Friday, 14 October 2011
Somewhere before the Findlay Avenue bridge, I saw Gary and Amy on their tandem, going my way. I slowed and said hello as I neared them and continued at their pace. They live near DeWeese Park, and every day they ride the bikeway, alternating to a turnaround at Woodman Avenue on the Iron Horse Trail or at Grange Hall Road on the Creekside Trail.
Though their pace is about 15 mph, it isn't quite leisurely. I heard Gary say, "Come on, give me some more pedal" to Amy. A couple times I noticed that Gary was exerting more effort, bringing Amy's cadence up a bit higher than it had been. Still, throughout the five miles we rode together, we had plenty of breath for conversation.
After we parted ways at the old railroad trestle, I saw Millie and Gladys walking south from the Linden Avenue crossing. I slowed only long enough to tell Millie that I had seen her walking yesterday, from my car as I crossed the overpass on highway 35.
Ride conditions
Temperature: 50 to 52°F at 07:45
Precipitation: none
Winds: 5 to 10 mph from the southwest
Clothing: Skinsuit, longsleeve undershirt, ankle socks, open-finger gloves
Bike: Lotus Legend fixed gear
Time: 00:47:55 for 11.95 miles
Heart rate: 115 bpm HRave, 146 bpm HRmax
Bikeway users: 4 cyclists, 3 pedestrians, 1 dog
Playback of the ride
Showing posts with label Gary and Amy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Gary and Amy. Show all posts
14 October 2011
11 October 2011
Bike-commute day 93—to work
Tuesday, 11 October 2011
Ugh! My lungs still clog at the thought of the diesel emissions from the school buses I have to follow each morning. Do school buses get a pass on emissions, or do the school districts just evade action by the EPA and OEPA?
Way back in 2006, the Dayton Business Journal reported on several school districts that benefited from an OEPA program to retrofit 238 school buses to lower-pollution engines. None of the $120,000 was awarded to the Dayton school district. Since then, Dayton was awarded retrofit money several times. Perhaps the buses that serve my neighborhood were overlooked. Or worse: those buses were retrofitted, the exhaust has been reduced up to 80%, and the amount is still offensive to a cyclist waiting behind a bus while kids are boarding.
The transportation department of the Dayton School District offers this information:
In 2009, the city received a grant of $583,000 to develop a "Safe Routes to Schools" program. The award went to five projects that focused work for Cleveland Elementary, Edison Elementary, Fairview Elementary, Kiser Elementary, and Ruskin Elementary. In support of the program the regional transportation planning agency, MVRPC, developed a well-reasoned plan for implementing similar programs for the entire city—and by example, for the entire Miami Valley. The federal money didn't arrive in Dayton until 2010, as reported by the Dayton Daily News.
I hope that the city and MVRPC continue to write grant proposals and fill applications for broadening the accessibility of schools, shopping, recreation, and places of employment for cyclists and walkers. Let's give those diesel school buses their final destination: the junkyard.
Ever the counting habit affects me. This morning, I counted 17 areas along the bike-commute where walnut alerts are necessary. While counting, I said good morning to some of the regulars: Gary and Amy on their tandem, Gladys, and Gene and his dog Patches. I also saw the group of regulars heading north from their start at the Gazebo. Usually they ride on Wednesdays, and often Bob Pinnell leads the ride. There must have been collusion among the five riders to change the day.
Ride conditions
Temperature: 51 to 57°F at 07:45
Precipitation: none
Winds: calm to 5 mph from the south and east
Clothing: Skinsuit, longsleeve undershirt, ankle socks, open-finger gloves
Bike: Lotus Legend fixed gear
Time: 00:41:14 for 11.93 miles
Heart rate: 138 bpm HRave, 153 bpm HRmax
Bikeway users: 7 cyclists, 4 pedestrians, 1 dog
Playback of the ride
Ugh! My lungs still clog at the thought of the diesel emissions from the school buses I have to follow each morning. Do school buses get a pass on emissions, or do the school districts just evade action by the EPA and OEPA?
Way back in 2006, the Dayton Business Journal reported on several school districts that benefited from an OEPA program to retrofit 238 school buses to lower-pollution engines. None of the $120,000 was awarded to the Dayton school district. Since then, Dayton was awarded retrofit money several times. Perhaps the buses that serve my neighborhood were overlooked. Or worse: those buses were retrofitted, the exhaust has been reduced up to 80%, and the amount is still offensive to a cyclist waiting behind a bus while kids are boarding.
The transportation department of the Dayton School District offers this information:
The school district now advocates a neighborhood school program, in which students are enrolled in a school near where they live. With 22 elementary schools, 6 high schools, 2 special centers, and 2 community schools spread throughout the city, all are an easy bike ride away. So why drive the 8,000 miles each day?
The Transportation department is located at 4290 James H. McGee Blvd., Dayton, OH 45427. The Transportation Department provides the community a safe, professional and efficient means to transport eligible students in the Dayton area. We provide transportation for over 15,000 students to and from school, athletic events and field trips. Transportation is also provided for special events as assigned by the district superintendent.
Our school bus fleet travels over 8,000 miles per day and over 1.5 million miles a school year! The transportation department employs over 300 employees, including more than 250 qualified school bus drivers and substitutes. Additionally, there are highly qualified mechanics that maintain our fleet, body shop/metal workers to repair damaged school buses and trained paraprofessionals that ride and assist our special needs students.
The Dayton Public Schools transportation department has received the highest marks for safety and reliability from the annual Ohio State Highway Patrol inspection team. We strive to provide safe and reliable transportation for our students by managing effectively time, resources and personnel.
