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Bike ride adventures


47of74

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OK, I'll share some TMI and this is for sure a Texas story.  

Last Monday morning I decided to ride my bike to my physical therapy appointment.  It's been brain-fry hot in Central Texas with highs still in the high 90s or even 100;  it's slightly cooler (low 80s) but humidity is 90% early in the morning, so yeah. 

I gave myself 90 minutes, left at 7:30am and by riding really hard, I got there with five minutes to spare.  Phew! 

Then, I could not stop sweating, even after changing clothes and drying off.   Sweat continued to pour off of me in buckets.  And not only that, but I had apparently scratched my calf on my flat pedal, so there was blood dripping down the back of my leg.  This triggered a flurry of emergency activity, because you can't have open bleeding wounds in that environment.  Gloves! Saline! Gauze! Bandaids! 

Finally everything settled down and I could get on the treatment table without leaving a puddle or a trail of blood.  Fortunately my PT is a cyclist so she could laugh it off (I think), but I totally grossed myself out.  I have another appt this coming week, but I'm driving with the AC on full blast.  

We still don't have relief from the heat in sight.  Yesterday it was 92 degrees in the early afternoon, but the Heat Index was 100.  Still, it's possible to get out and ride in the early morning and not die, but we are all ready for a cold front and some cooler weather.  

Meanwhile, y'all enjoy your crisp morning rides.  It's sounds beyond lovely. 

 

 

Edited by Howl
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4 hours ago, Howl said:

We still don't have relief from the heat in sight.  Yesterday it was 92 degrees in the early afternoon, but the Heat Index was 100.

I'm from the Seattle area, and learned about truly hot weather the hard way when visiting our daughter in Nashville.  At first I enjoyed feeling like I was inside a crock pot, as it was a novelty.  But a few times I think I was literally partially cooked--swollen, redness, profuse sweating that lasted for quite a while after I was back indoors.  So, I understand what you mean.  I'm glad you are OK, and I am grateful to whoever invented air conditioning.

I'm traveling right now, and the temperature is mid-90s.  Back home, we were brushed with that system that caused snow in Montana.  Crazy.

1 hour ago, 47of74 said:

Here's some pictures of yesterday's ride...

A bicycle-themed brewpub - love it!  Stay thirsty...  ?

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59 minutes ago, 47of74 said:

Here's some pictures of yesterday's ride...

https://flic.kr/s/aHsmHntLX5

My dream ride! Paths, unpaved country lanes, paved bike paths, pastoral, roads with a shoulder.  You're very fortunate.  That river looks really full!  

3 minutes ago, CTRLZero said:

But a few times I think I was literally partially cooked--swollen, redness, profuse sweating that lasted for quite a while after I was back indoors.

After doing a long ride in the morning, I usually just sit around in the afternoon and vegetate; the heat just makes me feel wiped out! 

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That's the Cedar River.  Runs through Minnesota and Iowa before joining the Iowa River, which in turn runs to the Mississippi.

I had to take the road at LaPorte City because a bridge had been taken out by flash flooding.  If I had known how long it was going to take I would have started and finished there instead of Brandon.  

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1 hour ago, CTRLZero said:

I'm from the Seattle area, and learned about truly hot weather the hard way when visiting our daughter in Nashville.  At first I enjoyed feeling like I was inside a crock pot, as it was a novelty.  But a few times I think I was literally partially cooked--swollen, redness, profuse sweating that lasted for quite a while after I was back indoors.  So, I understand what you mean.  I'm glad you are OK, and I am grateful to whoever invented air conditioning.

I'm traveling right now, and the temperature is mid-90s.  Back home, we were brushed with that system that caused snow in Montana.  Crazy.

A bicycle-themed brewpub - love it!  Stay thirsty...  ?

Yeah I remember the last time I went down to visit my uncle and his family in Louisiana my sister and I went to play pool in his recreation room after the adults started visiting and I was drenched a couple hours later.  This was in July when it was in the upper 90s even in the shade.

My first trip to Italy was in August.  I had a great time but I wouldn't go there again in August.  It was fornicating hot.  In Florence it got up over 100 degrees during the day.  The following year I went back in September and early October and that was a much more pleasant trip.

I've been wanting to go to Single Speed for a while now so this was finally my chance to go there.  I went to their Waterloo location but next time I might hit up their original Cedar Falls location.  Both of their locations are really close to the Cedar Valley Nature Trail. 

Genius I was I thought I could go up to Single Speed and be back in plenty of time to go to a party my cousin was having.  Nope.  By the time I got back to Brandon I was like fornicate it I'll just hit up the brewery in Manchester then go home.  Like I said if I do this particular route again I think I'll start and end in LaPorte City since that will cut about an hour off the route.  Plus get there a lot earlier in the day. 

 

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11 hours ago, 47of74 said:

The following year I went back in September and early October and that was a much more pleasant trip.

I read an article by some people who hiked the Cinque Terre in November.   They loved the cold weather and total lack of tourists. 

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I know I said I’d probably not do any more weekday ass crack o dawn rides since the sun is coming up too late in the morning now. But since it’s supposed to rain today and tomorrow I went and got this pre dawn one in this morning. 
 

22F6132D-DE07-4F47-B421-AF7B10836C77.thumb.jpeg.b75a450333ccc67dca2cc9050d32f4af.jpeg
 

About 9.5 miles. It was just starting to get light out when I finished.

