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.
27 June 2011
23 June 2011
Bike-commute day 42—to gym and almost home
Wednesday, 22 June 2011.
The weather was perfect as I left work, though the sky was filled with growing cumulo-congestus clouds and variable winds were buffeting the trees in the parking lot. Generally the wind was from the south, so I anticipated a quick ride up to Eastwood Park—enough time, I thought, to make a quick side trip to the gym and do some shoulder and arm exercises.
On my way to the gym from the Woodbine crossing, I saw a guy in his pickup who I had seen often working in his garden. I turned around for an introduction—his name is Scott—and a bit of information about each other. He recognized me from my passings to and from the gym, and mentioned his former use of a bike that now hangs on pegs in his garage, his promise to his wife that he might buy her a "recumbent tricycle," and his knowledge that the bikeway is so close. He also spoke of his trade recently of his gardening services for a window-installed air conditioner, and that the trade meant several hours per week of visiting his friend's home for the garden work. I mentioned my stop at the gym on my bike-commute, and he nodded in corroboration of what he assumed had been the case.
He was gone when I biked back from the gym, and the winds had kept their strength and direction, so I arrived at Eastwood Park in faster time than usual. The winds were not at all against me as I headed west-southwest along the Mad River, but the heavy cloud cover had turned ominous. I saw cumulo-nimbus forming above where I assumed Moraine lay, and possible wisps of rain falling in the area of Trotwood. With just the right timing, I could make it home before sprinkles dropped at home. I warned Rick the Walker as I passed him that he might not make his return before the storm.
As I dropped through the underpass to Findlay Street bridge, I noticed a severe wobbling in my front wheel, and I slowed to ease the angled response needed for the turn. The wobbling increased, and the front wheel softened as I slowed to a stop: the tire was flat. Well, that means I won't beat the storm home, even with the fastest of tube changes. Better call Chuck, since the storm could be severe. He was out shopping at the Siebenthaler Kroger, and I gave him my location for picking me up.
I walked the bike up to the corner of Monument and Findlay, where Chuck would expect to see me, and began to replace the tube. By the time I loosened the nuts, pulled off the wheel, pried off the tire bead, and replaced the tube, light sprinkles started to fall. As I thumbed the bead into the rim and pumped up the tire, the sprinkles had turned to a light rain. Worse weather was on its way from downtown, and I saw Chuck coming from the same direction.
I returned my tools to the seat pouch, packed my bike and the front tire separately into the back seat, and took the passenger seat. The storm unleashed itself as we left the gravel side lot, and became more and more ferocious as we headed west on Monument. Chuck was full of I-told-you-so about the day's prediction of rain and I-worry-about-you for the potentially unsafe riding conditions. I, defensive, argued that I, but for the flat, would have been home before the storm had reached this intensity. The topic shifted and returned and shifted again as we turned onto Salem and toward the last mile home.
Ride conditions
Temperature: 79 to 84°F at 17:15
Precipitation: none, until the flat, then an extremely heavy thunderstorm
Winds: 5 to 15 from the southwest
Clothing: Skinsuit, ankle socks, open-finger gloves.
Bike: Lotus Legend fixed gear
Time: 00:40:07 for 11.45 miles
Heart rate: 125 bpm HRave, 144 bpm HRmax
Bikeway users: 18+6 cyclists,* 2 pedestrians, 1 dog
Here is a playback of the ride.
*6 bikes parked or laid beside the bikeway, riders not seen
Postscript
I checked the tube replacement on Thursday morning, reseated the tube, and shook in a lubricating dose of baby powder. Some time after returning the wheel to the front fork and inflating to riding pressure, I heard a huge POP! and the tube had exploded the tire off the rim. So Thursday became a drive day.
The weather was perfect as I left work, though the sky was filled with growing cumulo-congestus clouds and variable winds were buffeting the trees in the parking lot. Generally the wind was from the south, so I anticipated a quick ride up to Eastwood Park—enough time, I thought, to make a quick side trip to the gym and do some shoulder and arm exercises.
On my way to the gym from the Woodbine crossing, I saw a guy in his pickup who I had seen often working in his garden. I turned around for an introduction—his name is Scott—and a bit of information about each other. He recognized me from my passings to and from the gym, and mentioned his former use of a bike that now hangs on pegs in his garage, his promise to his wife that he might buy her a "recumbent tricycle," and his knowledge that the bikeway is so close. He also spoke of his trade recently of his gardening services for a window-installed air conditioner, and that the trade meant several hours per week of visiting his friend's home for the garden work. I mentioned my stop at the gym on my bike-commute, and he nodded in corroboration of what he assumed had been the case.
He was gone when I biked back from the gym, and the winds had kept their strength and direction, so I arrived at Eastwood Park in faster time than usual. The winds were not at all against me as I headed west-southwest along the Mad River, but the heavy cloud cover had turned ominous. I saw cumulo-nimbus forming above where I assumed Moraine lay, and possible wisps of rain falling in the area of Trotwood. With just the right timing, I could make it home before sprinkles dropped at home. I warned Rick the Walker as I passed him that he might not make his return before the storm.
As I dropped through the underpass to Findlay Street bridge, I noticed a severe wobbling in my front wheel, and I slowed to ease the angled response needed for the turn. The wobbling increased, and the front wheel softened as I slowed to a stop: the tire was flat. Well, that means I won't beat the storm home, even with the fastest of tube changes. Better call Chuck, since the storm could be severe. He was out shopping at the Siebenthaler Kroger, and I gave him my location for picking me up.
I walked the bike up to the corner of Monument and Findlay, where Chuck would expect to see me, and began to replace the tube. By the time I loosened the nuts, pulled off the wheel, pried off the tire bead, and replaced the tube, light sprinkles started to fall. As I thumbed the bead into the rim and pumped up the tire, the sprinkles had turned to a light rain. Worse weather was on its way from downtown, and I saw Chuck coming from the same direction.
I returned my tools to the seat pouch, packed my bike and the front tire separately into the back seat, and took the passenger seat. The storm unleashed itself as we left the gravel side lot, and became more and more ferocious as we headed west on Monument. Chuck was full of I-told-you-so about the day's prediction of rain and I-worry-about-you for the potentially unsafe riding conditions. I, defensive, argued that I, but for the flat, would have been home before the storm had reached this intensity. The topic shifted and returned and shifted again as we turned onto Salem and toward the last mile home.
Ride conditions
Temperature: 79 to 84°F at 17:15
Precipitation: none, until the flat, then an extremely heavy thunderstorm
Winds: 5 to 15 from the southwest
Clothing: Skinsuit, ankle socks, open-finger gloves.