In 2009, the city received a grant of $583,000 to develop a "Safe Routes to Schools" program. The award went to five projects that focused work for Cleveland Elementary, Edison Elementary, Fairview Elementary, Kiser Elementary, and Ruskin Elementary. In support of the program the regional transportation planning agency, MVRPC, developed a well-reasoned plan for implementing similar programs for the entire city—and by example, for the entire Miami Valley. The federal money didn't arrive in Dayton until 2010, as reported by the Dayton Daily News.
I hope that the city and MVRPC continue to write grant proposals and fill applications for broadening the accessibility of schools, shopping, recreation, and places of employment for cyclists and walkers. Let's give those diesel school buses their final destination: the junkyard.
Ever the counting habit affects me. This morning, I counted 17 areas along the bike-commute where walnut alerts are necessary. While counting, I said good morning to some of the regulars: Gary and Amy on their tandem, Gladys, and Gene and his dog Patches. I also saw the group of regulars heading north from their start at the Gazebo. Usually they ride on Wednesdays, and often Bob Pinnell leads the ride. There must have been collusion among the five riders to change the day.
Ride conditions
Temperature: 51 to 57°F at 07:45
Precipitation: none
Winds: calm to 5 mph from the south and east
Clothing: Skinsuit, longsleeve undershirt, ankle socks, open-finger gloves
Bike: Lotus Legend fixed gear
Time: 00:41:14 for 11.93 miles
Heart rate: 138 bpm HRave, 153 bpm HRmax
Bikeway users: 7 cyclists, 4 pedestrians, 1 dog
Playback of the ride
20 September 2011
Bike-commute day 84—to work
Tuesday, 20 September 2011
Though the sidewalk and street at home seemed dry after the light rains overnight, much of the bikeway remained damp due to the high humidity. Wherever the path was asphalt, it tended to retain a sheen of moisture; where concrete, it was completely dry. So my first bike-commute since last Thursday was gentle, tentative.
Few others were on the bikeway, but the regulars included Gary and Amy on their tandem and Millie and Gladys on their morning stroll. But making up for the low numbers of cyclists and pedestrians were the gnats.
It is gnat time! Their presence means slight changes to how I bike: keep my mouth shut and breathe through the nose, keep my sunglasses tight up against the helmet front, ziip up myskinsuit to the neck, and get used to the gentle strikes on the bare face, arms, and legs. These critters swarm together in whatever rays of sunlight they can find, often just at the edge of a shady bend. The swarms can have hundreds of gnats, and often that means that a dozen or more strike me when I pass through the swarm.
Ride conditions
Temperature: 62 to 64°F at 07:15
Precipitation: less than 0.1 in since midnight
Winds: calm to 5 mph from the northwest
Clothing: Skinsuit, ankle socks, open-finger gloves
Bike: Lotus Legend fixed gear
Time: 00:43:14 for 11.93 miles
Heart rate: not available
Bikeway users: 4 cyclists, 6 pedestrians, 1 dogs
Playback of the ride
Though the sidewalk and street at home seemed dry after the light rains overnight, much of the bikeway remained damp due to the high humidity. Wherever the path was asphalt, it tended to retain a sheen of moisture; where concrete, it was completely dry. So my first bike-commute since last Thursday was gentle, tentative.
Few others were on the bikeway, but the regulars included Gary and Amy on their tandem and Millie and Gladys on their morning stroll. But making up for the low numbers of cyclists and pedestrians were the gnats.
It is gnat time! Their presence means slight changes to how I bike: keep my mouth shut and breathe through the nose, keep my sunglasses tight up against the helmet front, ziip up myskinsuit to the neck, and get used to the gentle strikes on the bare face, arms, and legs. These critters swarm together in whatever rays of sunlight they can find, often just at the edge of a shady bend. The swarms can have hundreds of gnats, and often that means that a dozen or more strike me when I pass through the swarm.
Ride conditions
Temperature: 62 to 64°F at 07:15
Precipitation: less than 0.1 in since midnight
Winds: calm to 5 mph from the northwest
Clothing: Skinsuit, ankle socks, open-finger gloves
Bike: Lotus Legend fixed gear
Time: 00:43:14 for 11.93 miles
Heart rate: not available
Bikeway users: 4 cyclists, 6 pedestrians, 1 dogs
Playback of the ride
09 September 2011
Bike-commute day 81—to work
Friday, 9 September 2011
Today, after two rest days for rain, was a sprint day. Kinda.
I felt strong through the Findlay Street bridge, and pushed into a sprint from the plateau to the gate to Eastwood Park. About 1:40 was at or above 150 bpm. Once my HR came down to the 130s, and after passing the double-L south of Park Lane, I took a short sprint almost to Airway, and then resumed the sprint after regaining speed from the crossing almost to Burkhardt—about 1:15 around 150 bpm. Then after crossing Linden, I took a third sprint for 1:00 around 150 bpm.
During all this, I met three regulars: Gary and Amy on their tandem and Paul and his dog Stinky.
Ride conditions
Temperature: 59 to 61°F at 07:45
Precipitation: none
Winds: calm to 5 mph variable
Clothing: Skinsuit, longsleeve undershirt, ankle socks, open-finger gloves
Bike: Lotus Legend fixed gear
Time: 00:41:27 for 11.94 miles
Heart rate: 136 bpm HRave, 158 bpm HRmax
Bikeway users: 6 cyclists, 7 pedestrians, 3 dogs
Playback of the ride
Today, after two rest days for rain, was a sprint day. Kinda.
