples actions.
Wednesday, October 25, 2006
Bike Depot In Louisville
Our friend Jeff sent us this in hopes of making a contribution to the cause:
If you haven't already been there, thought you guys might be interested in http://bikedepot.org/. I've been by it several times on the way to art events but not in it. Checked out their web site and ran across the following gem amongst others:
"Question: How come when you're riding a ten speed bicycle, when you're not pedaling the bike makes a clicking noise?
Mike Walker from Deming, NM Answer: Mike, get this straight from the starting gate. I do not ride bicycles. Ever since I realized how ergonomically efficient the bicycle is, I knew that I would be doing a disservice to our petrochemical and nuclear energy industries by participating in this form of mechanical subversion. If you could build a bicycle that somehow consumed gasoline or uranium, well, maybe I could be persuaded to hop on, but until that time I will either ride in an automobile or stay put, thank you. To answer your question, that little clicking noise is a gauge put on your bike by the Communists who made it. It is counting off all the lost oil revenue, the money not going into American coffers because you chose to ride a Communist produced instrument of subversion. If that makes you feel a bit guilty as you ride, relax, it should."
--Ask Mr. Science Comrades!
PS...They carry Marin Bikes and that is what my buddy TR rides in CA, NICE BIKE!
Ed
Wednesday, October 18, 2006
The Graham Phillips Trail
This afternoon after work I road what this site will from this day forward will refer to as the route known as the Graham Phillips Loop. Also we shall have hopes of the Floyd County Commisioners to rename Quarry Road to The Graham Phillips Trail. This ride takes in Corydon Pike, Edwardsville Hill, The Graham Phillips Trail, Old Vincennes Road, parts of downtown NA and cruising along the Ohio River.
Graham has recently moved to this side of the river and bought a home on Quarry Road, so why not honor such a cool guy with one of everyones favorite rides.
It was a fanastic day to ride and enjoy the fall splendor and warm temps, prompting me to go back in the summer riding digs. Guess we should feel lucky after such a cool and wet past week.
Graham has recently moved to this side of the river and bought a home on Quarry Road, so why not honor such a cool guy with one of everyones favorite rides.
It was a fanastic day to ride and enjoy the fall splendor and warm temps, prompting me to go back in the summer riding digs. Guess we should feel lucky after such a cool and wet past week.
Tuesday, October 17, 2006
Quick Ten
Got out this afternoon around 15:30 for a quick ten miles. The pavement was still very wet, but managed to make it back without a slide out on some wet leaves. I wanted to ride so bad yesterday that I ate crow and went to my work and road one of our bikes in the fitness center for about forty five minutes. It was so boring and it was a bitch trying to stay focused enough to keep going. My buddy Tim suggested a spin class when the weather gets bad and I my try that when the days prohibit me from exercising.
Cheers
Cheers
Sunday, October 15, 2006
34 degrees
Colour me crazy, but I like riding when it is cool weather. For me it is much easier to deal with than the thick humid polluted air we have here in the summer. Dressing properly makes it worth the effort to still get in some miles. Your body really keeps you warm, generating the heat necessary to keep riding. I left this morning when it was thirty four degrees a little before 08:00 when the sun was shining making it real comfy. Made my way around NA doing eighteen miles of much the same route as the Reign of Terror Tour this past summer.
Thursday, October 12, 2006
First Big Chill Ride
Made my way out in the cold this afternoon, but only for thirteen miles. I hate riding in the wind, especially cold wind. The sunshine was nice and made it all worth while. Will be riding over to the Lupulin Land Harvest Hop Festival 2006 at RichO's on Saturday, check it out for an alternative to Harvest Homecoming or the BistroNA.
Monday, October 09, 2006
Dropping Twelve
What amazing weather! That rare window of ideal conditions was actualized yesterday, the setting sun makes weekday cycling problematic (at least in tandem) so yesterday witnessed N and I criss-crossing New Albany, enjoying the crisp morning air, the sun-singed foliage and thrill of simply being alive. Such makes me recall Fred Ward's stellar performance in Henry and June, engaging the mortal head-on, removing his feet from the pedals as his bike spins downhill amidst the sublime French landscape. I know, I'm a dork.
Sunday, October 08, 2006
Sunday Oct. 8th
Took another long ride to Louisville this morning, sorry Dave for not giving you notice, it was on the spur of the moment. Cruised from my house to Clark Memorial Bridge, up River Road to Indian Hills Trail, Old Brownsboro Road and then a little jaunt on Brownsboro Road. Down the hill to Mockingbird Valley and then left onto Mellwood Ave. Crossed Zorn and then continued Mellwood to Story Ave. Took the Butchertown Greenway and then back onto River Road before making my way up to Main Street and then back across the CM Bridge. Cruised around through Old Clarksville and part of what will hopefully become the new Greenway on this side of the Ohio River. Back down though NA and past the Baylor Mansion, up Spring Street Hill and then home.
*photo taken 9.9.06 at the Power For The Peaceful Festival 2006
Friday, October 06, 2006
CYCLERS CAFE IN LOUISVILLE
I stopped in the Cyclers Cafe on Lexington Road in Louisville yesterday to see what was there, well friends I think that it is another must stop while out cruising on the bike or go for a beer and food and hangout. The owner and staff are all cyclist and go out of there way to want you to be apart of their little niche here in the Louisville area. The food was great, the beer list is long; unlike what the menu lends you to think and just a grand atmosphere for those of us who enjoy cycling.