Bike: Lotus Legend fixed gear
Time: 00:40:07 for 11.45 miles
Heart rate: 125 bpm HRave, 144 bpm HRmax
Bikeway users: 18+6 cyclists,* 2 pedestrians, 1 dog
Here is a playback of the ride.
*6 bikes parked or laid beside the bikeway, riders not seen
Postscript
I checked the tube replacement on Thursday morning, reseated the tube, and shook in a lubricating dose of baby powder. Some time after returning the wheel to the front fork and inflating to riding pressure, I heard a huge POP! and the tube had exploded the tire off the rim. So Thursday became a drive day.
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.
21 June 2011
Bike-commute day 41—to home
Tuesday, 21 June 2011.
Totally refreshed by a double-tall glass of liquids sipped throughout the afternoon and also benefiting from the cooler temperatures, my route home was swift, even along the Mad River with headwinds pushing back at my cadence.
After a short workday, which started at 14:00, I took advantage of the Summer Solstice by leaving work after 19:00, with enough sunlight to provide lots of visibility through my arrival home by 8 p.m..
Ride conditions
Temperature: 71 to 74°F at 16:45
Precipitation: moderate rainfall around 17:00, wet bikeway for about 20%
Winds: 5 to 10 from the southwest
Clothing: Skinsuit, ankle socks, open-finger gloves.
Bike: Lotus Legend fixed gear
Time: 00:41:53 for 12.01 miles
Heart rate: 134 bpm HRave, 162 bpm HRmax
Bikeway users: 13 cyclists, 11 pedestrians, 2 dogs
Here is a playback of the ride.
Totally refreshed by a double-tall glass of liquids sipped throughout the afternoon and also benefiting from the cooler temperatures, my route home was swift, even along the Mad River with headwinds pushing back at my cadence.
After a short workday, which started at 14:00, I took advantage of the Summer Solstice by leaving work after 19:00, with enough sunlight to provide lots of visibility through my arrival home by 8 p.m..
Ride conditions
Temperature: 71 to 74°F at 16:45
Precipitation: moderate rainfall around 17:00, wet bikeway for about 20%
Winds: 5 to 10 from the southwest
Clothing: Skinsuit, ankle socks, open-finger gloves.
Bike: Lotus Legend fixed gear
Time: 00:41:53 for 12.01 miles
Heart rate: 134 bpm HRave, 162 bpm HRmax
Bikeway users: 13 cyclists, 11 pedestrians, 2 dogs
Here is a playback of the ride.
Bike-commute day 41—to work
Tuesday, 21 June 2011.
Today Chuck had a colonoscopy, so I drove him to the treatment center, had breakfast with him at Hasty-Tasty Pancake House, took him back home, and then biked to work. The ride was good, but taxing at a record temperature for today. I've been a bit lethargic at work. I hope a large drink of water and juice will perk me up, prepare me for the return ride this evening.
Hydration —or rather, the lack of hydration—is a strange phenomenon. Dehydration can sneak up and leave you unaware that it is the cause of a loss of power. But you can force yourself past it, or take a sip that is enough to let you continue the exertion without quite replenishing the body's fluid needs. You can go a long period with just coaxing the body a bit more, and then just a touch more than that, pushing the dehydrated condition further and further beyond the edge. Then finally, suddenly the body responds adamantly that it can perform no more: full exhaustion, clammy flesh, lack of sweat production, and a gradual onset of real sickness that includes restlessness, overheating, vomiting, diarrhea, and headache. This is nothing to toy with. It can result in heat stroke and death. And if you start force-drinking fluids early enough, you can prevent death, though you may feel like dying.
A provider of a regular training email, Chris Carmichael, has this information about hydration.
Ride conditions
Temperature: 86 to 91°F at 13:05, 88 to 94°F at 15:05
Precipitation: none
Winds: 5 to 10 mph from the south-southwest
Clothing: Skinsuit, ankle socks, open-finger gloves.
Bike: Lotus Legend fixed gear
Time: 00:41:48 for 11.98 miles
Heart rate: 141 HRave, 154 HRmax
Bikeway users: 11 cyclists, 7 pedestrians
Here is a playback of the ride.
Today Chuck had a colonoscopy, so I drove him to the treatment center, had breakfast with him at Hasty-Tasty Pancake House, took him back home, and then biked to work. The ride was good, but taxing at a record temperature for today. I've been a bit lethargic at work. I hope a large drink of water and juice will perk me up, prepare me for the return ride this evening.
Hydration —or rather, the lack of hydration—is a strange phenomenon. Dehydration can sneak up and leave you unaware that it is the cause of a loss of power. But you can force yourself past it, or take a sip that is enough to let you continue the exertion without quite replenishing the body's fluid needs. You can go a long period with just coaxing the body a bit more, and then just a touch more than that, pushing the dehydrated condition further and further beyond the edge. Then finally, suddenly the body responds adamantly that it can perform no more: full exhaustion, clammy flesh, lack of sweat production, and a gradual onset of real sickness that includes restlessness, overheating, vomiting, diarrhea, and headache. This is nothing to toy with. It can result in heat stroke and death. And if you start force-drinking fluids early enough, you can prevent death, though you may feel like dying.
A provider of a regular training email, Chris Carmichael, has this information about hydration.
Ride conditions
Temperature: 86 to 91°F at 13:05, 88 to 94°F at 15:05
Precipitation: none
Winds: 5 to 10 mph from the south-southwest
Clothing: Skinsuit, ankle socks, open-finger gloves.
Bike: Lotus Legend fixed gear
Time: 00:41:48 for 11.98 miles
Heart rate: 141 HRave, 154 HRmax
Bikeway users: 11 cyclists, 7 pedestrians
Here is a playback of the ride.
20 June 2011
Bike-commute day 40—to home
Monday, 20 June 2011.
I joked with Joe, our floors janitor, "I hope you arranged for my dry ride home today." He assured me that it was all paid for.
Such is the power of paying for the weather. It was sprinkling as I stepped outside.
But the light rain let up almost as soon as I reached the crossing of Research Boulevard, and I had only the wet pavement to navigate as carefully as possible. Avoid the lane markings, especially the white paint. It's usually much slicker than even the yellow stripes. And once on the bikeway at Spaulding, even the painted markings diminished to the areas preceding the intersections across the streets.
I had fully recharged the Garmin device, and it functioned well, even with the heavy cloud cover. I skipped out on a side trip to the gym, in case the coming rain advanced more quickly than I guessed from the weather radar. After I cleared the bikeway under the canopy, the way was dry. So about 50% was wet or damp, and half was easily navigated.
