The Huffman Connector

Monday, 18 February 2013

Today was a slog, riding my trail bike on the bikeway so I could explore the Huffman Connector.

 The bikeway in Eastwood Park has a rough layer of asphalt that stretches from the lagoon, east through the park, and under Harshman Road along the Mad River.

After the Mad River underpass, the rough asphalt layer climbs to the entrance to the Dayton Well Fields.

 The path is dug to an existing underpass of the railway, though the whole area is water logged from seepage from underneath Harshman Road. I suspect this will be a problem that requires further engineering to answer the wet conditions before applying underlayment and asphalt to the path.

The underpass was built in 1918, as attested by a date on the south approach. I guess that it was built by the railway company to allow higher speeds and eliminate infringement of auto traffic.

The connector work is in progress on the segment that closely parallels Springfield Pike and skirts the west and south edges of old Harshmanville. Almost the entire reach is in various stages from the Harshman Mansion to the railway underpass near the merge of Springfield Pike and Highway 444.



A few segments have a well-rolled rock underlayment, 

some segments have the top layers of dirt scraped away, other segments have a loose dressing of crushed rock, and others have a lightly compacted rock. The next coating of a rough asphalt will not be laid until all the path is at the same readiness.

The digging stops neatly at the boundary marker of Riverside, just a dozen feet from crossing into Greene County.


Inside Greene County, much detail work awaits final surveys and on-the-ground planning. Construction will include rerouting Springfield Pike into a two-lane underpass of the railway. The west arch of the underpass will be reserved for bike traffic, the east for auto.




After the railway underpass, the bikeway will curve into a 3-turn zig-zag down to an existing rough trail. This trail will be upgraded to bikeway standards, and it will climb Huffman Dam in another zig-zag.

Perhaps in late spring, the full routing from Eastwood Park to Huffman Dam will receive the final smooth coat.

Ride conditions
Temperature: 50 to 56.7°F at 13:57 to 16:09
Precipitation: none
Winds: 5 to 16 mph from the southwest
Clothing: Skinsuit, longsleeve undershirt, ankle socks, open-finger gloves
Bike: Mongoose MGX-D40 trail
Time: 02:12 for 18.6 miles
Heart rate: no data
Bikeway users: 13 cyclists, 23 pedestrians

Thursday, 14 February 2013

After a day of honing a sales proposal and making bunches of sales calls, I was able to break away for errands and a ride at 3 p.m. First to the library to drop off some CDs that were due today, then a visit with Lucy Siefker at FiveRivers MetroParks to talk about volunteer plans for the season.

Before 4, I was on the Mad River Bikeway, flowing with the gusty winds from the southwest. At Eastwood, I crossed the lagoon and zipped up the rough underlayment for the new bike path toward Huffman Dam.Though the paving carried me only to the well field overlook of the Harshman Mansion, I saw significant developments.

• The tunnel underneath the active railway is fully excavated and all the obstructing wiring had been relocated.
• The 20-ft descent to the tunnel is cut away into a flowing curve that flows down into the embankment.
• The descent has its final sloping, though it is still a slowly drying, clay layer. Perhaps in the next month a rough asphalt underlayment can be placed.

My next visit to the trail has to be with my trail bike or the hybrid bike, so I can explore the trail between the railway underpass and Harshmanville, and from Harshmanville up to Huffman Dam. Doug Schauer reported that the underpass on Springfield Street has already been divided into one lane for bicycles and the other for autos.

On my way back, fighting the wind and winning, I met Lucy Siefker running the trail with her bud, Jorge Sanchez.

Ride conditions
Temperature: 46°F at 16:45
Precipitation: none
Winds: 17 to 22 mph (gusts to 31) from the west southwest
Clothing: Skinsuit, longsleeve undershirt, ankle socks, open-finger gloves
Bike: Lotus Legend fixed 48x16
Time: 00:55:00 (15:45 to 16:40) for 15.33 miles
Heart rate: no data
Bikeway users: 7 cyclists, 4 pedestrians

Errands become exploration

Wednesday, 21 November 2012

Well, it started out as an errand. I had to deliver a letter to the post office, so it could get on its way as soon as possible. So that's an excuse for a bike ride, right? And while I was going to visit my favorite postal clerk, it was also an excuse to buy several stamps for the company business.

The clerk was her usual friendly self, and our conversation led me to think of going to the gym or taking a bit of a ride. Since the day was bright and a warm 60° F. Since the afternoon marked the beginning of a long holiday weekend. Since I wanted to put off the 7 files of proofreading work waiting in my inbox.