NOTE: There is a 25 mile ride each Tuesday that leaves from the Cyclers Cafe parking lot at 6:00pm.
photo borrowed from http://www.cyclerscafe.com/
Thursday, October 05, 2006
Sunday, October 01, 2006
Sunday
Hopefully I was not the only person to take advantage of this banner fall day, getting out for some perfect riding weather on this the first day of October. I made my way to Louisville via the Clark Memorial Bridge and followed the new bike lane of Third Street down to the Cardinal Drive at U of L. Over through Germantown and then the Highlands. Through Cherokee Park and then down Lexington Road and through Butchertown before going back downtown and then across the bridge and back to NA. A grand ride of 38 miles that has given me yet another route.
Thursday, September 28, 2006
9.28.06
This day has been one of an emotionial ride. Rain once again woke us all, followed by typical fall weather. Our day here was mared by a funeral for a grand lady of 102 years of age. Viola Daniel who was one of our ex-neighbors but a major cog in the wheel of our lives will be sadly missed.
After the funeral I rode my bike for twenty plus miles in the wind and sun, fighting the wind and gear changing along the way. I have been bouncing back and forth beween variations of the same route of 15, 18 and 20 milers since coming back from vacation. Right now, it is good for me, but it will become boring after a while.
Hope all is well.
b
After the funeral I rode my bike for twenty plus miles in the wind and sun, fighting the wind and gear changing along the way. I have been bouncing back and forth beween variations of the same route of 15, 18 and 20 milers since coming back from vacation. Right now, it is good for me, but it will become boring after a while.
Hope all is well.
b
Tuesday, September 26, 2006
Monday, September 25, 2006
World Car Free Day 2006
Does anyone know what this area (especially New Albany) will be doing for World Carfree Day 2006?
"New this year, we are encouraging all organisers to make this year's unofficial theme of World Carfree Day Street Conversions. World Carfree Network and Carbusters magazine are co-sponsoring a competition to design a carfree street, parking space, or intersection. For more information on the contest and the concept of street conversions, click here."
Taken from http://www.worldcarfree.net/
"New this year, we are encouraging all organisers to make this year's unofficial theme of World Carfree Day Street Conversions. World Carfree Network and Carbusters magazine are co-sponsoring a competition to design a carfree street, parking space, or intersection. For more information on the contest and the concept of street conversions, click here."
Taken from http://www.worldcarfree.net/
Sunday, September 24, 2006
Be Careful
Went out and did a twenty miler this morning, but played dodge the rocks. Mother Nature specialized in hyrdaulics this weekend and with that came everyone's gravel driveway down onto the road surface. Please ride carefully.
That twenty this morning gives me eigthy plus miles this week, the first week back from a vacation that ran my system in the ground. My body is still feeling the effects of much riding and hopefully will get back in the groove before long.
I need a new chain for my bike, any suggestions of a better brand over another?
Cheers
Friday, September 22, 2006
Just outside of Prague.
We didn't make it the whole way, but I'd say that Kevin and I managed about 275-300 km of the Greenway.
As previously alluded to, we've had an epiphany with respect to the proper balance of cycling and beer drinking.
Guess which one gained ...
Wednesday, September 20, 2006
Big country, relatively small path.
Beercycling 2006 has concluded, but the stories should continue to grow and prosper in the coming years.
The view above is from the national park area near Znojmo on the Czech-Austrian border. The Greenway is somewhat rough in this area, and Kevin and I bypassed it according to the dictates of our new slogan: When the going gets tough, the tough take the train.
In spite of our long overdue recognition that we're no longer spring chickens and would rather drink beer than fight mountains (at least on a regular basis), 500+ kilometers were recorded, and the beercycling adventure will be remembered fondly.
I hope to offer more in the next few days, but right now, there's work to be tended.
CA Trip (2)
Well friends, for all that I posted about my trip to California in May of this year, ditto it and add much more. We wound up with about 400 miles in seven days. Some of that I was on my own due to my buddy TR's work schedule at the Saint Michael Alley Bistro where he is a waiter. Never the less, it was good weather and was coupled with many fine memories of the Bay Area and the peninsula area south of 'Frisco and over the mountains to Santa Cruz.
We did a little more exploring of the north shore area between Sausalito and Larkspur which included Tiburon. We road the hilly terrian of the paradise trail. Our return that day was coming back across the Golden Gate Bridge in total fog with visibility at about 30 feet. All I could see in front of me was TR's flashing red light on his bike and could hear the massive horn blast warning the ships heading in the bay of the bridge. Just like out of a movie.
The photo was taken on 9.13.06 at a bar called Zeitgeist where it would be safe to say there was near sixty to seventy bikes there in hanging racks or just locked together out back in the backyard by patrons enjoying fine California hoppy beers and other substances. Totally different culture than we are used to here in this area.
Sunday, September 17, 2006
Good to be back in Indiana
Well it was a hoot, my second bike trip to California this year, but always so glad to get back home to comfy confines of good old Southern Indiana. I'll post later on the details of my trip, but for now here is a taste of one of the "grand scale bikes" that is taking the Santa Cruz area by storm with the younger crowd. Way strange when you see them coming at you on the road.