Ride conditions
Temperature: 71 to 74°F at 16:45
Precipitation: moderate rainfall between 10 a.m. and noon, isolated showers in the afternoon, wet bikeway for about 50%
Winds: calm
Clothing: Skinsuit, ankle socks, open-finger gloves.
Bike: Lotus Legend fixed gear
Time: 00:44:22 for 12.00 miles
Heart rate: 117 bpm average, 141 bpm maximum
Bikeway users: 4 cyclists, 7 pedestrians, 1 dog
Here is a playback of the ride.
I joked with Joe, our floors janitor, "I hope you arranged for my dry ride home today." He assured me that it was all paid for.
Such is the power of paying for the weather. It was sprinkling as I stepped outside.
But the light rain let up almost as soon as I reached the crossing of Research Boulevard, and I had only the wet pavement to navigate as carefully as possible. Avoid the lane markings, especially the white paint. It's usually much slicker than even the yellow stripes. And once on the bikeway at Spaulding, even the painted markings diminished to the areas preceding the intersections across the streets.
I had fully recharged the Garmin device, and it functioned well, even with the heavy cloud cover. I skipped out on a side trip to the gym, in case the coming rain advanced more quickly than I guessed from the weather radar. After I cleared the bikeway under the canopy, the way was dry. So about 50% was wet or damp, and half was easily navigated.
Ride conditions
Temperature: 71 to 74°F at 16:45
Precipitation: moderate rainfall between 10 a.m. and noon, isolated showers in the afternoon, wet bikeway for about 50%
Winds: calm
Clothing: Skinsuit, ankle socks, open-finger gloves.
Bike: Lotus Legend fixed gear
Time: 00:44:22 for 12.00 miles
Heart rate: 117 bpm average, 141 bpm maximum
Bikeway users: 4 cyclists, 7 pedestrians, 1 dog
Here is a playback of the ride.
Bike-commute day 40—to work
Monday, 20 June 2011.
I had left the Garmin device on over the weekend, unused but attached to my bike. ...such was my cycling activity over the weekend. As I started out today at 08:22, the device displayed a warning that the battery was low. Within 90 seconds into the ride, the device went blank. I turned it on again at my first checkpoint, and it came to life only for about 15 seconds. Though I tried again at each checkpoint, the device remained dead through the rest of the ride.
The clock in the locker room read 09:08 when I arrived.
Ride conditions
Temperature: 62 to 70°F at 07:15
Precipitation: none, but threatening
Winds: calm
Clothing: Skinsuit, ankle socks, open-finger gloves.
Bike: Lotus Legend fixed gear
Time: about 00:56:00 for 11.97 miles
Heart rate: no data
Bikeway users: 4 cyclists, 7 pedestrians, 2 dogs
Here is a playback of the ride.
I had left the Garmin device on over the weekend, unused but attached to my bike. ...such was my cycling activity over the weekend. As I started out today at 08:22, the device displayed a warning that the battery was low. Within 90 seconds into the ride, the device went blank. I turned it on again at my first checkpoint, and it came to life only for about 15 seconds. Though I tried again at each checkpoint, the device remained dead through the rest of the ride.
The clock in the locker room read 09:08 when I arrived.
Ride conditions
Temperature: 62 to 70°F at 07:15
Precipitation: none, but threatening
Winds: calm
Clothing: Skinsuit, ankle socks, open-finger gloves.
Bike: Lotus Legend fixed gear
Time: about 00:56:00 for 11.97 miles
Heart rate: no data
Bikeway users: 4 cyclists, 7 pedestrians, 2 dogs
Here is a playback of the ride.
18 June 2011
Bike-commute day 39—to home
Friday, 17 June 2011.
Ride conditions
Temperature: 70 to 81°F at 17:05, 84°F at 18:55
Precipitation: none
Winds: calm to 10 mph, from the west
Clothing: Skinsuit, ankle socks, open-finger gloves.
Bike: Lotus Legend fixed gear
Time: 00:47:07 for 13.03 miles
Heart rate: 133 bpm average, 154 bpm maximum
Bikeway users: 22 cyclists, 10 pedestrians, 1 dog
Here is a playback of the ride.
Ride conditions
Temperature: 70 to 81°F at 17:05, 84°F at 18:55
Precipitation: none
Winds: calm to 10 mph, from the west
Clothing: Skinsuit, ankle socks, open-finger gloves.
Bike: Lotus Legend fixed gear
Time: 00:47:07 for 13.03 miles
Heart rate: 133 bpm average, 154 bpm maximum
Bikeway users: 22 cyclists, 10 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.
Bike-commute day 38—to home
Wednesday, 15 June 2011.
Quick ride home to arrive in time for a dinner Chuck plans to have ready at 6:30.
Ride conditions
Temperature: 65 to 68°F at 16:55, 69°F at 18:00
Precipitation: some through 14:00 that left about 10% of the route damp
Winds: calm
Clothing: Skinsuit, ankle socks, open-finger gloves.
Bike: Lotus Legend fixed gear
Time: 00:39:42 for 11.98 miles
Heart rate: 132 bpm average, 148 bpm maximum
Bikeway users: 16 cyclists, 10 pedestrians, 2 dogs
Here is a playback of the ride.
Quick ride home to arrive in time for a dinner Chuck plans to have ready at 6:30.
Ride conditions
Temperature: 65 to 68°F at 16:55, 69°F at 18:00
Precipitation: some through 14:00 that left about 10% of the route damp
Winds: calm
Clothing: Skinsuit, ankle socks, open-finger gloves.
Bike: Lotus Legend fixed gear
Time: 00:39:42 for 11.98 miles
Heart rate: 132 bpm average, 148 bpm maximum
Bikeway users: 16 cyclists, 10 pedestrians, 2 dogs
Here is a playback of the ride.
15 June 2011
Bike-commute day 38—to work
Wednesday, 15 June 2011.
My start today was the latest ever to get to work: 08:13. Usually I've decided to drive when I have too much to do and can't leave by 8 o'clock. But today was different: Chuck's car is in the drive, and that would mean a bit of musical chairs with the garage. So I decided to bike, no matter what, and pulled out whatever reserves I had to keep intensity up throughout the ride.
A FiveRivers Parks truck was exiting the maintenance compound as I passed out of Eastwood Park, and I stopped them to mention the need to sweep loose twigs on the corner a bit east of the yellow gate. While I'm at it, there are other housekeeping tasks for the bikeway segments that are part of my commute.