I felt strong through the Findlay Street bridge, and pushed into a sprint from the plateau to the gate to Eastwood Park. About 1:40 was at or above 150 bpm. Once my HR came down to the 130s, and after passing the double-L south of Park Lane, I took a short sprint almost to Airway, and then resumed the sprint after regaining speed from the crossing almost to Burkhardt—about 1:15 around 150 bpm. Then after crossing Linden, I took a third sprint for 1:00 around 150 bpm.
During all this, I met three regulars: Gary and Amy on their tandem and Paul and his dog Stinky.
Ride conditions
Temperature: 59 to 61°F at 07:45
Precipitation: none
Winds: calm to 5 mph variable
Clothing: Skinsuit, longsleeve undershirt, ankle socks, open-finger gloves
Bike: Lotus Legend fixed gear
Time: 00:41:27 for 11.94 miles
Heart rate: 136 bpm HRave, 158 bpm HRmax
Bikeway users: 6 cyclists, 7 pedestrians, 3 dogs
Playback of the ride
23 August 2011
Bike-commute day 73—to work
Tusday, 23 August 2011
Hurricane Irene has developed and its landfall is forecast for Satuday over the Carolinas. The forecast here for tomorrow and Thursday includes rain and thunderstorms, though I doubt it has any connection to the hurricane activity. I'm expecting that Saturday and Sunday will both be stormy here, expressing the further reaches of Irene as it breaks apart.
But today I enjoyed another day of cycling weather, along with the 10 other cyclists I saw on my way to work. Only the New Zealand couple and the tandem-riding Gary and Amy were familiar cyclists, though most of the walkers were well-known.
At the Findlay Avenue bridge, I began to feel up to more intensity. It was hardly a sprint, though I did maintain a 150 HR for about two minutes. Then I held higher-intensity stretches for the two mile-long sections between Airway and Burkhardt and between Burkhardt and Linden.
Ride conditions
Temperature: 57 to 65°F at 06:45
Precipitation: none
Winds: calm to 5 mph from the south
Clothing: Skinsuit, ankle socks, open-finger gloves
Bike: Lotus Legend fixed gear
Time: 00:41:58 for 11.94 miles
Heart rate: 130 bpm HRave, 152 bpm HRmax
Bikeway users: 10 cyclists, 11 pedestrians, 1 dog
Playback of the ride
Hurricane Irene has developed and its landfall is forecast for Satuday over the Carolinas. The forecast here for tomorrow and Thursday includes rain and thunderstorms, though I doubt it has any connection to the hurricane activity. I'm expecting that Saturday and Sunday will both be stormy here, expressing the further reaches of Irene as it breaks apart.
But today I enjoyed another day of cycling weather, along with the 10 other cyclists I saw on my way to work. Only the New Zealand couple and the tandem-riding Gary and Amy were familiar cyclists, though most of the walkers were well-known.
At the Findlay Avenue bridge, I began to feel up to more intensity. It was hardly a sprint, though I did maintain a 150 HR for about two minutes. Then I held higher-intensity stretches for the two mile-long sections between Airway and Burkhardt and between Burkhardt and Linden.
Ride conditions
Temperature: 57 to 65°F at 06:45
Precipitation: none
Winds: calm to 5 mph from the south
Clothing: Skinsuit, ankle socks, open-finger gloves
Bike: Lotus Legend fixed gear
Time: 00:41:58 for 11.94 miles
Heart rate: 130 bpm HRave, 152 bpm HRmax
Bikeway users: 10 cyclists, 11 pedestrians, 1 dog
Playback of the ride
01 July 2011
Bike-commute day 47—to work
Friday, 1 July 2011.
What an experience today! I had stopped at the crossing of Linden Avenue and then entered the crossing, after I had seen a car at least 150 feet east—plenty of space for him to stop or even to allow my crossing with just a slow down. Instead, the car sped up—or perhaps just didn't slow down at all. I raised my hand to him, he continued. He pulled into the left lane for opposite-direction traffic, and I slowed to another stop before reaching the middle of the street, where he passed in front of me. His license plate: EIE 1916.
Further down the way, I saw Gladys walking alone today. Her neighbor Millie was holding a yard sale, and Ethel was helping her. I pulled out my camera and photographed her in the dappled light. Then along came Paul (Double-dog-Jason) trailing his two dogs. They wouldn't let him pause for a photo, but I tried to capture his passing. Pictures to come.
Much earlier in my commute, I had passed Gary and Amy going in the opposite direction, toward downtown. No pictures for them.
This morning I had lots of energy on the commute, especially in comparison to my commutes on Wednesday and Thursday. But three hours later, I was lacking the pump. So I've been replenishing my fluids since then, to improve my hydration.
Ride conditions
Temperature: 67 to 72°F at 07:35, 76 to 80°F at 09:35
Precipitation: none
Winds: calm
Clothing: Skinsuit, ankle socks, open-finger gloves.
Bike: Lotus Legend fixed gear
Time: 00:40:47 for 11.96 miles
Heart rate: 137 bpm HRave, 160 bpm* HRmax
Bikeway users: 13 cyclists, 8 pedestrians, 4 dogs
Here is a playback of the ride.
There is a series of HR spikes to 193 bpm around the crossing of Springfield Street and to 170 bpm at the crossing of extreme north Smithville. I've been checking other playbacks for similar data, to figure out what's happening.
What an experience today! I had stopped at the crossing of Linden Avenue and then entered the crossing, after I had seen a car at least 150 feet east—plenty of space for him to stop or even to allow my crossing with just a slow down. Instead, the car sped up—or perhaps just didn't slow down at all. I raised my hand to him, he continued. He pulled into the left lane for opposite-direction traffic, and I slowed to another stop before reaching the middle of the street, where he passed in front of me. His license plate: EIE 1916.