Tuesday, September 12, 2006
The Left Coast
Hello all from the wonderful land of bicycling known as California. We have been some 200+ miles thus far including a trip from Santa Cruz today that brought us over the mountains in 90+ degree heat. Hope all is well and will post later in the week or when I return. Oh yeah, I'm in Palo Alto and lovin' it drinking fine California Double IPA's.
Cheers....Ed
Cheers....Ed
Sunday, September 10, 2006
Coffee and A Newspaper
We rode over to Louisville today to the Heine Bros. on Longest, where there is also a Carmichael's bookstore. It was great that both places were open early on a Sunday because we got our usual coffee and I was able to purchase a couple of copies of this week's Business First newspaper because my daughter is in this issue! She's on the Ahead of the Curve page which is about young business professionals. So a bike ride, coffee stop and reading about your kid, what could be cooler on a Sunday?
Total mileage today: 40
Total mileage today: 40
Saturday, September 09, 2006
Chasing Cormac
I have been hindered as of late by September infirmity, nearly as predictable as other rituals of autumn. I did seek medical authority and thus felt a return to the living yesterday. I had spent the week reading the remaining two thirds of the Border Trilogy by Cormac McCarthy and was inspired to seek the natural. The myriad lands around Loop Island do not recall the Southwest and Old Mexico of the maestro's explication on Duty and the sundry caprice of Life. No, it actually recalls Sutree, primoridal stretch of striated Natura Firma a stones throw from inerstate traffic. The brambles and ivy have yet to concede the onset of chilly weather and I pedalled along accordingly, noting the cadres of young people fishing, homeless blokes catnapping and the presence, en masse, of New Albany's finest investigating some situation where Silver Creek empties into the Ohio. There are paths below the old railroad bridge, though the topography of such requires greater skill on a bike than I can reasonably manage. So it goes.
Finals standings
Here we are one week later and I finally found out what my national ranking is, #8. I'm happy with it, but next year it will be #1! With my national ranking, I am now on the U.S. Cycling Team that will compete next year at the 2007 World Championships that will be in Canada.
On another note, I'm pretty bummed out that there was so little coverage of the race, especially since New Albany had two riders representing the city in the main events. The Tribune, nor the other news media I contacted prior, during and after the races have responded. The CJ just ran a press release and I saw WAVE3 out there, but nothing was on the program.
What I'm trying to get at is that New Albany is home to two national champion cyclist! We've worked really hard to earn that, but unless it involves a ball and two goals, news deems it unworthy and that BMX is some underground kid sport. Did you know that the Grand National brings in about 20 thousand people to our local area? Maybe next year we might get a nod...lol..
Wednesday, September 06, 2006
Exit to California
Well it is my turn to exit for a cycling vacation, my second trip to California this year. I broke the bike down and placed it in the case tonight, so as not to bother with it tommorow night. Yeah I probably should have ridden one more time but I have been working a lot and need to rest my legs. My buddy TR and I will see if we can exceed the mileage we racked up in May, hopefully, and have good weather to do it in. The rainy season starts there in mid September, maybe we can get in some good days of cruising in the mountains and also trips to San Francisco and farther north towards Santa Rosa.
Tuesday, September 05, 2006
Tuesday
Went out for a two hour cruise up Corydon Pike and around over to Spickert Knob this afternoon after work, damn it felt so good. After making it off the hill I road alittle in the New Albany area before making my way to downtown and then up the Spring Street hill to home. Did not ride real hard, but kept a descent pace so as not to burn my self out before my trip this weekend.
Monday, September 04, 2006
2006 NBL Grands
The 2006 NBL Grand National is history. No doubt, the best Grands EVER! We had over 450 motos. That's about 2500 riders, ranging from 5 and under to 70 something I believe.
The local organization, which is all volunteer based, put on the best race I've attended. I started out a little shakey, but finished all first through my qualifying rounds in 35 and over expert and posted a 1,5,3 in the 30 and over open wheels. Today, we started out with 1/8's and kept the winning going all the way until the main.
In class, I got out a little sluggish, but was able to keep the leader insight and I played follow the leader until the last turn and tried to make my move, but I just didn't have any fuel left. Bob O'Gorman is the world ranked #3 rider and one of the classiest guys you'll meet on the national scene.
Here's a pic from Saturdays motos. I'm # 865.
Saturday, September 02, 2006
Thursday, August 31, 2006
Nice ride
Went out last night for a good ride in some much needed cooler weather. Road over to Clarksville and paid my Verizon bill and then took off up Hwy31 to old Hwy6o, across I-65 and then back around Payne Koeller Rd to Charlestown Road. Made my way back to downtown NA and then up Old Vincennes to home. I have one week of training left before leaving for the West Coast and will likely ride hard this weekend and taper off next week to rest my body.
b
b
Sunday, August 27, 2006
Big time weekend
Yesterday I climbed St. Joe Knob. I thought I was past the point in life where I'd be able to do something like that. After climbing, we rode along Skyline drive and went down Mosier Knob (that was fun!), total ride was about 27 miles I think. Oh, and right when we were at the top of Mosier Knob, my odometer crossed over to 1,000 miles! I put it on this bike when I bought it last year in October.
Then today, we went to Louisville and ended up at the Heine Bros. in Douglass Loop. Total ride today was 50 miles. A half-century. Never thought I'd ever do that either.
