Total mileage for 2017: 194.9 Our glorious weather is back! It is not quite as warm today as most of last week was, when we enjoyed record-shattering temperatures on several days, but when I went out to ride at 1:00 it was 47°, and when I finished it was 51°—all in bright sunshine. A few weeks ago the left inside handlebar cap popped out and was lost. This wouldn't have been a big deal—cosmetically, I don't notice at all—except when my left leg comes up on a pedal stroke, my thigh brushes it. The uncapped metal end (as shown here) ripped holes in and ruined several pairs of pants, as well as opening up a wound in my leg. So, last week, I sent TerraTrike (the manufacturer) a picture and explanation, and they mailed me a new cap under warranty. It arrived in today's mail. My early morning ride yesterday (10 miles at 8:00 a.m., 22°) exacerbated the problem, moreover. I am not very perceptive, and so although I felt pain, I didn't realize what was happening. But the positioning of my keys in my left front pocket opened up the wound, and ripped that pair of pants, too. I didn't notice it though until, at church, wearing the same pair of pants, my hand dropped down onto my thigh a few minutes into the service, and I felt a crusty hole in the fabric. When I looked down, I could see the damage, ringed with dried blood. Here is the wound today (about an inch long), after cleaning it and letting it heal for a day.
Today I really wanted (and intended) to ride 2 round trips to Marsh Park (in part, to put me over 200 miles for the year). But once I got underway, the pain, discomfort, and difficulty caused by the wound coupled with the still-open handlebar made me judge it more prudent to restrict myself to a single round trip, so I did this 10 miles in 1:13. (I'm sure I could have forced myself to gut out the second round trip, but it didn't seem wise.) So, although I had to ride today without the new cap, as the mail was not yet here when I left, it did arrive, so I'll have it in place for tomorrow's ride. YAY!
Total mileage for 2017: 184.9 This morning I went out at 8 a.m. and rode a round trip to Marsh Park, covering the 10 miles in 1:19. The brilliant blue skies were a decided blessing. However, the 22° (16° wind-chill) temperature at the start, which heated up to 29° (18° wind-chill) by the time I finished made it abundantly clear that our recent flirtation with springlike weather here in Michigan is over. (To say nothing of the temperatures that Michelle and I enjoyed during our recent few days in Florida!) Riding was a considerable effort, and I could tell it was affecting my time. I soon realized that, with the schedule interruption that our trip south provided, it has been several weeks since I aired up my tires, and that was definitely affecting the ride. So, a session with the pump becomes a MUST on my To-Do list before tomorrow's ride!
Total mileage for 2017: 174.9 Today's ride was both short and frustrating, in the extreme. I had intended to do 10 iterations of a loop near our home that I call the Arcadia loop.
In addition to this picture, taken in a subdivision, Arcadia Drive also intersects Ellsworth Rd. But one of today's frustrations was that the weather caused me to miss this turn.
I went out about 9:00 a.m. in a 43° temperature that was by no means uncomfortable. But the fog ended up being so heavy that it rendered my glasses virtually useless, and I ended up missing several turns. On one turn that I almost missed, a minor calamity occurred, as I got off the sidewalk, caught my tire in the soft wet grass, and tipped over. When my rear-view mirror, attached to the outside of my left handlebar, struck the ground, the mirror broke off. Accordingly, given all this, I cut the ride short and settled for a single loop, riding a mere 3.5 miles in 32 minutes.
Total mileage for 2017: 171.3 This morning I rode consecutive round trips to Marsh Park, beginning at 10 a.m. The temperature was an unseasonably warm 52° at the start, and 57 at the finish. This 18-mile ride took me 1:58 (a considerably better time than I rode it on Monday). On the way home the final time, I took this video as I crossed one of the boardwalks along Textile Rd. The challenge of holding it and simultaneously riding safely made for more than a bit of wobble, but at least it gives an idea.
Total mileage for 2017: 153.3 I went out at 10:30 this morning and did consecutive round trips to Marsh Park (for the first time since Jan. 25) in amazingly unseasonable conditions—mostly sunny skies (only a few high, thin, patchy clouds) in a sky that was 46° when i began and 54° when I finished. (18 miles in 2:15) Hard to believe it's a Michigan February!
Total mileage for 2017: 135.3 Before today, I had not been able to ride outside since January 26—due to a combination of weather, ill health (a terribly heavy cold), and our trip to Florida this past week. I was intensely disappointed to be unable to ride in Florida—I thought I had worked it out where I could rent a trike there, and ride—but today almost made up for it. Going after church, I set off at 11:00 on an indescribably glorious day (especially for February!). When I began it was sunny and 53°, and by the time I finished it was 63°! I rode a round trip to Dexter (Baker Rd.), doing 20.4 miles in 1:38.