Ride conditions
Temperature: 59 to 61°F at 07:55, 63 to 66°F at 09:30
Precipitation: none
Winds: calm
Clothing: Skinsuit, ankle socks, open-finger gloves.
Bike: Lotus Legend fixed gear
Time: 00:42:58 for 11.99 miles
Heart rate: 132 bpm average, 156 bpm maximum
Bikeway users: 6 cyclists, 6 pedestrians, 1 dog
Here is a playback of the ride.
My start today was the latest ever to get to work: 08:13. Usually I've decided to drive when I have too much to do and can't leave by 8 o'clock. But today was different: Chuck's car is in the drive, and that would mean a bit of musical chairs with the garage. So I decided to bike, no matter what, and pulled out whatever reserves I had to keep intensity up throughout the ride.
A FiveRivers Parks truck was exiting the maintenance compound as I passed out of Eastwood Park, and I stopped them to mention the need to sweep loose twigs on the corner a bit east of the yellow gate. While I'm at it, there are other housekeeping tasks for the bikeway segments that are part of my commute.
- The ramp from the Monument Avenue bridge to the river-level bikeway has many loose stones and twigs, over its entire distance.
- The culvert crossing underneath the Main Street bridge has concrete washed away by the Spring flooding. Though a part of the washout has been filled with compacted dirt, the entire width needs attention with filler concrete or asphalt.
- A relatively small amount of stones litter the bikeway just west of the Findlay Street bridge.
- The intersection of the bikeway, North Smithville, and Springfield Street and the bikeway crossing of Smithville just a tenth mile south of that intersection still lack road markings for the crossing.
- Quite a few dropped walnuts litter the bikeway in several areas between Airway and Linden. I suspect the number will increase over the next two weeks.
- Almost all crossings would benefit from reapplication of paint and better approach signage at Airway, Burkhardt, Linden, Woodbine, Woodman, Spaulding north of the county waste treatment plant, and Spaulding at the crossing to Founders Drive
Ride conditions
Temperature: 59 to 61°F at 07:55, 63 to 66°F at 09:30
Precipitation: none
Winds: calm
Clothing: Skinsuit, ankle socks, open-finger gloves.
Bike: Lotus Legend fixed gear
Time: 00:42:58 for 11.99 miles
Heart rate: 132 bpm average, 156 bpm maximum
Bikeway users: 6 cyclists, 6 pedestrians, 1 dog
Here is a playback of the ride.
14 June 2011
Bike-commute day 37—to gym and home
Tuesday, 14 June 2011.
Push push push, no matter how the body complains. The object: get home with enough time to make a quick dinner and be off to a film with Chuck. Oh, and stop at the gym for a very short abs workout.
Ride conditions
Temperature: 70 to 81°F at 17:05
Precipitation: none
Winds: calm to 5 mph, variable
Clothing: Skinsuit, ankle socks, open-finger gloves.
Bike: Lotus Legend fixed gear
Time: 00:57:03 for 15.86 miles
Heart rate: 129 bpm average, 144 bpm maximum
Bikeway users: 36 cyclists, 18 pedestrians, 1 dog
Here is a playback of the ride.
Push push push, no matter how the body complains. The object: get home with enough time to make a quick dinner and be off to a film with Chuck. Oh, and stop at the gym for a very short abs workout.
Ride conditions
Temperature: 70 to 81°F at 17:05
Precipitation: none
Winds: calm to 5 mph, variable
Clothing: Skinsuit, ankle socks, open-finger gloves.
Bike: Lotus Legend fixed gear
Time: 00:57:03 for 15.86 miles
Heart rate: 129 bpm average, 144 bpm maximum
Bikeway users: 36 cyclists, 18 pedestrians, 1 dog
Here is a playback of the ride.
Bike-commute day 37—to work
Tuesday, 14 June 2011.
The initial leg of my commute from home is often a source of misjudging how the ride will go. Since it is downhill through my crossing of the Monument Avenue bridge, it's easy to feel strong and fast. This morning was no different on the descent to the river, and it was during the route along the Mad River that I thought my legs feel like iron weights, and not at all like powerful steel pistons. After the exhilarating ride with Jeff Collier yesterday, my body today was exercising some grudge against me, avoiding any successful push to reach again the higher performance level.
Every aspect of a bike ride has its yin and yang. Today, as I approached and slowed for the Airway Boulevard crossing, an auto driver from the east slowed, stopped, and waved me forward. There were no other cars from either the east or west, so I resumed my spin and waved and mouthed a Thanks! to her as I crossed. Then as I slowed to approach the Burkhardt Avenue crossing, a black sports car from the east also slowed without clearly intending to stop, and I applied reverse pedal effort to stop my fixed gear before reaching the marked crossing. The car continued its slowed traverse of the crossing, the driver glared. I read his license plate "LTH 1" clearly as he continued to the west.
The last leg of my route, perhaps the most sociable part, is where I often meet the most people that I know by name. Today Millie was walking south to bring Gladys to their morning walk, and Paul (who I had fictionalized his name as Double-Dog-Jason) was heading north with his two dogs. Today's ride included a short errand off the bikeway—a jaunt across three parking lots to a Shell gas station to buy lottery tickets. One of my past lotto numbers was a winner of a whopping $2. So no retirement nest egg from the last purchase.
Ride conditions
Temperature: 54 to 59°F at 07:55, 64°F at 10:00
Precipitation: none
Winds: calm
Clothing: Skinsuit, ankle socks, open-finger gloves.
Bike: Lotus Legend fixed gear
Time: 00:45:35 for 12.30 miles
Heart rate: 124 bpm average, 143 bpm maximum
Bikeway users: 4 cyclists, 6 pedestrians, 4 dogs
Here is a playback of the ride.
The initial leg of my commute from home is often a source of misjudging how the ride will go. Since it is downhill through my crossing of the Monument Avenue bridge, it's easy to feel strong and fast. This morning was no different on the descent to the river, and it was during the route along the Mad River that I thought my legs feel like iron weights, and not at all like powerful steel pistons. After the exhilarating ride with Jeff Collier yesterday, my body today was exercising some grudge against me, avoiding any successful push to reach again the higher performance level.
Every aspect of a bike ride has its yin and yang. Today, as I approached and slowed for the Airway Boulevard crossing, an auto driver from the east slowed, stopped, and waved me forward. There were no other cars from either the east or west, so I resumed my spin and waved and mouthed a Thanks! to her as I crossed. Then as I slowed to approach the Burkhardt Avenue crossing, a black sports car from the east also slowed without clearly intending to stop, and I applied reverse pedal effort to stop my fixed gear before reaching the marked crossing. The car continued its slowed traverse of the crossing, the driver glared. I read his license plate "LTH 1" clearly as he continued to the west.