So I headed to the bikeway along the Mad River. But at Eastwood Park, instead of heading south to the gym, I remembered the photos of the new bikeway construction recently posted by the Wright State Riders, and I crossed the lagoon to reach the connector now in development.

The new bikeway is in the third stage of development. The gravel underlayment has been covered by a rough asphalt layer that's nearly level with the surrounding turf. It's fairly clean, though dirt clods on the surface indicate that construction equipment is still active. I squeezed past a small front-loader that was at rest while a crew took a break, and continued on through sparse forested areas and meadows, and then out of the park by passing underneath Harshman Road at the Mad River bridge. The bikeway takes a sharp right, paralleling the street, and the pavement comes to an abrupt end overlooking a stretch of railway, just in sight of the old Harshman Mansion off of Springfield Pike.

From earlier supervision from car trips, I know the path continues between Harshman Road and the mansion as a graded cut into the turf, and that it turns east before it reaches Springfield Pike and ends before it reaches the small cluster of homes that once were known as Huberville. Supposedly, the bikeway will take over one of the lanes of Springfield Pike as it passes underneath the railway and Highway 4. Then it will break away again up to Huffman Dam, where it will join the Huffman Prairie Bikeway that joins Huffman Metropark with Wright State University and Fairborn.

More information on construction as of 18 Feb 2013.

Ride conditions
Temperature: 61°F at 13:45
Precipitation: none
Winds: calm
Clothing: Skinsuit, longsleeve undershirt, ankle socks, tights, open-finger gloves
Bike: Lotus Legend fixed 48x16
Time/distance: no estimates
Heart rate: no data

Why I'm not commuting

Saturday, 17 November 2012

Today was cool, but great for a two-layer ride. And this was my first ride in a couple weeks, during a long fallow period of riding because of classes taken at Wright State. And for other reasons.

What's been keeping me from commuting
It has been 9 months since I commuted to work regularly by bike. My last work commute was a day before Eastman Kodak "offered" me "early retirement." On the same day they served lay-off notices to the first 30% wave of their employees. Over that period, I've been rethinking what it must mean now to use my bicycle in a meaningful way that relates to commuting by bike, now that my workplace is my home.

I've been busy in the past 9 months, busier even than when I was a direct employee. The time saw a change in mindset from job hunting to building a viable business. Eastman Kodak provided 8 weeks of coaching for the job hunt, hosted by Judith Schimpf, a sensitive facilitator at Lee Hecht Harrison. I ended the sessions early to start taking Summer classes in marketing at Wright State. I started with the basic Introduction to Marketing, taught by Dr. Wakiuru Wamwara-Mbugua, whose pre-professorial experience included several demographic and interest group studies. Then I completed the Summer with Entrepreneurial Small Business, taught by Dr. Kendall Goodrich. His background includes management positions in large companies' marketing departments, and his advice superbly guided the building of a Business Plan for what was to become my company. And now I'm studying College Algebra, a pre-requisite for taking Managerial Finance.

At least since the Entrepreneurship class, my business Documentorium has been gestating. I've become more receptive to contracts instead of a direct position (though Chuck is much less comfortable with the idea than I). I've designed a simple business card and brochure, with stationery to match. I've gone to two trade shows now, and  I have planned and started an approach to contacting target clients. I've been practicing my Elevator Pitch in phone calls and meetings. It's getting honed and focused as I use it. Best news: I've been active with a couple contracted jobs, though I'm not working full-time yet in a writing capacity. So where I have available time, I spend it in administrative and sales activities.

What's been my biking activity—and hope
In this time of transition, I've biked to the local post office when I had books to deliver after they sold from our Amazon storefront, Words and Beyond. I biked also a few times to the Second Street Market. But for the most part, my bike leaned on the wall while I drove to classes at Wright State University and to errands.

I know that the direct route to Wright State is not one I want to use for biking. Way back in 1980, I had taken the route along Colonel Glenn Highway and Airway. Even then the traffic was extraordinarily heavy, and it's worse—much worse—now. There is good news, though; construction is underway on a dedicated route that can end at the university. Perhaps as soon as late Spring 2013, Five Rivers MetroParks will complete a connector between Eastwood Park and Huffman Dam. Then the route will be indirect, but safe—a ride of 12 miles that should be easily done in 50 minutes.

