3rd ride of 2017 - Saturday, 1/14/2017

Total mileage for 2017: 26.3

The weather this morning allowed me to ride outside for the first time since January 4. I set off a bit past 9:30 and did a dry, cool ride—a single round trip to Marsh Park, at 25° when I started out, and all the way up to 27° when I finished! I aired up my tires before riding, as the cold weather had decreased their pressure, but still could not go too quickly—I did the 10 miles in 1:12. But I'm glad I could finally get outside again!

I didn't ride on this date last year, but my blog post from the closest date to it (January 5) follows:

Today's ride ended with (mild) adventure. Riding on a 24° morning, at least I did not have to worry about heatstroke! It was made feasible by the near total absence of wind, and bright cheerful sunshine.

It brought to mind a piece I heard the St. Olaf Choir sing during my freshman year at the college (1975–76), and even though it was 40 years ago, I still remember the crisp bounce of its 5/8 rhythm, and the cheerful text (which I think begins, "Sing to the world, the Lord is now come, on this, a winter morning"). I have not my son John's gift of perfect pitch (which he inherits from his mother), or I could identify its key as well.

A little over a half mile from home, having ridden a round trip to Marsh Park, I was crossing a road and going back up onto the sidewalk, when I heard a CRACK, and the trike canted slightly to the right. I thought it was something in the fastening of the seat that had given way ... but this proved not to be the case. I got back to our complex OK, and was riding my concluding loop within it, when, about halfway around, the front wheel clamp (that holds the "outrigger" into position) gave way, and I collapsed to the ground. I was able to find the clamp with no trouble, and pull the trike back around to our garage, but it will mean a trip back to Jack's Bicycle in Dearborn tomorrow for repair. I am grateful to God, though, that this happened when I was so close to home.

So, at any rate, the slightly truncated ride meant that I did 9.8 miles, in a slow 1 hour and 8 minutes.