A River Runs Through It

Today's FOS ride was to Aroma Park. It is a quiet little hamlet south and east of Kankakee. It was cloudy and there was a light breeze blowing when I started out. I met up with one friend, and as a group of two, we turned our wheels south and made our way towards the Kankakee River.

It was a fast paced uneventful ride south. We had breakfast in Momence. We then wound our way down the Kankakee River. It was very scenic and a nice ride, until we turned around and headed north. By then, the light breeze from the north had gathered some attitude. It was a long 35 miles back. As a group of two, there is generally not as many opportunities to draft. But, I must take this opportunity to thank Barb for carrying way more than her share of the load, and for the beer when we got back to PF.

On the way back we stopped to catch our breath at the veteran's memorial in Aroma Park and jointly made the executive decision to take the most direct route back. Yet even with the altered route I managed 86 miles. I now have 4000 for the year. Yikes, I didn't reach that until November last year.

A Soggy Saturday

On cloudy or rainy Saturday mornings, the first thing I do is stumble to the computer and check the radar. If the rain is widespread, or heading towards Chi-town with abandon, then I stumble back to bed. Otherwise I prepare (i.e. put on a pot of coffee) for the Frankfort Breakfast Club ride. It was cloudy this morning. I stumbled to the computer and there was rain way out in Wisconsin and Iowa. I went to the National Weather Service ("NWS") website and the forecast was predicting rain for after noon.

I rode to Frankfort. Because there was rain predicted for after noon, several of us planned a short trip to New Lenox for breakfast so we could be home before noon. When we reached the restaurant, I checked the radar on my cell phone and sure enough the radar showed the rain was about to reach the area. Since New Lenox is almost 20 miles from home, I resigned myself to the fact I would ride home in the rain and not have a very long ride.

I did get rained upon and had 38 miles for the day. It's been raining on and off since. I guess I could see the glass half full. If the rain appeared to be more imminent at 6am when I checked the radar, I would have gone back to bed (good thing) but would not have had the 38 miles (bad thing). I did pass 3,900 miles today, 3,914 miles to be exact. The Sunday FOS ride is to Aroma Park an 86 mile ride. If I do the whole ride, I will get 4,000 tomorrow. We'll see. The NWS is predicting lingering rain tomorrow morning.

A History Lesson

On this date in the year 79 AD, Mount Vesuvius erupted and destroyed Pompeii. In 1992, Hurricane Andrew blew ashore in Florida and unleashed all its devastation.

I'm sure other significant historical events have occured on this date, but I can't remember any of them.

Professor - emoticons??? If you can't find one, make one up #:-o!

Sunset: 7:39 CDT

This simply means that the Wednesday Night Ride keeps getting shorter. Tonight, we were only able to ride 18 miles before darkness fell. We did average a little over 18 mph, so I guess it qualifies for a training ride. Plus, we got to the pizza and beer quicker.

In my last post, I was commenting that I haven't yet figured out how to carry large packages on Big Blue. A gentle suggestion was left for me to consider the Xtracycle. This would basically convert Big Blue from a 1953 Buick (or 1974 Chrysler Newport) to Ford 350 pickup truck. Well, Professor, at this point I don't really want a giant pickup truck for items I only need to get once a month.

With the 44 miles I have so far this week, I have 3,876 for the year. If the weather cooperates, should pass 4,000 miles this weekend.

Dustin' Off Big Blue

Ever since I got my grocery panniers, I have done almost all my grocery shopping and other assorted errands on my bicycle. I said most, because I haven't yet figured out how to put a 25 pound bag of cat food, or a large package of cat litter on my bike. But so far, I have run (ridden) these errands on my second road bike, which has a rack on it. Ideally, I should be running (riding) these errands on my Sedona, which is my original bike and also has a rack on it. It is larger, more comfortable, more stable and when the time comes, has snow tires.

Well, I finally dusted off the Sedona, which I have nicknamed "Big Blue". If you have read any of the Stephanie Plum novels, you know she keeps having minor mishaps with her various automobiles and ends up driving a 1953 Buick. Need I add that Big Blue is Stephanie's nickname for the Buick. Riding either of my road bikes feels like driving a sports cars, sleek and fast. The Sedona feels like the '53 Buick. Mind you, I have never driven a 1953 Buick, but I have driven a 1974 Chrysler Newport, which might be close in size to the Buick. In fact I LEARNED to drive in that car. The Sedona feels like the '74 Chrysler. I do get a better workout in the four mile trip to the grocery store on Big Blue.