Set some goals and move towards them, you just might surprise yourself.
Then today, we went to Louisville and ended up at the Heine Bros. in Douglass Loop. Total ride today was 50 miles. A half-century. Never thought I'd ever do that either.
Set some goals and move towards them, you just might surprise yourself.
Saturday, August 26, 2006
This Is What A Bicycle Coalition Does To Help Make Change.
Cycling supporters on a roll in S.F. Bicycle Coalition has political clout and backing of public.
Rachel Gordon San Francisco Chronicle http://sfgate.com
Monday, August 21, 2006
The San Francisco Bicycle Coalition (www.sfbike.org), revived 16 years ago by disgruntled cyclists, has emerged as one of the most potent political forces in the city.
The organization, founded in 1970, went into hibernation through the 1980s and was reborn in 1990. Now -- with a paid membership of 5,800 and its top executive sitting on the board overseeing San Francisco's public transit, parking and traffic operations -- the bike coalition is moving aggressively to enact its goal of making the streets of San Francisco a bicycling mecca "where cars are rare and travel slowly.''
In the past decade, the city -- responding to the demands of the Bicycle Coalition -- has added bike lanes, required commercial developers to provide bike parking and equipped Muni buses with bike racks.
But as the crusade moves forward and cycling in San Francisco gains in popularity, a pushback can be felt.
The coalition's lobbying for a proposal to make a portion of Golden Gate Park car-free on Saturdays won a narrow victory at the Board of Supervisors this spring, but Mayor Gavin Newsom applied the brakes with a veto.
And in June, a San Francisco Superior Court judge put the city's bike plan on hold. The plan, which won unanimous backing by the supervisors and the mayor last year, maps out an ambitious five-year strategy to make it easier and safer for cyclists to get around town.
Critics sued, charging that the city did not conduct a review that adequately analyzed the plan's effects; for example, the city may have to remove street parking and traffic lanes to make room for cyclists.
The judge's ruling effectively prevents city officials from moving forward with much of the plan until the court rules on the merits of the litigation. The hearing has been set for Sept. 13.
Despite the setbacks, bicycle advocates in San Francisco aren't deterred.
"There is broad public support for better biking conditions,'' said Leah Shahum, who runs the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition. She said a new poll of 400 likely voters by David Binder Research found that nearly 3 in 4 respondents favored creating more bike lanes in San Francisco.
The fact that the monthly Critical Mass ride -- an event organized independently of the Bicycle Coalition at which anywhere from dozens to thousands of bikers take to the streets on the last Friday of the month -- hasn't erupted into chaos for nearly a decade probably has helped move public opinion in that direction.
"The bike coalition is at the cutting edge of urban environmentalism. It reduces our reliance on foreign oil, cuts down pollution, helps ease traffic congestion and makes the city more livable,'' said Supervisor Jake McGoldrick, who represents the Richmond District in a famously liberal city where politicians work hard to put green-friendly credentials on their resumes.
In addition to lobbying for more bike lanes, the Bicycle Coalition is urging city officials to better maintain streets now pocked with potholes, to do more to prevent bicycle thefts and to enact measures to slow the speed of cars.
Jim Town, a 26-year-old math teacher, uses his 15-speed bicycle -- and Caltrain -- to commute from his home in San Francisco's Western Addition to his job in Palo Alto. He thinks San Francisco is a good place to ride, especially when bike lanes are available.
"I feel like I don't have to assert myself as much when there's a lane; drivers are more respectful,'' said Town, who only had one bad experience with a driver who was in a hurry to make a right-hand turn when they were both stopped at a red light. "I find that bicycling is a good way to get around; it's often faster than driving when there's a lot of traffic.''
The 2000 U.S. Census found that about 2 percent of the commuters in San Francisco pedal to work or school. City Hall set a goal to push that to 10 percent by 2010.
Advocates say that can't be done without the completion of a citywide bicycle network that likely would mean less room on the city's streets to drive and park cars -- a prospect that adds fuel to the tension in the city between motorists and bicyclists.
Rob Anderson is fed up. An active blogger (www.district5diary.blogspot.com), he sued the city to stop implementation of the bike plan. Anderson started a group -- he won't say how many members it has, but by all accounts there aren't many -- called "Ninety-Nine Percent.'' The name is intended to highlight the fact that only a sliver of residents rely on bicycles and that the vast majority still drive, use public transit and walk.
The San Francisco Bicycle Coalition "has completely free rein at City Hall. No one challenges them,'' he said.
Chris Albanese agrees. He owns Antiquario, a store on the 1600 block of Market Street. In May, the city removed parking from the front of his shop to put in a new bike lane. He said that merchants in the area, who feared a drop in business, were given little notice to protest, and that those who did could not get a fair hearing. The city's creation of new parking spaces around the corner, he said, hasn't helped.
"The removal of the meters has all but eliminated new business and has greatly inconvenienced my established customers,'' Albanese said. "But the real story here is not my loss of business. It's about the bike coalition's overwhelming and undue influence on public officials and public policy.''
There are few who would dispute that the Bicycle Coalition wields influence. In addition to being one of the biggest, if not the biggest, advocacy groups in the city, it has leaders who are politically savvy and media-friendly.