Further down the way, I saw Gladys walking alone today. Her neighbor Millie was holding a yard sale, and Ethel was helping her. I pulled out my camera and photographed her in the dappled light. Then along came Paul (Double-dog-Jason) trailing his two dogs. They wouldn't let him pause for a photo, but I tried to capture his passing. Pictures to come.
Much earlier in my commute, I had passed Gary and Amy going in the opposite direction, toward downtown. No pictures for them.
This morning I had lots of energy on the commute, especially in comparison to my commutes on Wednesday and Thursday. But three hours later, I was lacking the pump. So I've been replenishing my fluids since then, to improve my hydration.
Ride conditions
Temperature: 67 to 72°F at 07:35, 76 to 80°F at 09:35
Precipitation: none
Winds: calm
Clothing: Skinsuit, ankle socks, open-finger gloves.
Bike: Lotus Legend fixed gear
Time: 00:40:47 for 11.96 miles
Heart rate: 137 bpm HRave, 160 bpm* HRmax
Bikeway users: 13 cyclists, 8 pedestrians, 4 dogs
Here is a playback of the ride.
There is a series of HR spikes to 193 bpm around the crossing of Springfield Street and to 170 bpm at the crossing of extreme north Smithville. I've been checking other playbacks for similar data, to figure out what's happening.
28 June 2011
Bike-commute day 44—to work
Tuesday, 28 June 2011.
I saw Gary and Amy on their tandem, on the low plateau above the Mad River. This was one of the earliest passings by this year, and an indicator of how late was my start today. I opened up my intensity then, hoping to make up some time.
As I navigated the curve around the DP&L executive golf course, I saw a flash of two convict-orange-clothed walkers ahead in bright sunlight. As I neared, the walkers moved into shade and the bright orange shifted to a tea rose hue. I recognized them as I neared; it was Gladys and Millie. They had crossed Linden and were headed toward Burkhardt, extending their normal range quite a bit. I stopped to say, "From a distance, your orange was brightly lit, and I thought I would be accosted by some escaped convicts. But I think I'm safe with you two." They laughed and bragged about their excursion beyond their usual walk to Linden. As I clipped in to continue the commute, Millie warned me of another cyclist's approach from behind me, and I said, "Oh yeah. I passed him around Burkhardt. He's slow, at least compared to me. See ya."
After the short conversation, I opened up the intensity once again. In the last 2 legs, I closed with short sprints into Research Park, maintaining an HR of more than 150 bpm almost 3 minutes up to Airway, less than a minute between Woodman and Spaulding, and almost 2 minutes up to Research Boulevard.
Ride conditions
Temperature: 68 to 70°F at 07:35
Precipitation: none
Winds: calm to 5 mph from the southwest
Clothing: Skinsuit, ankle socks, open-finger gloves.
Bike: Lotus Legend fixed gear
Time: 00:40:46 for 11.99 miles
Heart rate: 133 bpm HRave, 161 bpm HRmax
Bikeway users: 9 cyclists, 16 pedestrians, 2 dogs
Here is a playback of the ride.
I saw Gary and Amy on their tandem, on the low plateau above the Mad River. This was one of the earliest passings by this year, and an indicator of how late was my start today. I opened up my intensity then, hoping to make up some time.
As I navigated the curve around the DP&L executive golf course, I saw a flash of two convict-orange-clothed walkers ahead in bright sunlight. As I neared, the walkers moved into shade and the bright orange shifted to a tea rose hue. I recognized them as I neared; it was Gladys and Millie. They had crossed Linden and were headed toward Burkhardt, extending their normal range quite a bit. I stopped to say, "From a distance, your orange was brightly lit, and I thought I would be accosted by some escaped convicts. But I think I'm safe with you two." They laughed and bragged about their excursion beyond their usual walk to Linden. As I clipped in to continue the commute, Millie warned me of another cyclist's approach from behind me, and I said, "Oh yeah. I passed him around Burkhardt. He's slow, at least compared to me. See ya."
After the short conversation, I opened up the intensity once again. In the last 2 legs, I closed with short sprints into Research Park, maintaining an HR of more than 150 bpm almost 3 minutes up to Airway, less than a minute between Woodman and Spaulding, and almost 2 minutes up to Research Boulevard.
Ride conditions
Temperature: 68 to 70°F at 07:35
Precipitation: none
Winds: calm to 5 mph from the southwest
Clothing: Skinsuit, ankle socks, open-finger gloves.
Bike: Lotus Legend fixed gear
Time: 00:40:46 for 11.99 miles
Heart rate: 133 bpm HRave, 161 bpm HRmax
Bikeway users: 9 cyclists, 16 pedestrians, 2 dogs
Here is a playback of the ride.
27 June 2011
Bike-commute day 43—to work
Monday, 27 June 2011.
So is that person ahead walking toward me or away? I wondered as I crossed the Monument Avenue bridge this morning. As I approached, I could tell her direction and called out loudly "On your right" from about 100 feet away. No sign of hearing me. Then again, less of a loud call, from 50 feet. Still no sign. Then louder than conversationally, my outdoor voice, from 15 feet, "On your right." She looked to her left, pivoted almost 270 degrees before she saw me. And jumped at the surprise of a passing cyclist.
Was she wearing earbuds? I don't think so. Was she in her own world? I think clearly yes. Should I have given my shrill whistle instead of calling out from 100 feet away? Perhaps, but on a sidewalk along a roadway, I think a whistle is threatening instead of warning. And it provides no detail, just an approaching presence. Especially on streets and sidwalk crossings, a voice warning is better. I think.