So, today I added four miles to the year's total. There was no roadkill (fish or mammal) between my house and the store.

Also, if you have never read one of Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum novels, I highly recommend it. Very light reading, but I assure you, you will laugh out loud, more than once.

A Fishy Tail, um Tale

The Frankfort Breakfast Club met right on time yesterday. We had a quality, if not a quantity group for our ride. It was cloudy, foggy, muggy and not hot. We rode to Peotone for breakfast. It was a nice brisk ride down and after enjoying a pleasant meal amongst friends and colleagues, we rode back to Frankfort. Nothing exciting happened, really.

Today, the FOS route was a study of busy streets. We decided that we didn't want to study busy streets and opted to make up a new route. We took a roundabout course to Joliet and Rockdale and back to Joliet for breakfast. Then we worked our way north up the I&M to Lockport. From there we went a different way back to Joliet (did I mention that Joliet is fairly large) and through Pilcher Park. We were riding through the park on a trail that paralleled Hickory Creek, we were about 20 feet above it, and maybe 50 feet away from it. As we went along there was some debris on the road. As we passed, it turned out to be a big fish, maybe two and a half to three feet long. It actually may be longer by now, you know how fish tales go. I certainly hope this fish fell out of someone's cooler. I'd hate to think some super fish is living and evolving in Hickory Creek, ready to take over Northern Illinois, Godzilla style.

From Pilcher Park, we made our way back to Old Plank Trail and points east. My total for the day 61 miles. Total miles for the week 218. Total for the year 3,832.

Confidential to my friends who happen to by White Sox fans: Please note that I meant no disrespect, I was just pointing my own observations as a fellow baseball fan.

Takin' Care of Business

Hah! Now you have that BTO song bouncing around in your head. Anyway, I had to take the afternoon off from work to take care of some personal business. Fortunately, I could do this by bicycle AND I managed to squeeze a 58 mile ride around it.

It was a beautiful day for a bike ride and on this rare occasion I got to do it on a weekday. So I called a friend and once I took care of my errand, rode around the gentle countrysides of both Illinois and Indiana. Total for the day 58 miles, average speed 15 mph. Total for the year 3719 miles.

On a side note, kudos to Paul Byrd for pitching a complete game victory for my boys today. I guess that is one way to keep from worrying when (not if) the bullpen will implode.

I see the White Sux managed a SPLIT with the mighty Royals. Hmmmm, Buerhle got the win, but the combined pitching staff gave up 12 hits. Yesterday Contreras himself gave up 12 hits and 7 ER to the same mighty Royals. If I was a White Sux, er Sox fan, I'd be getting a little nervous about my pitching staff. If they go to the playoffs, they have over 2 months to play.

Dealing with the Darkness

I grew up in Northern Ohio just outside Cleveland. It is in the western part of the eastern time zone and sunsets at the end of June are around 9:00 P.M. and in December around 5:00 P.M. Chicago, on the other hand, is at the eastern part of the central time zone. Sunsets in June are around 8:30 P.M. and in December around 2:30 in the afternoon. (Actually it's around 4:20 P.M. but if its cloudy, the street lights start coming on around 2:30).

So, as summer wanes, we must flirt with darkness on our Wednesday night rides. The sunset last night was 7:50, and it was a clear evening. We start our ride about 6:30 and ride between 24-26 miles. Our "slower fast group" averages over 18 mph. So, without getting all technical and showing you all my calculations, this means our rides end at approximately, sunset.

Fortunately, unlike cycling, drinking beer is an activity well suited for after sunset.

"Rage, rage, against the dying of the light." Dylan Thomas

Riding to Channahon

Yesterday's ride was to Channahon. I did this ride last year and it's a nice ride incorporating two different bike trails (Old Plank Trail and the I&M Canal trail), lots of country roads and some nice scenery, refineries notwithstanding.

Other than as a cycling destination, I didn't know much about Channahon. I have found out that we are the same age, though Channahon was incorporated, and I was born, but at least it was the same year. I do find their motto interesting, "Where the waters meet". Channahon seems like a nice little village, but there doesn't seem to be much night life or anything like that, so what do the waters do when they meet? Hang out and watch TV?