Reconsidering the bike commute
So working from home means rethinking what a commute is. One alternative: take a morning ride to prepare for work at home or a late afternoon ride to mark the end of the workday at home. Another alternative: use more errands as opportunities for bike commuting. Another alternative: rethink my comfort level, so I can dress in casual business instead of cycling lycra and arrive at a destination without needing a shower.

Today's ride conditions
I started out around 3 p.m., took the bikeways to the gym that was known as Cardinal Fitness (now it's Every Body Fitness), and turned around for the return trip. I checked my time about a mile after the turnaround: 4:19. Then after coming up from the bikeway and riding the neighborhood streets back home, I saw Marty Moseman and talked with her for a bit before I got home at 5:10.

Temperature: 53 to 59°F at 16:45
Precipitation: none
Winds: 5 to 15 mph from the south and east
Clothing: Skinsuit, longsleeve undershirt, ankle socks, light tights, open-finger gloves
Bike: Lotus Legend fixed 48x16
Time: about 2:00:00 for about 26 miles
Heart rate: no data
Bikeway users: no data

Metroparks training and a ride—Armstrong update

Thursday, 23 August 2012
My ride today was partially transportation (getting to an evening volunteers' meeting for Five Rivers Metroparks) and part recreation (a ride up the Stillwater Trail to Needmore Avenue, and the return home). Gentle stuff, and a good balance to the morning spent driving to several errands, including to the bookstore at Wright State.
One of these days, there may be a safe and sane way to Wright State by bike. Just not yet. These three routes all involve riding among fast traffic.

• From the Creekside Trailhead at Eastwood Park, up Springfield Street to its intersection with the Wright Brothers-Huffman Prairie Trail, to the north side of the WSU campus. Springfield Street is especially busy at the Air Force rush hours of 6:30 to 8:30 a.m. and 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. 5.64 miles.
• From the Creekside Trail intersection with Airway Avenue, up Colonel Glenn to the southwest corner of the WSU campus. Traffic flows between 45 and 55 mph, and shoulders are non-existent or very narrow. 5.19 miles.
• From the Creekside Trail intersection with Grange Hall Road, up Grange Hall and residential streets in Beavercreek to cross U.S. 35 at Grange Hall, and then Colonel Glenn to the southwest corner of the WSU campus. Traffic flows on Grange Hall at 45 mph, on Colonel Glenn at 45 to 55 mph, and shoulders are non-existent. 12.42 miles.

The distances given have a starting point at the south gate of Eastwood Park and an ending point at the Quad on the WSU campus.

About a year from now, the best route will use the connector now in construction between Eastwood Park and Huffman Dam. 6.21 miles.

Lance Acquiesces, USADA Strips Records

The L.A. Times reports that Lance Armstrong has given up in his fight against the charges by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency that Armstrong used banned substances since 1996, including the blood-booster EPO and steroids. Soon after, the USADA announced that it will ban Armstrong from cycling for life and strip him of his titles, including seven Tour de France victories.

Now the titles have been passed to

• 1999—Alex Zülle of Switzerland, in the Banesto team, whose total time behind Mr. Armstrong was 7:37. In 1998, Mr. Zülle was part of the Festina team, which was banned from the 1998 Tour de France amid doping allegations Five Festina riders including Zülle admitted taking EPO.
• 2000—Jan Ullrich of Germany, in the 2000 Telekom team, who was behind Mr. Armstrong by 6:02. Mr. Ullrich  won a gold medal and a silver medal in the 2000 Olympics.
• 2001—Jan Ullrich, who was behind Mr. Armstrong by 6:44.  In this Tour, Mr. Armstrong crashed and Mr. Ullrich waited for his competitor to resaddle and rejoin the race.
• 2002—Joseba Beloki of Spain, riding in the 2000 Once team, who was behind Mr. Armstrong by 7:17.  Mr. Beloki had finished third in the 2001 Tour de France, and performed well in the 2002 Vuelta à Espanña.
• 2003—Jan Ullrich, who was behind Mr. Armstrong by 1:01.  Again in this Tour, Mr. Armstrong crashed after catching a musette, and again Mr. Ullrich waited until his rival had rejoined the race.
• 2004—Andreas Klöden of Germany, riding in the T-Mobile team, who was 6:19 behind Mr. Armstrong. Mr. Klöden had competed with honors in 2003, was national road race champion in 2004, and did well for several following years. However, it was alleged that he had received an illegal blood transfusion during the 2006 Tour de France.
• 2005—Ivan Basso of Italy, riding in Team CSC, who finished 4:40 behind Mr. Armstrong. Mr. Basso was banned from racing in the 2006 Tour because of alleged blood doping under Dr. Fuentes in a Spanish clinic.