They work within the system -- Shahum's appointment to the Municipal Transportation Agency board of directors is just one example -- and have been working to build alliances with other well-organized advocacy groups, such as Rescue Muni, Walk San Francisco and the Sierra Club.
Bike coalition members don't hesitate to contact elected officials at City Hall, and the organization makes it easy by supplying preprinted postcards with the message of the moment.
During the bike coalition's first "Bike to Work Day'' in the 1990s, Supervisor Tom Ammiano was the only elected official to participate in the event. Now, most of the local pols do. Even Newsom, who hesitates to put on hats for fear of messing his gelled hair, dons a helmet for the photo-op ride to City Hall during the morning commute.
Bike coalition leaders also have shown that they're willing to compromise and are in it for the long haul. Take, for example, the proposal in the mid-1990s to ban cars on Market Street. The business community revolted, and bike advocates backed down. Now, however, "we are pushing to have fewer cars on Market Street,'' Shahum said. One of the ideas is to force cars to turn off Market Street at several downtown intersections to discourage drivers from using the busy corridor.
Another example is the proposal to limit auto traffic in Golden Gate Park on Saturdays, something that had been done on Sundays and holidays.
After Newsom killed the legislation, backers of the "Healthy Saturdays'' plan contemplated putting the issue on the November ballot, but backed off at the last minute when Newsom said he would work on coming up with a negotiated compromise. And if that doesn't happen, Shahum said, there is always next year's fall ballot -- which just happens to be when the next mayor's race will be decided.
The Bicycle Coalition endorses candidates, and getting the group's nod of approval is coveted.
"These politicians want to look green, and there are only so many things they can do at the local level,'' Shahum said.
McGoldrick, the supervisor representing the Richmond District, said supporting the bike coalition's agenda isn't an issue of quid pro quo. Instead, he maintained, the group's agenda resonates with the progressive majority of the Board of Supervisors and a large segment of the public.
"I don't think it's so much politics as policy,'' he said.
Rachel Gordon San Francisco Chronicle http://sfgate.com
Monday, August 21, 2006
The San Francisco Bicycle Coalition (www.sfbike.org), revived 16 years ago by disgruntled cyclists, has emerged as one of the most potent political forces in the city.
The organization, founded in 1970, went into hibernation through the 1980s and was reborn in 1990. Now -- with a paid membership of 5,800 and its top executive sitting on the board overseeing San Francisco's public transit, parking and traffic operations -- the bike coalition is moving aggressively to enact its goal of making the streets of San Francisco a bicycling mecca "where cars are rare and travel slowly.''
In the past decade, the city -- responding to the demands of the Bicycle Coalition -- has added bike lanes, required commercial developers to provide bike parking and equipped Muni buses with bike racks.
But as the crusade moves forward and cycling in San Francisco gains in popularity, a pushback can be felt.
The coalition's lobbying for a proposal to make a portion of Golden Gate Park car-free on Saturdays won a narrow victory at the Board of Supervisors this spring, but Mayor Gavin Newsom applied the brakes with a veto.
And in June, a San Francisco Superior Court judge put the city's bike plan on hold. The plan, which won unanimous backing by the supervisors and the mayor last year, maps out an ambitious five-year strategy to make it easier and safer for cyclists to get around town.
Critics sued, charging that the city did not conduct a review that adequately analyzed the plan's effects; for example, the city may have to remove street parking and traffic lanes to make room for cyclists.
The judge's ruling effectively prevents city officials from moving forward with much of the plan until the court rules on the merits of the litigation. The hearing has been set for Sept. 13.
Despite the setbacks, bicycle advocates in San Francisco aren't deterred.
"There is broad public support for better biking conditions,'' said Leah Shahum, who runs the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition. She said a new poll of 400 likely voters by David Binder Research found that nearly 3 in 4 respondents favored creating more bike lanes in San Francisco.
The fact that the monthly Critical Mass ride -- an event organized independently of the Bicycle Coalition at which anywhere from dozens to thousands of bikers take to the streets on the last Friday of the month -- hasn't erupted into chaos for nearly a decade probably has helped move public opinion in that direction.
"The bike coalition is at the cutting edge of urban environmentalism. It reduces our reliance on foreign oil, cuts down pollution, helps ease traffic congestion and makes the city more livable,'' said Supervisor Jake McGoldrick, who represents the Richmond District in a famously liberal city where politicians work hard to put green-friendly credentials on their resumes.
In addition to lobbying for more bike lanes, the Bicycle Coalition is urging city officials to better maintain streets now pocked with potholes, to do more to prevent bicycle thefts and to enact measures to slow the speed of cars.
Jim Town, a 26-year-old math teacher, uses his 15-speed bicycle -- and Caltrain -- to commute from his home in San Francisco's Western Addition to his job in Palo Alto. He thinks San Francisco is a good place to ride, especially when bike lanes are available.
"I feel like I don't have to assert myself as much when there's a lane; drivers are more respectful,'' said Town, who only had one bad experience with a driver who was in a hurry to make a right-hand turn when they were both stopped at a red light. "I find that bicycling is a good way to get around; it's often faster than driving when there's a lot of traffic.''
The 2000 U.S. Census found that about 2 percent of the commuters in San Francisco pedal to work or school. City Hall set a goal to push that to 10 percent by 2010.