76 miles for the day, 184 for the week, 3614 for the year.

On a related note, I would like to thank my boys (The Tribe) for reminding me why I watch almost all your games, even if it's TiVoed. Grady's walk off triple on Friday night practically brought tears (of joy) to my eyes. And congrats to Pronk for tying the MLB record for salamis (6) in a single season yesterday. Hope you get a chance to break the record big guy. I know, I know it was just the Royals, but a four game sweep is still a four game sweep, esp since said Royals had just swept the mighty BoSox. And, the four game sweep gives us a season high six game winning streak for the year, including the two previous wins against the Halos. Off to TwinkieTown.

A Beautiful Day for a Bike Ride

The temps are in the low 70's and minimal humidity. There were about 14 of us who met in Frankfort for the Breakfast Club. Destination - Joliet. Some of us had to pick up train tickets for a trip in a couple of weeks. After stopping for breakfast, the group split up, some went to ride the Joliet Trails, some of us went back east toward Frankfort. I had to get home because tonight I'm going to a pot luck and I have to bring either the pot or the luck, I can't remember which...

After today's ride, plus errands this afternoon, I should have between 55-60 miles for the day. Tomorrow's FOS ride is to Channahon, which is west Will County. That ride should total 75 or 80 miles. And the weather should be nice. Which is good, the route doesn't allow for shortcuts in case the weather turns.

Wednesday Night Ride and Other Things

I had only my second flat of the year on tonight's ride. The two flats 1/4 mile from home a couple of weeks ago don't count as I didn't need to change them to ride. This was the only buzzkill tonight. I had the flat at about the 19-20 mile mark, and at that point we were averaging 18.6 mph. We ended up with 17.7 mph avg post-flat.

Of course, we celebrated afterwards with beer and pizza, which is a generous mix of carbs and protein to speed recovery.

I would also like to hoist a beer in honor of Al, who won FOUR gold medals last weekend at the Senior Olympics. Here, here!

A Long Ride to Breakfast

And a short ride home. Today's FOS ride was called a "Long Ride to Breakfast". The route takes a very indirect route to Grant Park (the one in Kankakee County). The ride has had other names in the past, but it was prudently renamed to remind cyclists to eat something before the ride.

Weather was cloudy, mid 80s and very, very muggy. Except for the muggy part, it was good riding weather. We started out at 8 and wound around eastern Will County along the state line and worked our way to Grant Park. We had 40 miles before breakfast. The designated after breakfast route took us west and north towards Peotone, then home, about another 30 miles.

The clouds were thickening through the ride so at breakfast, I decided to check the weather radar on my cell phone (what will they think of next?) and sure enough there was rain headed toward us. We then decided to alter our route to a more direct way home, and then if the weather cleared, we could still go west. It started raining about 5 miles from home, so we stuck to the most direct route. I ended up with 63 miles for the day.

Besides the rain, we had the pleasure of riding with a native daughter of Grant Park who graciously pointed out all the famous landmarks and historical moments of its storied past. Thanks, Barb!

A Study of Prairie Grasses

This was an extraordinarily warm week. Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday all had heat indices over 105 degrees. I felt my time was best spent in the air conditioning, as a couch potato. It cooled off on Thursday, so I did a short after-work ride. Today's Frankfort Breakfast Club ride was really my first significant ride all week.

We had a fairly small group - 8 people and because various people in the group actually had plans for later in the day, it was a short ride, relatively speaking. We rode out to Manhattan (a default destination when the group can't agree on an objective.) I got a total a 51 miles today. This did allow me to go home and be The Happy Homeowner and cut the grass. It's amazing, get 3 or 4 inches of rain, and stuff grows. I like to think of my yard as a study of prairie grasses. Which is just a nice way of saying, "the weeds are winning".

So between last Sunday's 55, Thursday's 24 and today's 51 miles, my total for the year is 3367 miles. Tomorrow's FOS ride promises to be close to 80 miles, if we do the entire route. Its called "Long Way to Breakfast". We meander through Will and Kankakee counties in Illinois with a quick sprint in Indiana. Supposed to be hot. I'm packing Gatorade.