The last leg of my route, perhaps the most sociable part, is where I often meet the most people that I know by name. Today Millie was walking south to bring Gladys to their morning walk, and Paul (who I had fictionalized his name as Double-Dog-Jason) was heading north with his two dogs. Today's ride included a short errand off the bikeway—a jaunt across three parking lots to a Shell gas station to buy lottery tickets. One of my past lotto numbers was a winner of a whopping $2. So no retirement nest egg from the last purchase.
Ride conditions
Temperature: 54 to 59°F at 07:55, 64°F at 10:00
Precipitation: none
Winds: calm
Clothing: Skinsuit, ankle socks, open-finger gloves.
Bike: Lotus Legend fixed gear
Time: 00:45:35 for 12.30 miles
Heart rate: 124 bpm average, 143 bpm maximum
Bikeway users: 4 cyclists, 6 pedestrians, 4 dogs
Here is a playback of the ride.
13 June 2011
Bike-commute day 36—to gym and home
Monday, 13 June 2011
My ride didn't seem so special in the first leg to the gym: at one point when my heart seemed to strain, I noticed the HR was only at 120 bpm, and I worried momentarily that I was way too tired to push hard for the ride home. But that feeling lasted only a quarter mile, and I felt power and wholeness return.
I kept my weight training short, with just a focus on the shoulder exercises, and I was at full power when I was back on the bike. The hill beside the frisbee golf course added to my sense of being at high power, and I continued through to Smithville at an average of over 20 mph. Through Eastwood, the intensity matched the need for care at the crossings and on the turns, and then I applied full power as I passed the 3rd lap point. Around Findlay Street, I saw a rider in the distance and my goal was to catch him before the Green Bridge. He had a good speed and remained a challenge until the catch below the Webster Street bridge. From that point, the large numbers of pedestrians required careful, slower maneuvering until the Main Street bridge, and then I could apply full power again. As I approached the turn to the Monument Bridge ramp, another rider approached from the south. When he stopped short of the ramp, I called out "Oh com'on. Go for it." He laughed with some embarrassment, but still walked his hybrid up the gentler, double-backed ramps.
As I crossed the bridge, I noted that my time was a bit earlier than usual, maybe the day will be a year's record time.
Ride conditions
Temperature: 72 to 77°F at 16:55
Precipitation: none
Winds: calm to 5 mph variable
Clothing: Skinsuit; ankle socks. Open-finger gloves.
Bike: Lotus Legend fixed-gear
Time: 00:57:33 for 15.84 miles
Heart rate: 129 bpm average, 155 bpm maximum
Bikeway users: 19 cyclists, 13 pedestrians, 3 dogs
Here is a playback of the ride.
My ride didn't seem so special in the first leg to the gym: at one point when my heart seemed to strain, I noticed the HR was only at 120 bpm, and I worried momentarily that I was way too tired to push hard for the ride home. But that feeling lasted only a quarter mile, and I felt power and wholeness return.
I kept my weight training short, with just a focus on the shoulder exercises, and I was at full power when I was back on the bike. The hill beside the frisbee golf course added to my sense of being at high power, and I continued through to Smithville at an average of over 20 mph. Through Eastwood, the intensity matched the need for care at the crossings and on the turns, and then I applied full power as I passed the 3rd lap point. Around Findlay Street, I saw a rider in the distance and my goal was to catch him before the Green Bridge. He had a good speed and remained a challenge until the catch below the Webster Street bridge. From that point, the large numbers of pedestrians required careful, slower maneuvering until the Main Street bridge, and then I could apply full power again. As I approached the turn to the Monument Bridge ramp, another rider approached from the south. When he stopped short of the ramp, I called out "Oh com'on. Go for it." He laughed with some embarrassment, but still walked his hybrid up the gentler, double-backed ramps.
As I crossed the bridge, I noted that my time was a bit earlier than usual, maybe the day will be a year's record time.
Ride conditions
Temperature: 72 to 77°F at 16:55
Precipitation: none
Winds: calm to 5 mph variable
Clothing: Skinsuit; ankle socks. Open-finger gloves.
Bike: Lotus Legend fixed-gear
Time: 00:57:33 for 15.84 miles
Heart rate: 129 bpm average, 155 bpm maximum
Bikeway users: 19 cyclists, 13 pedestrians, 3 dogs
Here is a playback of the ride.
Bike-commute day 36—to work
Monday, 13 June 2011.
Shortly before I reached Eastwood Park, Jeff Collier alerted me to his overtaking me. We rode together through to his turn east to parallel highway 35. He spoke of his 180-mile ride this past weekend, with a group that rode from southern Dayton to Kentucky. It was mostly flat, he said, and they ended the ride with a few selected hill climbs to make the ride worthwhile.
Hmm. His pace had me puffing a lot, not very able to keep up half of the conversation. My afternoon review of the commute showed me why: my HR was over 143 and ranging up to 155 throughout our ride together, with a short exception for a full stop at Springfield Street for heavier traffic than usual. But that I kept up and maintained a high HR for the duration shows that I've been easy on myself as a lone rider. Time to step up to what I really can do.
Ride conditions
Temperature: 56 to 60°F at 07:55, 63°F at 10:00
Precipitation: none
Winds: calm to 5 mph, variable
Clothing: Skinsuit, ankle socks, open-finger gloves.
Bike: Lotus Legend fixed gear
Time: 00:42:25 for 12.03 miles
Heart rate: 129 bpm average, 183* bpm maximum
Bikeway users: 1 cyclists, 3 pedestrians
Here is a playback of the ride.
* not reliable, a more likely HRmax was 154.
Shortly before I reached Eastwood Park, Jeff Collier alerted me to his overtaking me. We rode together through to his turn east to parallel highway 35. He spoke of his 180-mile ride this past weekend, with a group that rode from southern Dayton to Kentucky. It was mostly flat, he said, and they ended the ride with a few selected hill climbs to make the ride worthwhile.
Hmm. His pace had me puffing a lot, not very able to keep up half of the conversation. My afternoon review of the commute showed me why: my HR was over 143 and ranging up to 155 throughout our ride together, with a short exception for a full stop at Springfield Street for heavier traffic than usual. But that I kept up and maintained a high HR for the duration shows that I've been easy on myself as a lone rider. Time to step up to what I really can do.
Ride conditions
Temperature: 56 to 60°F at 07:55, 63°F at 10:00
Precipitation: none
Winds: calm to 5 mph, variable
Clothing: Skinsuit, ankle socks, open-finger gloves.