Advocates say that can't be done without the completion of a citywide bicycle network that likely would mean less room on the city's streets to drive and park cars -- a prospect that adds fuel to the tension in the city between motorists and bicyclists.
Rob Anderson is fed up. An active blogger (www.district5diary.blogspot.com), he sued the city to stop implementation of the bike plan. Anderson started a group -- he won't say how many members it has, but by all accounts there aren't many -- called "Ninety-Nine Percent.'' The name is intended to highlight the fact that only a sliver of residents rely on bicycles and that the vast majority still drive, use public transit and walk.
The San Francisco Bicycle Coalition "has completely free rein at City Hall. No one challenges them,'' he said.
Chris Albanese agrees. He owns Antiquario, a store on the 1600 block of Market Street. In May, the city removed parking from the front of his shop to put in a new bike lane. He said that merchants in the area, who feared a drop in business, were given little notice to protest, and that those who did could not get a fair hearing. The city's creation of new parking spaces around the corner, he said, hasn't helped.
"The removal of the meters has all but eliminated new business and has greatly inconvenienced my established customers,'' Albanese said. "But the real story here is not my loss of business. It's about the bike coalition's overwhelming and undue influence on public officials and public policy.''
There are few who would dispute that the Bicycle Coalition wields influence. In addition to being one of the biggest, if not the biggest, advocacy groups in the city, it has leaders who are politically savvy and media-friendly.
They work within the system -- Shahum's appointment to the Municipal Transportation Agency board of directors is just one example -- and have been working to build alliances with other well-organized advocacy groups, such as Rescue Muni, Walk San Francisco and the Sierra Club.
Bike coalition members don't hesitate to contact elected officials at City Hall, and the organization makes it easy by supplying preprinted postcards with the message of the moment.
During the bike coalition's first "Bike to Work Day'' in the 1990s, Supervisor Tom Ammiano was the only elected official to participate in the event. Now, most of the local pols do. Even Newsom, who hesitates to put on hats for fear of messing his gelled hair, dons a helmet for the photo-op ride to City Hall during the morning commute.
Bike coalition leaders also have shown that they're willing to compromise and are in it for the long haul. Take, for example, the proposal in the mid-1990s to ban cars on Market Street. The business community revolted, and bike advocates backed down. Now, however, "we are pushing to have fewer cars on Market Street,'' Shahum said. One of the ideas is to force cars to turn off Market Street at several downtown intersections to discourage drivers from using the busy corridor.
Another example is the proposal to limit auto traffic in Golden Gate Park on Saturdays, something that had been done on Sundays and holidays.
After Newsom killed the legislation, backers of the "Healthy Saturdays'' plan contemplated putting the issue on the November ballot, but backed off at the last minute when Newsom said he would work on coming up with a negotiated compromise. And if that doesn't happen, Shahum said, there is always next year's fall ballot -- which just happens to be when the next mayor's race will be decided.
The Bicycle Coalition endorses candidates, and getting the group's nod of approval is coveted.
"These politicians want to look green, and there are only so many things they can do at the local level,'' Shahum said.
McGoldrick, the supervisor representing the Richmond District, said supporting the bike coalition's agenda isn't an issue of quid pro quo. Instead, he maintained, the group's agenda resonates with the progressive majority of the Board of Supervisors and a large segment of the public.
"I don't think it's so much politics as policy,'' he said.
Thursday, August 24, 2006
Up, Up and Away!!
Well folks, the hour is approaching and the travelers, if they close their eyes can almost hear the nose wheel of the plane locking in the down position and see the airport runway in Frankfurt rising up to met them!
I dropped by the pub on my way home today to find Roger going over intricate details to leave behind for the Richo's crew one more time! After much ado, I was able to pry him away for one shift beer + 1 + 1... oh well, you get the idea.
Graham came in excited over closing on his house today (he's a hoosier now) and getting his bike broken down and fitted in the shipping box for the flight.
Kevin swears that his cell phone gets turned off whenever he walks out of the shop tomorrow evening ( at least for customers who may be tempted to have an emergency)!
As for the rest of the bicyclists involved, I'm sure they too are in the throes of last minute details.
To all of them I say go forth and enjoy not only for yourselves but for all of us as well. Ride, drink, eat, and bring back tons of pictures!
We in the rear guard will do our damndest to see that in your absence, nothing here gets so screwed up that you can't fix it when you get home!
Have a safe and enjoyable journey and please, don't give us a thought while you're inbibing!
I dropped by the pub on my way home today to find Roger going over intricate details to leave behind for the Richo's crew one more time! After much ado, I was able to pry him away for one shift beer + 1 + 1... oh well, you get the idea.
Graham came in excited over closing on his house today (he's a hoosier now) and getting his bike broken down and fitted in the shipping box for the flight.
Kevin swears that his cell phone gets turned off whenever he walks out of the shop tomorrow evening ( at least for customers who may be tempted to have an emergency)!
As for the rest of the bicyclists involved, I'm sure they too are in the throes of last minute details.
To all of them I say go forth and enjoy not only for yourselves but for all of us as well. Ride, drink, eat, and bring back tons of pictures!
We in the rear guard will do our damndest to see that in your absence, nothing here gets so screwed up that you can't fix it when you get home!
Have a safe and enjoyable journey and please, don't give us a thought while you're inbibing!