I guess I left my GoPro on last night and the battery drained so there’s no time lapse of this one. 
 

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Got a good one in today down on the Illinois side of the Quad Cities....

 Just slightly under 40 miles total. 

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And this morning’s commute from the parking lot up to work


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Got a decent one in yesterday afternoon

It stopped raining long enough today that I was able to get a decent one in this morning around the Mines of Spain.  I didn't have my GoPro with me today so there's no video but I did get some pictures.  Got a couple in the spoiler part.

Spoiler

IMG_0652.jpg.6e46d89f395d89e78d9b92a110494e8c.jpg

IMG_0642.thumb.jpg.e1b87ce6125c5f2f387baccdb41e5bc4.jpg

Just got back to my vehicle and it started raining and it's been going pretty steady ever since.  Supposed to be better tomorrow though which is good since I'm doing my annual fall drive.

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4 hours ago, 47of74 said:

I was able to get a decent one in this morning around the Mines of Spain.

Thanks!  It was interesting reading a short history of the area and why it's called the Mines of Spain. 

That boat looks too low in the water, but maybe it's an optical illusion.  The photos and video of all the waterways are spectacular!

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This afternoon's ride down by Savanna, Illinois.

 

Used the helmet mount today.

 

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Dawn’s ass crack rides again.




I hooked the GoPro on to the stem. Other than the brake cables hanging in front of the camera that position worked fairly well.
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Decided to get an early one in today too before dawn even thought of showing its crack.

 

I tried a different mount this morning but it didn’t work as well. Camera kept wanting to slide back. Think I’ll stick with the official GoPro mount.

 

 

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It was too cold and windy for me to do the Textile run out to Dyersville like I originally planned.  I did go down and go for a ride around Bellevue, Iowa - which is about 20 miles south of where I live.

Even with the wind it was a good ride, and I was able to hit the brewery in town afterwards.

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Yesterday morning’s ride around town.


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What happens when a certain someone acquires the soundtrack to Spaceballs and decides the time lapse of the Oct 11 commute needs Mega Maid treatment.


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Spaceballs the Dubuque, Part II from this afternoon.

 

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Went out early this morning for a ride.




Cold and windy this morning so I didn’t stay out too long. Dawn’s ass crack didn’t even show up this morning until after I finished the ride.

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Dropped the car off for routine maintenance then rode the bike to work.




Still cold but not as windy today. The thermal undergarments also helped.
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And the ride back to get my car this afternoon...

 

Only thing my car needed was tire rotation and a new cabin air filter.  Otherwise it's ready for a trip up to the Twin Cities.

If I hadn't had to get ready for next week and finish some homework I might have stayed out a bit longer and rode around a bit more since it was so nice this afternoon.

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On 10/17/2019 at 7:37 AM, 47of74 said:

Dropped the car off for routine maintenance then rode the bike to work.

 

Isn't it the handiest thing ever?  I did that last week!  Well, I actually rode home since I'm retired, but it makes the entire process so much easier AND ya get in a ride. 

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16 hours ago, Howl said:

Isn't it the handiest thing ever?  I did that last week!  Well, I actually rode home since I'm retired, but it makes the entire process so much easier AND ya get in a ride. 

Yeah it's only about three miles from either Chevy dealer to my work so I could do it in about 15 minutes.  Of course I checked the weather beforehand so I wouldn't face the possibility of getting soaked on my way over.  I've been doing the same thing with the park and ride at work since it takes five minutes whether I take the bus or ride up and I'm not dependent on the bus schedule for heading back to my vehicle at the end of the day.  If I get in before the butt crack of dawn I can leave pretty early and get back to my car nice and early.  Of course I do a bit more of a ride going back to my vehicle if I'm not planning on doing a long ride somewhere else.

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So, I'm doing my 7-mile ride home from the gym. I hear a voice - it's a guy behind me in the bike lake, talking oh his phone.  "Yeah, it makes you  hungry, but it REALLY helps you study."  Conversation goes along, and I realize he's probably talking about Adderall. We're on the same route for miles; he stays right behind me.  Conversation moves to parents and eventually gets very existential.  I have no idea who he's talking to, except it's def not his mom or dad. 

Meanwhile, a guy on a recumbent pulls out in front of me in the bike lane. The recumbent is kinda cute and has a little canopy like thing.  I'm getting ready to shift to pass him, because of course I am, except...he's hauling ass, while seeming to make zero effort.  Zero.  Four or five blocks on he's kinda disappearing into the distance, then he takes a left, towards a parallel but mega busy four-lane street.   I go right to avoid that street, with the guy still talking on his phone behind me.   

About 2 miles along, I turn left again to access a pedestrian/bike stop light that allows safe passage across that mega busy four-lane street and the phone guy, still on the line, continues straight.  As I wait for the light,  Mr. Fast Recumbent zips by, hauling ass along the mega busy four-lane street -- death trap with no bike lane. He's not in racer boi in kit; he's rocking chinos and a plaid short-sleeved shirt.  

Not much happens on my commute to the gym, but that was a kinda weird, semi-interesting interlude.  

Today is not conducive to bike riding to the gym or anywhere else. A cold front (Blue Norther) blew in last night.  Temps went from close to 90 yesterday afternoon to 44 degrees this morning with a screaming north wind.  Perfect bike weather this weekend though,  with highs in the low 70s and very little wind.  Yup, it's fall in Texas. 

 

 

Edited by Howl
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