Bike: Lotus Legend fixed gear
Time: 00:42:25 for 12.03 miles
Heart rate: 129 bpm average, 183* bpm maximum
Bikeway users: 1 cyclists, 3 pedestrians
Here is a playback of the ride.
* not reliable, a more likely HRmax was 154.
Bike-commute day 35—to gym and home
Thursday, 9 June 2011.
Ride conditions
Temperature: 85 to 91°F at 17:10
Precipitation: none
Winds: calm to 5 mph variable
Clothing: Skinsuit; ankle socks. Open-finger gloves.
Bike: Trek 850
Time: 01:00:16 for 15.67 miles
Heart rate: 126 bpm average, 139 bpm maximum
Bikeway users: 25 cyclists, 13 pedestrians, 1 dog
Here is a playback of the ride.
Ride conditions
Temperature: 85 to 91°F at 17:10
Precipitation: none
Winds: calm to 5 mph variable
Clothing: Skinsuit; ankle socks. Open-finger gloves.
Bike: Trek 850
Time: 01:00:16 for 15.67 miles
Heart rate: 126 bpm average, 139 bpm maximum
Bikeway users: 25 cyclists, 13 pedestrians, 1 dog
Here is a playback of the ride.
09 June 2011
Bike-commute day 35—to work
I hoped to have started out as early as 07:00 this morning, but didn't get out the door until 07:48. So I whipped myself as I rode my commute for the first time in six days. I had taken some errand rides over the weekend, but no commutes to allow for bringing Chuck home from the airport and making his first couple days comfortable. And so today, Thursday, was my first bike-commute since Friday.
From today on, I'm changing my morning routine to eat a breakfast bagel at work, after the commute. I plan to continue brewing a latté or French roast drip coffee before the ride, consumed while I feed Howard, read the Wall Street Journal, and do other tasks before I leave for the morning. For example, today I watered the plants in the front yard and a few that needed water in the back yard while I waited for the WSJ delivery.
Ride conditions
Temperature: 75 to 79°F at 06:55, 81 to 85°F at 10:00
Precipitation: none
Winds: calm to 10 mph from the north-northwest
Clothing: Skinsuit, ankle socks, open-finger gloves.
Bike: Lotus Legend fixed gear
Time: 00:44:47 for 11.86 miles
Heart rate: 126 bpm average, 146 bpm maximum
Bikeway users: 4 cyclists, 3 pedestrians, 1 dog
Here is a playback of the ride.
Another bike errand
One-way bike rip to pick up Chuck's car at Precision Tune Auto Care.
Ride details
Temperature: 86°F at 16:30
Precipitation: none
Winds: calm to 5 mph variable
Clothing: Skinsuit; ankle socks. Open-finger gloves.
Bike: Lotus Legend fixed-gear
Time: 00:19:22 for 4.25 miles
Heart rate: 124 bpm average, 145 bpm maximum
Bikeway users: not tallied
Here is a playback of the ride .
Ride details
Temperature: 86°F at 16:30
Precipitation: none
Winds: calm to 5 mph variable
Clothing: Skinsuit; ankle socks. Open-finger gloves.
Bike: Lotus Legend fixed-gear
Time: 00:19:22 for 4.25 miles
Heart rate: 124 bpm average, 145 bpm maximum
Bikeway users: not tallied
Here is a playback of the ride .
05 June 2011
Bike-errand day
Farmer's Market
Looking for Life Enrichment Center
Gym
Gay Pride Fesitval
Home for work in the garden
Ride details
Temperature: 72 to 88°F at 16:30
Precipitation: none
Winds: calm to 5 mph variable
Clothing: Skinsuit; ankle socks. Open-finger gloves.
Bike: Lotus Legend fixed-gear
Time: 01:56:35 for 27.30 miles
Heart rate: 121 bpm average, 142 bpm maximum
Bikeway users: not tallied
Here is a playback of the ride .
Looking for Life Enrichment Center
Gym
Gay Pride Fesitval
Home for work in the garden
Ride details
Temperature: 72 to 88°F at 16:30
Precipitation: none
Winds: calm to 5 mph variable
Clothing: Skinsuit; ankle socks. Open-finger gloves.
Bike: Lotus Legend fixed-gear
Time: 01:56:35 for 27.30 miles
Heart rate: 121 bpm average, 142 bpm maximum
Bikeway users: not tallied
Here is a playback of the ride .
03 June 2011
Bike-commute day 34—to Courteous Mass and home
I rode hard and fast to make it to Courteous Mass a few minutes before the scheduled start time, and I arrived by 17:20.
About 20 cyclists took part in a ride from Fifth/Third Field to the Second Street Market, then past the Cannery and south on Wayne Avenue (waved hello to Janelle at Press) to Fifth Street and through the Oregon District. We followed Fifth Street past the Neon Movies to Wilkinson Street, went north to Monument, and crossed the Monument Avenue Bridge. Then a block north to Belmonte Park North between the Dayton Art Institute and the Masonic Temple. From there, we took Belmonte Park East to Grand Avenue, turned left to Belmonte Park North and north to Five Oaks Avenue. Then we went east to Forest, north past Corpus Christi Church to Helena, and east to cross the Great Miami River and turn south on River Bend Road. Then we joined the bikeway, crossed the Green Bridge, took the underpass below Patterson Boulevard, and ended at the Bicycle Hub. (about 8.5 miles in 45 minutes)
Ride conditions
Temperature: 81 to 88°F at 16:30
Precipitation: none
Winds: calm to 5 mph variable
Clothing: Skinsuit; ankle socks. Open-finger gloves.
Bike: Lotus Legend fixed-gear
Time: 01:18:10 for 17.59 miles
Heart rate: 116 bpm average, 145 bpm maximum
Bikeway users: 22 cyclists, 7 pedestrians, 1 dog
Here is a playback of the ride.
About 20 cyclists took part in a ride from Fifth/Third Field to the Second Street Market, then past the Cannery and south on Wayne Avenue (waved hello to Janelle at Press) to Fifth Street and through the Oregon District. We followed Fifth Street past the Neon Movies to Wilkinson Street, went north to Monument, and crossed the Monument Avenue Bridge. Then a block north to Belmonte Park North between the Dayton Art Institute and the Masonic Temple. From there, we took Belmonte Park East to Grand Avenue, turned left to Belmonte Park North and north to Five Oaks Avenue. Then we went east to Forest, north past Corpus Christi Church to Helena, and east to cross the Great Miami River and turn south on River Bend Road. Then we joined the bikeway, crossed the Green Bridge, took the underpass below Patterson Boulevard, and ended at the Bicycle Hub. (about 8.5 miles in 45 minutes)
Ride conditions
Temperature: 81 to 88°F at 16:30
Precipitation: none
Winds: calm to 5 mph variable
Clothing: Skinsuit; ankle socks. Open-finger gloves.