Wednesday, August 23, 2006
Tuesday, August 22, 2006
Louisville Bike Lanes
Used one of the new bike lanes yesterday on the way to school. i have to tell you, it was pleasant to ride in my own lane and not have to worry too much about getting picked off. If you haven't tried them out yet, I recommened it!
tommy
tommy
Monday, August 21, 2006
Riding In Indianapolis This Past Weekend
This past weekend I logged over 100 miles in two days riding the many trails, pasths and bike routes of Indianapolis and Marion County. Yes I did the Monon Trail, but more importantly I rode the Pleasant Run, Fall Creek, White River/Central Canal Trails, Fort Harrison State Park's Harrison Trail as well as many bike routes that were very well marked throughout. Traffic shared the road and I did not have that first asshole yelling to get off the road or get on the sidewalk as we encounter around here.
For those who do not know, I used to call Indy my home and
still remember how to get around the area quite well after 30+ years. To still be able to find and enjoy the great parks, such as Garfield and Washington(that used to be home to the zoo). My favorite park is the Wes Montgomery Park located on 33rd Street east of the downtown area. It is just like Wes's music, laid back and comforting.
For the beer cyclist, yes I wound up in Broadripple for beer each day; BBC and Brassiere Brugge were explored.
Sunday, August 20, 2006
Marathon Weekend Success!
Yesterday, Derby City BMX hosted the Marathon Weekend of racing. It started of great, then mother nature decided we needed a break and gave the track a good soak. It was looking doubtful, but the weather broke and we had a wonderful day of racing.
The Pro/Am featured a purse of $1500 and the 30 and Over Open Wheels had $350 on the line. Jeff Upshaw was the Pro/Am winner and the 30 and Over winner was Me (Tommy Board.)
This was a tune-up race for the big one, that will take place Labor Day Weekend. Many thanks to all the volunteers that made this happen!
Friday, August 18, 2006
BMX Action!
here's a little snip of what goes on at the track
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EkUVtBNdwn0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iaGN4IxJ0Js
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EkUVtBNdwn0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iaGN4IxJ0Js
New Albany Bicycle Coalition
It's that time of year!
For 23 years, Louisville has hosted the National Bicycle League's (NBL) Grand National, on Labor Day Weekend. It's probably one of the best kept secret events in Louisville, due to a football game taking place during the same weekend. I wanted to invite all of you, IF you have time, to come and see what has been going on at E.P. "Tom" Sawyer State Park for the past 23 years and realize the impact of a BMX track could have on New Albany. I've attended a couple park board meetings and when I made my case for a BMX track here in New Albany, you could almost see the glaze fall over the park board members eyes. Many of our local riders (Clarksville, New Albany) are ranked at the top of there classification. Myself and Weston Pope are in contention for national titles. Here's a link to our local track, which is an all volunteer organization. If it were not for the parents and riders, BMX would not exist in Louisville. It's a great family sport, where the entire family can participate. BMX is probably one of the only sports, where you DON'T sit the bench! So come on out!
www.derbycitybmx.org
For 23 years, Louisville has hosted the National Bicycle League's (NBL) Grand National, on Labor Day Weekend. It's probably one of the best kept secret events in Louisville, due to a football game taking place during the same weekend. I wanted to invite all of you, IF you have time, to come and see what has been going on at E.P. "Tom" Sawyer State Park for the past 23 years and realize the impact of a BMX track could have on New Albany. I've attended a couple park board meetings and when I made my case for a BMX track here in New Albany, you could almost see the glaze fall over the park board members eyes. Many of our local riders (Clarksville, New Albany) are ranked at the top of there classification. Myself and Weston Pope are in contention for national titles. Here's a link to our local track, which is an all volunteer organization. If it were not for the parents and riders, BMX would not exist in Louisville. It's a great family sport, where the entire family can participate. BMX is probably one of the only sports, where you DON'T sit the bench! So come on out!
www.derbycitybmx.org
Sunday, August 13, 2006
This Blog
Today we added two other genres of cycling to this bike blog. Tom brings yet another spin with his love of another form of riding a bicycle, where as Jon and his lovely bride are what most folks do with a bike and that is to just get out and cruise, explore and enjoy via two wheels. You do not have to get on the bike in spandex, ride the roads and rack up miles and hills and be extreme to enjoy and participate with accounts of cycling enjoyment to be on this blog. If you ride back and forth to work, share it. If you go out and ride around the neighborhood after dinner, share it. This blog is for the enjoyment of bicycling.
Today my ride took me to Louisville, where I rode around on the streets of downtown and the west and southend, as well as Germantown in the early morning hours for thirty miles and then my father-in-law brought me home to NA and we enjoyed breakfast, coffee and many laughs.
Friendship and the love of riding and its true life experiences is what it is all about.
Peace..........Ed
Today my ride took me to Louisville, where I rode around on the streets of downtown and the west and southend, as well as Germantown in the early morning hours for thirty miles and then my father-in-law brought me home to NA and we enjoyed breakfast, coffee and many laughs.
Friendship and the love of riding and its true life experiences is what it is all about.
Peace..........Ed
New Albany Bicycle Coalition
New Albany Bicycle Coalition
Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Tommy Board. I've lived in New Albany for about 4 and half years now, after being Honorably Discharged from the U.S. Navy. I was a Cryptologist (collector,) meaning I listened to a lot of morse code! Kris is my beautiful bride of almost 7 years and we have 2 awesome children!