On the bikeway, though, I tend to announce my approach first with a whistle from about 500 feet, a tenth of a mile. If the pedestrian (or cyclist) gives no acknowledgement, I whistle again at about 250 feet. Then it's verbal information if necessary. These biekway users who need two, three, four announcements of my approach are frequently the ones who turn to the left when I call out, "On your right!" What gives with the confusion of left and right, I wonder?
When I pass a walker with earbuds, I wonder how safe they think they are, shutting out contact with others on the way. Drowning out all traffic noise, too. And ignoring nature.
I have no patience at all with cyclists who do the same. Too much can happen in the quick traverse of 18 feet per second (12 mph). When I pass a cyclist who's obliterating his aural connection with the road, I have a strong desire to yank the buds out of their place. But I exercise restraint. And enjoy watching them jerk to attentiveness as I pass, after they had several audible signals of my approach. Audible to everyone but them.
I've been seeing more of the tandem cyclists, the father and daughter Gary and Amy, in the last couple weeks. Today I saw them in Eastwood Park, riding toward downtown. I hope I soon see them riding the same direction, so we can catch up on what's happened since we talked last year. Last year, Gary proudly announced as they passed me the number of consecutive riding days they had reached. He hasn't done that yet this year. Maybe he's saving up for some record number to announce.
At Airway Road, I let two cars from the east pass the crossing before I moved to the island. A car from the west, though she had 300 feet of approach, whizzed on through the crossing without a hesitation. Her license plate reads EQN 8226, for those of you who can check the Ohio vehicle registrations online.
As I crossed Linden Avenue, I saw Gledys & Millie coming toward me on their morning constitutional, and I greeted them with "Happy Monday" as I rode by.
The weather forecast for today gives a 50% chance of rain today. Based on the radar animations, the day will have a period of light to heavy rain from 10:45 through 13:00, followed by about 2:15 of no rain, and an evening of moderate to heavy rain. I'll either call Chuck to pick me up in time for getting to the film or actually leave work early enough to arrive home before the second line of heavy rain arrives—it's too early now to predict from the radar, but possibly as early as 15:30 or as late as 17:30.
Ride conditions
Temperature: 60 to 63°F at 07:15
Precipitation: none
Winds: calm to 5 mph from the southwest
Clothing: Skinsuit, ankle socks, open-finger gloves.
Bike: Lotus Legend fixed gear
Time: 00:42:31 for 11.98 miles
Heart rate: 133 bpm HRave, 153 bpm HRmax
Bikeway users: 4 cyclists, 18 pedestrians
Here is a playback of the ride.
So is that person ahead walking toward me or away? I wondered as I crossed the Monument Avenue bridge this morning. As I approached, I could tell her direction and called out loudly "On your right" from about 100 feet away. No sign of hearing me. Then again, less of a loud call, from 50 feet. Still no sign. Then louder than conversationally, my outdoor voice, from 15 feet, "On your right." She looked to her left, pivoted almost 270 degrees before she saw me. And jumped at the surprise of a passing cyclist.
Was she wearing earbuds? I don't think so. Was she in her own world? I think clearly yes. Should I have given my shrill whistle instead of calling out from 100 feet away? Perhaps, but on a sidewalk along a roadway, I think a whistle is threatening instead of warning. And it provides no detail, just an approaching presence. Especially on streets and sidwalk crossings, a voice warning is better. I think.
On the bikeway, though, I tend to announce my approach first with a whistle from about 500 feet, a tenth of a mile. If the pedestrian (or cyclist) gives no acknowledgement, I whistle again at about 250 feet. Then it's verbal information if necessary. These biekway users who need two, three, four announcements of my approach are frequently the ones who turn to the left when I call out, "On your right!" What gives with the confusion of left and right, I wonder?
When I pass a walker with earbuds, I wonder how safe they think they are, shutting out contact with others on the way. Drowning out all traffic noise, too. And ignoring nature.
I have no patience at all with cyclists who do the same. Too much can happen in the quick traverse of 18 feet per second (12 mph). When I pass a cyclist who's obliterating his aural connection with the road, I have a strong desire to yank the buds out of their place. But I exercise restraint. And enjoy watching them jerk to attentiveness as I pass, after they had several audible signals of my approach. Audible to everyone but them.
I've been seeing more of the tandem cyclists, the father and daughter Gary and Amy, in the last couple weeks. Today I saw them in Eastwood Park, riding toward downtown. I hope I soon see them riding the same direction, so we can catch up on what's happened since we talked last year. Last year, Gary proudly announced as they passed me the number of consecutive riding days they had reached. He hasn't done that yet this year. Maybe he's saving up for some record number to announce.
At Airway Road, I let two cars from the east pass the crossing before I moved to the island. A car from the west, though she had 300 feet of approach, whizzed on through the crossing without a hesitation. Her license plate reads EQN 8226, for those of you who can check the Ohio vehicle registrations online.
As I crossed Linden Avenue, I saw Gledys & Millie coming toward me on their morning constitutional, and I greeted them with "Happy Monday" as I rode by.
The weather forecast for today gives a 50% chance of rain today. Based on the radar animations, the day will have a period of light to heavy rain from 10:45 through 13:00, followed by about 2:15 of no rain, and an evening of moderate to heavy rain. I'll either call Chuck to pick me up in time for getting to the film or actually leave work early enough to arrive home before the second line of heavy rain arrives—it's too early now to predict from the radar, but possibly as early as 15:30 or as late as 17:30.
Ride conditions
Temperature: 60 to 63°F at 07:15
Precipitation: none
Winds: calm to 5 mph from the southwest
Clothing: Skinsuit, ankle socks, open-finger gloves.