Bike: Lotus Legend fixed-gear
Time: 01:18:10 for 17.59 miles
Heart rate: 116 bpm average, 145 bpm maximum
Bikeway users: 22 cyclists, 7 pedestrians, 1 dog
Here is a playback of the ride.
Bike-commute day 34—to work
As I finished my commute this morning, I thought I had arrived with a personal best time. That achievement countered my experience during the ride, since it was a set of frustrated attempts at raising my heart rate above 150. (Notes to self: Use the hybrid bike or the geared road bike when you want to do heart training and sprints. Also make sure you're well rested the night before the sprints.)
Special Note: World Naked Bike Ride
There must be some of you out there, either intrigued by or participating in the World Naked Bike Ride. The closest local event is in Columbus, Ohio. Here are the specifics.
Ride conditions
Temperature: 59 to 63°F at 06:55
Precipitation: none
Winds: calm to 5 mph from the east
Clothing: Skinsuit, ankle socks, open-finger gloves.
Bike: Lotus Legend fixed gear
Time: 00:43:08 for 11.98 miles
Heart rate: 130 bpm average, 146 bpm maximum
Bikeway users: 10 cyclists, 12 pedestrians, 3 dogs, 2 deer
Here is a playback of the ride.
- My first unsuccessful sprint was about two minutes out from Eastwood Park. I reached 140 bpm quickly with a cadence of 95 rpm, but the slight changes in elevation and turns kept me from reaching more than 146 bpm. 2:10 minutes were over 140.
- My second sprint was around the former Multi-Service plant, where I had only 1:47 over 140.
- I started the third sprint almost immediately, after I had crossed Airway, but it was only 2:23 for an HRmax of 145.
- The fourth sprint, between Burkhardt and Linden, was again 2:23 with an HRmax of 145.
- The fifth was a half-hearted 1:08 that only reached 141 HRmax before I slowed for Woodbine Avenue.
- The sixth was a short 0:58 at 141 HRmax before I turned to parallel Spaulding Road.
- The last sprint attempt was an exact 2:00 with a 144 HRmax that stopped at the Patterson Boulevard traffic signal.
Special Note: World Naked Bike Ride
There must be some of you out there, either intrigued by or participating in the World Naked Bike Ride. The closest local event is in Columbus, Ohio. Here are the specifics.
- Saturday, June 11, 2011 at 11:30pm (yes, just before midnight)
- Third Hand Bicycle Cooperative
- 174 East 5th Ave
- Columbus Ohio
- Secure storage for items not worn during the ride
- Free body paint and costuming
- Each cyclist makes an individual choice about the amount of nudity they are comfortable with and no one is required to be naked
- Bring a bicycle, unicycle, long board, scooter, set of rollerblades or anything human powered
- Dance after-party just down the street.
"We ride in solidarity with people around the globe to point out the vulnerability of cyclists to automobiles, advocate for less oil-dependent transportation in our cities, and celebrate the human form."
Ride conditions
Temperature: 59 to 63°F at 06:55
Precipitation: none
Winds: calm to 5 mph from the east
Clothing: Skinsuit, ankle socks, open-finger gloves.
Bike: Lotus Legend fixed gear
Time: 00:43:08 for 11.98 miles
Heart rate: 130 bpm average, 146 bpm maximum
Bikeway users: 10 cyclists, 12 pedestrians, 3 dogs, 2 deer
Here is a playback of the ride.
02 June 2011
Bike-commute day 33—to gym and home
I got a reminder this afternoon on the unreliability of drivers. As I approached the bikeway crossing of Linden Avenue, a driver from the west graciously stopped for me. I slowed for the crossing, saluted a thanks to the driver, and then looked to the right. A driver was approaching from the east, obviously slowing. But not stopping, just slowing.
As she crossed in front of me, I saw inside the auto. The driver was busily fitting a supersize cup into the cup holder, oblivious of the marked crosswalk and the stopped vehicle in the approaching lane. Unaware that her slowing might have been understood as an invitation to cross in front of her.
The distracted driver is the greatest hazard presented to a cyclist who uses the roadways. And the cyclist who aims to use only the bikeways, since the bikeways intersect with roads, often at distances of less than a mile from one intersection to the next. The cellphone and texting are only the two more recent sources of distraction, joining many other sources that have been present almost as long as the automobile itself: lighting a cigarette, tuning the radio, opening and closing windows, conversing with a rider, eating and drinking at the wheel, responding to a nuisance insect, squinting from sun glare, daydreaming.
Ride conditions
Temperature: 77 to 81°F at 17:10
Precipitation: none, then a lot
Winds: calm to 5 mph from the northeast
Clothing: Skinsuit; ankle socks. Open-finger gloves.
Bike: Lotus Legend fixed-gear
Time: 00:58:03 for 15.82 miles
Heart rate: 123 bpm average, 142 bpm maximum
Bikeway users: 31 cyclists, 14 pedestrians, 3 dogs
Here is a playback of the ride.
As she crossed in front of me, I saw inside the auto. The driver was busily fitting a supersize cup into the cup holder, oblivious of the marked crosswalk and the stopped vehicle in the approaching lane. Unaware that her slowing might have been understood as an invitation to cross in front of her.
The distracted driver is the greatest hazard presented to a cyclist who uses the roadways. And the cyclist who aims to use only the bikeways, since the bikeways intersect with roads, often at distances of less than a mile from one intersection to the next. The cellphone and texting are only the two more recent sources of distraction, joining many other sources that have been present almost as long as the automobile itself: lighting a cigarette, tuning the radio, opening and closing windows, conversing with a rider, eating and drinking at the wheel, responding to a nuisance insect, squinting from sun glare, daydreaming.
Ride conditions
Temperature: 77 to 81°F at 17:10
Precipitation: none, then a lot
Winds: calm to 5 mph from the northeast
Clothing: Skinsuit; ankle socks. Open-finger gloves.
Bike: Lotus Legend fixed-gear
Time: 00:58:03 for 15.82 miles
Heart rate: 123 bpm average, 142 bpm maximum
Bikeway users: 31 cyclists, 14 pedestrians, 3 dogs
Here is a playback of the ride.
Bike-commute day 33—to work
Ah! All the bikeway is completely dry. The branches and logs have been carried away, and only a thick covering of what was mud before remains on the lowest parts of the bikeway. I bet Rob, a colleague who bike-commutes, that the dried mud would also be removed by the end of the work day.