So what does this mean—to the reputation of Lance Armstrong, to the records of professional cycling, and to the fans of professional cycling?

I hold that Mr. Armstrong will long be considered the notable champion who won—unofficially after all—seven consecutive yellow jerseys. Whether through doping or "clean" efforts, his endurance, power, team leadership, and tactical keenness cannot be denied. The Tour de France is much more than a merely physical feat. Any winner deserves note. (Let us relieve even Floyd Landis of his lasting irritation!)

I believe that, though the USADA and other sports agencies have won through persistence, this may mark the beginning of their demise. Perhaps there may rise parallel sporing events, one track for untested competitors who make no claims of "clean" effort, the other track for undoped competitors who attest and may be tested to compete without drug enhancements. The events could be held with intermixed starts and with award ceremonies that honor both classes of athletes separately.

The possibility reminds me of the short story "Games Without Frontiers" by P. Klein, in which the athlete protagonist, "Al was of a privileged class. His genetics determined that he would respond well, not only to intense physical training and stress, but to the many drugs and nutritional supplements which would be injected, fed (force-fed if necessary), and inhaled by the athlete in the course of his training and competition. ...He basked in chemical glows, byproducts of the masses of steroids, branched-chain amino acids, and euphorics he was given."^{Mach 18, June 1989} And in the stadium, the roar of the crowd was not distinguishable from a roar in his head.

I believe that fandom can well broaden to celebrate both clean and doped athletes. After all, doping has a long history, and media has celebrated powerful athletes more than once while winking about the purported lack of drugs.

Ride conditions

Temperature: 69°F at 19:45
Precipitation: none
Winds: 3 mph
Clothing: Skinsuit, ankle socks, open-finger gloves
Bike: Lotus Legend fixed 48x16
Time: 1:01:08 for 15.26 miles
Heart rate: 123 bpm HRave, 154 bpm HRmax
Playback of the ride

Getting Ready to Commute Again

Wednesday, 22 August 2012

I've been off regular riding for more than ten weeks, due to Summer classes I've been taking at Wright State University. Then before that, I had no workday commute, since my work was at home, looking for a new employer. Now with two As on my transcript and after a couple companies have contacted me on my submitted resumé, it seems to be time to get back into commuting shape. Who knows where I'll be working, but it may be soon. (I hope.)

Today's ride was a leisurely 14.6 mph, starting with a book delivery to the Post Office and continuing on to the gym at Forrer and Smithville. (It used to be Cardinal Fitness, but a new owner has changed the name to Every Body Fitness.) The ride included a half-hour upper body workout of fairly low intensity.

I included a short leg out the drive from the Eastwood lagoons to the park entrance on Woodman, to check out the new construction of the connector to Huffman Park. The bikeway is staked out through Eastwood to its route underneath the bridge over the Mad River, and most of the path has received initial scraping. The equipment was actively scraping in mid-afternoon, and only a quarter mile remained unscraped in the park. I spoke to one of the men as he took a break in his pickup. They plan to complete the underlayment of gravel this year, and to apply asphalt in early 2013. The bikeway should be open by Summer 2013.

I told him that he should be proud of the work being done, since it provides a much needed link between Eastwood and Huffman parks. And an indirect, but important connection to Wright State University.

The construction of Highway 35 continues, and the Iron Horse Trail is broken into loose dirt just south of its juncture with the Creekside Trail. However, even during periods of actual work, the crews allow passage when it's safe to do so. The gates at either end of the bikeway through the construction area are movable—and light enough for almost anyone—to allow easy access.

Click here for information on other bikeway closures.

Charles Love

Charles experienced a solo crash this past Tuesday that left him with abrasions and a broken clavicle. But he's still smiling, and his bike is OK.

Ride conditions

Temperature: 84°F at 14:45
Precipitation: none
Winds: Variable 3.5 mph
Clothing: Skinsuit, ankle socks, open-finger gloves
Bike: Lotus Legend fixed 48x16
Time:  1:43:04  for  25.32 mi  miles
Heart rate: 131 bpm HRave, 157 bpm HRmax
Bikeway users: no count
Playback of the ride