Bike: Lotus Legend fixed gear
Time: 00:42:31 for 11.98 miles
Heart rate: 133 bpm HRave, 153 bpm HRmax
Bikeway users: 4 cyclists, 18 pedestrians
Here is a playback of the ride.
22 June 2011
Bike-commute day 42—to work
Wednesday, 22 June 2011.
The ride today started with a short conversation with Mike and Millie as they walked along Princeton Drive. Finally we had a chance to say more than just a hello while I whizzed by. Both are toying with retirement, both are working about half-time. Millie is a social worker who specializes in international adoption, and Mike has retired from teaching at a local college (he didn't name it) and now volunteers his services (I have forgotten where, for now).
Once on the bikeway, I saw a record number of weekday cyclists, including Gary and Amy on their tandem, just outside Eastwood/Park on the Springfield Street bikeway and Paul running near the trestle—today without his two dogs in tow.
The pleasant ride was marred only by a female driver on her phone in a black Wrangler-like vehicle (license tag EJK-5185) who was too intent in her conversation to pause for me at the marked crossing at Burkhardt.
Ride conditions
Temperature: 69 to 71°F at 07:45
Precipitation: none
Winds: 5 to 10 from the southwest
Clothing: Skinsuit, ankle socks, open-finger gloves.
Bike: Lotus Legend fixed gear
Time: 00:44:16 for 11.96 miles
Heart rate: 129 bpm HRave, 159 bpm HRmax
Bikeway users: 10 cyclists, 8 pedestrians, 1 dog
Here is a playback of the ride.
The ride today started with a short conversation with Mike and Millie as they walked along Princeton Drive. Finally we had a chance to say more than just a hello while I whizzed by. Both are toying with retirement, both are working about half-time. Millie is a social worker who specializes in international adoption, and Mike has retired from teaching at a local college (he didn't name it) and now volunteers his services (I have forgotten where, for now).
Once on the bikeway, I saw a record number of weekday cyclists, including Gary and Amy on their tandem, just outside Eastwood/Park on the Springfield Street bikeway and Paul running near the trestle—today without his two dogs in tow.
The pleasant ride was marred only by a female driver on her phone in a black Wrangler-like vehicle (license tag EJK-5185) who was too intent in her conversation to pause for me at the marked crossing at Burkhardt.
Ride conditions
Temperature: 69 to 71°F at 07:45
Precipitation: none
Winds: 5 to 10 from the southwest
Clothing: Skinsuit, ankle socks, open-finger gloves.
Bike: Lotus Legend fixed gear
Time: 00:44:16 for 11.96 miles
Heart rate: 129 bpm HRave, 159 bpm HRmax
Bikeway users: 10 cyclists, 8 pedestrians, 1 dog
Here is a playback of the ride.
17 June 2011
Bike-commute day 39—to work
Friday, 17 June 2011.
I left home again later than usual—perhaps if I do so again, my usual will become today's later, then where will I be? But because of my departure time, I was again in need of a faster traverse time, which, I was happy to note at a few points in the middle of the ride, was entirely possible today. I noted several times that, at least from the Findlay Street bridge through my turn onto the Spaulding bikeway, my current HR was holding steadily above 146 and often holding above 150. For stretches much longer than the mere 60 seconds that I had attained on my first attempt at HR training.
What else contributed to my greater strength? Perhaps that I took a rest day yesterday and that the ride of the day before did not include a weight training period.
The number of fellow cyclists was relatively huge this morning. Among them were the tandem father-daughter team of Gary and Amy. And a shirtless runner with a white dog as a running companion, though I noticed much more the runner's superb back and arms. So much so that I took a long backward glance at his firm chest and gave him a wolf whistle.
Ride conditions
Temperature: 63 to 67°F at 07:15, 75°F at 09:30
Precipitation: none
Winds: calm
Clothing: Skinsuit, ankle socks, open-finger gloves.
Bike: Lotus Legend fixed gear
Time: 00:41:22 for 11.97 miles
Heart rate: 136 bpm average, 160 bpm maximum
Bikeway users: 19 cyclists, 5 pedestrians, 1 dog
Here is a playback of the ride.
I left home again later than usual—perhaps if I do so again, my usual will become today's later, then where will I be? But because of my departure time, I was again in need of a faster traverse time, which, I was happy to note at a few points in the middle of the ride, was entirely possible today. I noted several times that, at least from the Findlay Street bridge through my turn onto the Spaulding bikeway, my current HR was holding steadily above 146 and often holding above 150. For stretches much longer than the mere 60 seconds that I had attained on my first attempt at HR training.
What else contributed to my greater strength? Perhaps that I took a rest day yesterday and that the ride of the day before did not include a weight training period.
The number of fellow cyclists was relatively huge this morning. Among them were the tandem father-daughter team of Gary and Amy. And a shirtless runner with a white dog as a running companion, though I noticed much more the runner's superb back and arms. So much so that I took a long backward glance at his firm chest and gave him a wolf whistle.
Ride conditions
Temperature: 63 to 67°F at 07:15, 75°F at 09:30
Precipitation: none
Winds: calm
Clothing: Skinsuit, ankle socks, open-finger gloves.
Bike: Lotus Legend fixed gear
Time: 00:41:22 for 11.97 miles
Heart rate: 136 bpm average, 160 bpm maximum
Bikeway users: 19 cyclists, 5 pedestrians, 1 dog
Here is a playback of the ride.