My passion, besides my family, is Bicycles! I love 'em! Road, MTB, but most of all, BMX! Something BMX just blows my hair back. BMX racing has allowed me to remain young at heart and healthy!
I look forward to sharing stories from past experiences, racing and advocacy for cyclist.
Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Tommy Board. I've lived in New Albany for about 4 and half years now, after being Honorably Discharged from the U.S. Navy. I was a Cryptologist (collector,) meaning I listened to a lot of morse code! Kris is my beautiful bride of almost 7 years and we have 2 awesome children!
My passion, besides my family, is Bicycles! I love 'em! Road, MTB, but most of all, BMX! Something BMX just blows my hair back. BMX racing has allowed me to remain young at heart and healthy!
I look forward to sharing stories from past experiences, racing and advocacy for cyclist.
Christopher Lloyd
as a dweebish child I used to play with calculators and act as if it were a time machine, finding myself trapped in distant times and working through clumsy quotients and percentages to make my way back to the mid seventies.
this afternoon my wife and I made way eatsward on our bikes and made our way to Louisville through a series of shrugs and why-nots. we enjoiyed a respite by the river and then plaugged back noticing that the mileage was approximate to my time-travel machinations of oyouth, what a joy that engendered though my wife has thoughts of retiring around the rout of the Russian navy at Port Arthur. We made it back and Crispin Glover was restored his prosperity.
this afternoon my wife and I made way eatsward on our bikes and made our way to Louisville through a series of shrugs and why-nots. we enjoiyed a respite by the river and then plaugged back noticing that the mileage was approximate to my time-travel machinations of oyouth, what a joy that engendered though my wife has thoughts of retiring around the rout of the Russian navy at Port Arthur. We made it back and Crispin Glover was restored his prosperity.
Wednesday, August 09, 2006
It Was Very Hot & Humid - 8.9.2006
L - Old Vincennes Rd
R - Quarry Rd
R - Old Vincennes Rd
L - Old Hill Rd
Cross Paoli Pike and follow Woods of Lafayette to Scottsville Rd
R - Scottsville Rd
R - Skyline(I think that is the name of the road)
L - St. Marys Rd
R - Campion Rd
L - Aiken Rd
R - VonAllman Rd
L - North Skyline Dr
R - St. Joe Hill
R - Highway 111/Grant Line Rd
R - Hausfeldt Ln
L - Green Valley Rd
R- Cherry St
R - Old Vincennes Rd
Tuesday, August 08, 2006
Rain training.
Graham, Tim and I had half a great ride this morning, starting at Classico and traveling up and back the Riverwalk.
departed at the Clark Memorial and started to make a run for it, but the rain came and I waited through 30 minutes before deciding to get wet.
Now I'm home with coffee, and must go to work -- with the truck (thanks Lloyd) and not the bike.
departed at the Clark Memorial and started to make a run for it, but the rain came and I waited through 30 minutes before deciding to get wet.
Now I'm home with coffee, and must go to work -- with the truck (thanks Lloyd) and not the bike.
Sunday, August 06, 2006
Dressed up like a car crash, the wheels are turning but you’re upside down.
Well, what a fun filled, accident prone tour we rode today. Graham, Kevin, Roger, Tim and myself rode the Edwardsville/Mosier Knob loop this morning. All started out well, we all cruised up the hill on Corydon Pike, making it past the railroad crossing before a train passed by. Took a break at the top and then made our way to the Hobknob Coffee Shop for a nice break and conversation. That is when the ride turned weird. Something lodged in my chain near St. Mary’s Road causing me to freak out and lose control into a guard rail, doing my best Red Skelton impression. Nothing hurt other than scraps, horribly purple bruises and loss of a whole bunch of my pride. Kevin made some quick, needed repairs to getting the chain back on while I cleaned my wounds and then we were off riding again. Passed the shrine of the late Urban’s that was located next to St. Mary’s Parish and had a nice history lesson from someone who used to buy beer there at an earlier age. We made our way up the back side of Mosier Knob and had just past Skyline when we heard what sounded like a vehicle crash. Sure enough and pickup truck had hit something on the road and flipped it into a ditch. When we arrived, the driver had gotten out and seemed okay less a gash in his head. Thanks guys for calling 911 and getting someone headed to help. That done it was an easy trip down Mosier Knob and then we all headed home with enough excitement for one day.
Saturday, August 05, 2006
Saturday - 8.5.2006
Took advantage of the fine break in the weather this morning, riding to and around in Louisville. Crossed the Clark Memorial bridge each way and cruised in the Butchertown, Highlands, Irish Hill and East Main Street neighborhoods. The ride was just what I needed to rid my brain of work and nasty HHH weather that is taking its toll on everyone in our region of the country.
Wednesday, August 02, 2006
Wheeling Around Louisville by Joe Ward
I found this jewel at Carmichael's Bookstore location of Bardstown and Longest on Saturday and could not pass it up. After I got it home and really started looking at the routes and details of each ride, I was glad I made the purchase. It is a personal taste in riding, but give me the city to ride on early Saturday or Sunday morning before traffic is crazy is what makes me tick and what better way to really see and get a feel for what Louisville is all about. Yes there are also routes of Southern Indiana included, too.
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