08 March 2011
Bike commute day 3, to work
Temperatures: 34°F at 07:10, 36°F at 09:10
Clothing: Top with 3 layers (longsleeve poly-Spandex Reebok shirt, longsleeve skinsuit, closely-woven wool-acrylic cycling jacket); Bottom with 2 layers (skinsuit, Lycra tights); ankle socks; quilted gloves. (Cool, but comfortable body.)
Time: 0:53:xx for 12.5 miles
I opened this posting at 07:10 or 07:15, knowing I need to speed up my preparations to get out the door and on the bike. I had awakened this morning still tired, from a weird dream where my family doctor Barry was encouraging me to compete in the Gay Games coming up, in raquetball or swimming, and Chuck to compete in cycling. Still groggy, I struggled to slip off the wrist supports that I sleep with and shushed Howard from his snuffing and sneezing at my bare legs. Then up to tap off the alarm and pee, followed by my daily weigh-in. "Damn! 169 pounds, it says." So I pick up the 10-pound dumbbell beside the scale, step on again, let it register, step off and set down the weight, and step on again to see that the reading is now 168.0. I take that as the most accuracy I can get—"gotta get a more reliable scale," I think, write it on the weight record, and pull on some gym shorts and a tee. After I let Howard out of the bedroom and turn on the poster light over the stairs, I accompany him downstairs and to the kitchen. It's 05:39, time enough for the routine of turn on WYSO for Morning Edition, make a double latte, let Howard out, cut a slice of bread for toast, let Howard in, let Howard get the Wall Street Journal, sit and read the paper and take my daily pills and feed Howard in four portions of kibble, make another double latte, take Howard out to poop, bring him in and treat his ears with a fungus cleanser-preventer, treat him to a chondroitin, sit at the computer to check my email and record the morning temperature in the draft my blog. And today's routine has an added trip upstairs to place a bill on the printer-scanner, back downstairs to scan it to a file, enter the bill information in my spreadsheet, send the bill's due date and amount and scan to Chuck, and check for any recent payments that Chuck has made. That's why I sat writing at ten minutes after 7, "I've gotta hurry up if I wanna ride today. I still need to poop and dress for the ride. I've been tired this morning, not enough to keep from riding today, since it's supposed to rain tonight and tomorrow." So I pushed out of the chair, headed upstairs for—as they said in the 18th Century—"my toilette" that includes putting in my contact lenses, the poop, flossing and brushing teeth, applying D+T ointment, and trading the gym clothes for the riding kit. Downstairs, I assemble any stray items and cash into my backpack, decide what layers I need to wear and which to pack with, roll the bike out to the stoop, and close the door. Whew! finally ready, at 07:34 today, about 15 minutes later than what I think is optimal and about 10 minutes earlier than what I think is a point of baling out on the ride.
The clock times given are about 20 minutes off, as given on my bike computer.
07:55—departing from home. At my corner, a school bus was stopped to pick up students. I entered the intersection and turned to continue on Princeton, but stopped for the school bus. The driver waved me on, and pulled in his stop sign, which he realized was my reason for stopping. What a nice gesture.
From the Monument Avenue bridge, the Miami River level was a bit lower than yesterday. The forms of the flanks of the low dam were discernable underneath the flowing water. This has become a usual path during the flooding: the gravel path under the YMCA, sidewalk to the Main Street-Monument intersection, through Riverscape Park. The railing down to the river was flooded only to 2 feet above the bikeway.
08:08—passing the zig-zag up from the Mad River Bikeway. This is a notable minute less than yesterday—but an approximate time, since I noticed the computer only after about a quarter mile past the checkpoint. The Mad River bikeway was flooded again, but only to a point where the bikeway was just visible under the muddy water. Of course, still nothing to bike through. The Monument Avenue route had moments of disgusting truck exhaust, where diesel engines were idling at the Rumpke plant and other places. About a quarter mile after Findlay Avenue, after I signaled to turn onto the grass that leads to the above-river bikeway, a chugging hatchback driver ignored or misunderstood my signal and passed me. No big deal, since I noticed he had been on the left side of the road most of the long block, to avoid the big divots that Winter had taken out of the road.
08:22—passing the west gate to Eastwood Park. A minute more than yesterday. Run-off from the hills above the transition at Smithville and Springfield was completely fluid across the bikeway. No cross traffic at Airway, and extremely light traffic at Burkhardt.
08:35—passing the trestle remains at Linden. A minute faster than yesterday. No traffic at Linden. Beyond the graffiti wall, I saw one of the regulars that I've come to know over several years of bike commuting. We've never stopped to talk, but I call him Double-Dog-Jason. This dark-haired man in his late 30s always has two dogs towing him along, and he always has a pair of flightline headphones that usually don't prevent him from saying hello. I've seen him walking south on Woodman, in part of the same circuit, and he is relatively exact in the timing of his walk. His return to a routine reminded me of others who should be again on this part of the bikeway soon: Millie and ...Ethel, Eunice? (two women in their 70s or 80s whose husbands have various health issues; at the moment the one who is more easily brought to visualization is withholding her name in my memory banks), Becky (an owner and walker of a pack of rescue dogs, including an old Lab and a St. Bernard), Gary and Amy (a father and daughter who make a daily tandem out-and-back to the Riverscape from this area). My thoughts have stayed with me to my crossing at Woodman, which had no traffic, and brought me to remember other unnamed regulars who I have frequently seen in the quarter mile from Woodman to Founders. The section seems easier, quicker, almost downhill, and I think that the ease comes from having had 40 minutes of warm-up riding. Something that I never learned to use while I was competing in my early 40s.
08:48—arriving at work. Two minutes earlier than yesterday, and a minute less through the overall route. I've taken the ride up a bit in intensity, and still feel good, not drained.
Clothing: Top with 3 layers (longsleeve poly-Spandex Reebok shirt, longsleeve skinsuit, closely-woven wool-acrylic cycling jacket); Bottom with 2 layers (skinsuit, Lycra tights); ankle socks; quilted gloves. (Cool, but comfortable body.)
Time: 0:53:xx for 12.5 miles
I opened this posting at 07:10 or 07:15, knowing I need to speed up my preparations to get out the door and on the bike. I had awakened this morning still tired, from a weird dream where my family doctor Barry was encouraging me to compete in the Gay Games coming up, in raquetball or swimming, and Chuck to compete in cycling. Still groggy, I struggled to slip off the wrist supports that I sleep with and shushed Howard from his snuffing and sneezing at my bare legs. Then up to tap off the alarm and pee, followed by my daily weigh-in. "Damn! 169 pounds, it says." So I pick up the 10-pound dumbbell beside the scale, step on again, let it register, step off and set down the weight, and step on again to see that the reading is now 168.0. I take that as the most accuracy I can get—"gotta get a more reliable scale," I think, write it on the weight record, and pull on some gym shorts and a tee. After I let Howard out of the bedroom and turn on the poster light over the stairs, I accompany him downstairs and to the kitchen. It's 05:39, time enough for the routine of turn on WYSO for Morning Edition, make a double latte, let Howard out, cut a slice of bread for toast, let Howard in, let Howard get the Wall Street Journal, sit and read the paper and take my daily pills and feed Howard in four portions of kibble, make another double latte, take Howard out to poop, bring him in and treat his ears with a fungus cleanser-preventer, treat him to a chondroitin, sit at the computer to check my email and record the morning temperature in the draft my blog. And today's routine has an added trip upstairs to place a bill on the printer-scanner, back downstairs to scan it to a file, enter the bill information in my spreadsheet, send the bill's due date and amount and scan to Chuck, and check for any recent payments that Chuck has made. That's why I sat writing at ten minutes after 7, "I've gotta hurry up if I wanna ride today. I still need to poop and dress for the ride. I've been tired this morning, not enough to keep from riding today, since it's supposed to rain tonight and tomorrow." So I pushed out of the chair, headed upstairs for—as they said in the 18th Century—"my toilette" that includes putting in my contact lenses, the poop, flossing and brushing teeth, applying D+T ointment, and trading the gym clothes for the riding kit. Downstairs, I assemble any stray items and cash into my backpack, decide what layers I need to wear and which to pack with, roll the bike out to the stoop, and close the door. Whew! finally ready, at 07:34 today, about 15 minutes later than what I think is optimal and about 10 minutes earlier than what I think is a point of baling out on the ride.
The clock times given are about 20 minutes off, as given on my bike computer.
07:55—departing from home. At my corner, a school bus was stopped to pick up students. I entered the intersection and turned to continue on Princeton, but stopped for the school bus. The driver waved me on, and pulled in his stop sign, which he realized was my reason for stopping. What a nice gesture.
From the Monument Avenue bridge, the Miami River level was a bit lower than yesterday. The forms of the flanks of the low dam were discernable underneath the flowing water. This has become a usual path during the flooding: the gravel path under the YMCA, sidewalk to the Main Street-Monument intersection, through Riverscape Park. The railing down to the river was flooded only to 2 feet above the bikeway.
08:08—passing the zig-zag up from the Mad River Bikeway. This is a notable minute less than yesterday—but an approximate time, since I noticed the computer only after about a quarter mile past the checkpoint. The Mad River bikeway was flooded again, but only to a point where the bikeway was just visible under the muddy water. Of course, still nothing to bike through. The Monument Avenue route had moments of disgusting truck exhaust, where diesel engines were idling at the Rumpke plant and other places. About a quarter mile after Findlay Avenue, after I signaled to turn onto the grass that leads to the above-river bikeway, a chugging hatchback driver ignored or misunderstood my signal and passed me. No big deal, since I noticed he had been on the left side of the road most of the long block, to avoid the big divots that Winter had taken out of the road.
08:22—passing the west gate to Eastwood Park. A minute more than yesterday. Run-off from the hills above the transition at Smithville and Springfield was completely fluid across the bikeway. No cross traffic at Airway, and extremely light traffic at Burkhardt.
08:35—passing the trestle remains at Linden. A minute faster than yesterday. No traffic at Linden. Beyond the graffiti wall, I saw one of the regulars that I've come to know over several years of bike commuting. We've never stopped to talk, but I call him Double-Dog-Jason. This dark-haired man in his late 30s always has two dogs towing him along, and he always has a pair of flightline headphones that usually don't prevent him from saying hello. I've seen him walking south on Woodman, in part of the same circuit, and he is relatively exact in the timing of his walk. His return to a routine reminded me of others who should be again on this part of the bikeway soon: Millie and ...Ethel, Eunice? (two women in their 70s or 80s whose husbands have various health issues; at the moment the one who is more easily brought to visualization is withholding her name in my memory banks), Becky (an owner and walker of a pack of rescue dogs, including an old Lab and a St. Bernard), Gary and Amy (a father and daughter who make a daily tandem out-and-back to the Riverscape from this area). My thoughts have stayed with me to my crossing at Woodman, which had no traffic, and brought me to remember other unnamed regulars who I have frequently seen in the quarter mile from Woodman to Founders. The section seems easier, quicker, almost downhill, and I think that the ease comes from having had 40 minutes of warm-up riding. Something that I never learned to use while I was competing in my early 40s.
08:48—arriving at work. Two minutes earlier than yesterday, and a minute less through the overall route. I've taken the ride up a bit in intensity, and still feel good, not drained.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)