Ride conditions
Temperature: 68°F at 07:55
Precipitation: none
Winds: calm
Clothing: Skinsuit, ankle socks, open-finger gloves.
Bike: Lotus Legend fixed gear
Time: 00:43:12 for 11.98 miles
Heart rate: 129 bpm average, 152 bpm maximum
Bikeway users: 6 cyclists, 11 pedestrians
Here is a playback of the ride.
Ride conditions
Temperature: 68°F at 07:55
Precipitation: none
Winds: calm
Clothing: Skinsuit, ankle socks, open-finger gloves.
Bike: Lotus Legend fixed gear
Time: 00:43:12 for 11.98 miles
Heart rate: 129 bpm average, 152 bpm maximum
Bikeway users: 6 cyclists, 11 pedestrians
Here is a playback of the ride.
31 May 2011
Bike-commute day 32—to gym and home
Ride conditions
Temperature: 90 to 95°F at 17:05
Precipitation: none
Winds: calm to 10 mph, variable with predominance from the west
Clothing: Skinsuit, ankle socks, open-finger gloves.
Bike: Lotus Legend fixed gear
Time: 01:01:05 for 15.81 miles
Heart rate: 121 bpm average, 142 bpm maximum
Bikeway users: 16 cyclists, 18 pedestrians
Here is a playback of the ride.
Temperature: 90 to 95°F at 17:05
Precipitation: none
Winds: calm to 10 mph, variable with predominance from the west
Clothing: Skinsuit, ankle socks, open-finger gloves.
Bike: Lotus Legend fixed gear
Time: 01:01:05 for 15.81 miles
Heart rate: 121 bpm average, 142 bpm maximum
Bikeway users: 16 cyclists, 18 pedestrians
Here is a playback of the ride.
Bike-commute day 32—to work
With another warm day in Dayton—finally Summer may be here, and with the long biking day yesterday, I'm treating today as a recovery day. My aim during the commute in was to keep my HR around 120 bpm, which I suppose is 75% of my maximum. (More on this after the break.) Even with the relaxed pace, my time was only a couple minutes longer than my best time this year.
I heard a bit of Der Hirt auf dem Felsen on WDPR last evening, and as I passed under the Findaly Avenue bridge, the song came to me again, and I whistled parts that I remembered from my favorite performance by Elly Ameling (soprano), Hans Deinzer (clarinet), and Jörg Demus (piano). The quiet, plaintive melody expresses by paradox the exuberant, joyful experience of commuting on such a bright Summer day.
Ride conditions
Temperature: 70 to 75°F at 07:05, 83 to 87°F at 09:55
Precipitation: none
Winds: calm to 5 mph from the southwest
Clothing: Skinsuit, ankle socks, open-finger gloves.
Bike: Lotus Legend fixed gear
Time: 00:47:20 for 11.98 miles
Heart rate: 112 bpm average, 130 bpm maximum
Bikeway users: 4 cyclists, 8 pedestrians
Here is a playback of the ride.
More discussion about HRmax and HRrecovery...
I heard a bit of Der Hirt auf dem Felsen on WDPR last evening, and as I passed under the Findaly Avenue bridge, the song came to me again, and I whistled parts that I remembered from my favorite performance by Elly Ameling (soprano), Hans Deinzer (clarinet), and Jörg Demus (piano). The quiet, plaintive melody expresses by paradox the exuberant, joyful experience of commuting on such a bright Summer day.
Whenever I stand on the highest rocks, gaze down into the deepest valley, and sing and sing, distantly from the dark vale rebounds back to me the echo, the echo of the cliffs. The further my voice reaches, the clearer it returns to me from below. From below. My love lives so far from me and I thus ache for him, across the distance.
I'm consumed by a deep grief, joy has left me, hope has left the Earth, and I am here lonesome. I am here, so lonesome. So longingly the song rang in the forest, so longingly it rang through the night, it draws the hears to the heavens with wonderful power.It is a sublime joy that closes the work, in which the voice, clarinet, and piano interplay motive after motive.
Spring wants to come, my joy the Spring, and now I'm making myself ready for wandering. The further my voice reaches, the clearer it returns to me from below.
Ride conditions
Temperature: 70 to 75°F at 07:05, 83 to 87°F at 09:55
Precipitation: none
Winds: calm to 5 mph from the southwest
Clothing: Skinsuit, ankle socks, open-finger gloves.
Bike: Lotus Legend fixed gear
Time: 00:47:20 for 11.98 miles
Heart rate: 112 bpm average, 130 bpm maximum
Bikeway users: 4 cyclists, 8 pedestrians
Here is a playback of the ride.
More discussion about HRmax and HRrecovery...
30 May 2011
A day of two bike rides
This was a busy day for cycling, that I had enough time for using the bike for transportation for two purposes. I first got on the road to go to the gym for a quick upper body workout.
Distance: 20.97 mi
Time: 01:28:43
HRave: 127
HRmax: 150
During breakfast, I had cooked pasta, mixed it with fines herbs, pepper, olive oil, and a hard bleu cheese, and then refrigerated the food. During the hour after returning from the gym, I broiled a large cut of salmon in a drizzle of balsamic vinegar. While this was cooking, I cleaned and drained a mix of kales and radicchio, chopped a fennel stalk, and squeezed a fresh lemon onto this as I added it to the cold pasta. When the salmon was done and cooled a bit, I cut it into thin slices, bagged them in their cooking juices, and packed up everything in my backpack.
The north bikeway goes to Taylorsville Reserve, and the Dayton Gay Volleyball Gang have a holiday potluck picnic and volleyball day in one of the Taylorsville shelters. It is nearly adjacent to the bikeway, though you have to trek through a prairie area to get to the shelter. I arrived with about 45 minutes of biking, and assembled the pasta salad before I changed from my skinsuit.
By 4 p.m., I was changed and repacked again, ready for the ride home.
Distance : 26.65 mi
Time: 01:55:01
HRave: 124
HRmax: 153
Distance: 20.97 mi
Time: 01:28:43
HRave: 127
HRmax: 150
During breakfast, I had cooked pasta, mixed it with fines herbs, pepper, olive oil, and a hard bleu cheese, and then refrigerated the food. During the hour after returning from the gym, I broiled a large cut of salmon in a drizzle of balsamic vinegar. While this was cooking, I cleaned and drained a mix of kales and radicchio, chopped a fennel stalk, and squeezed a fresh lemon onto this as I added it to the cold pasta. When the salmon was done and cooled a bit, I cut it into thin slices, bagged them in their cooking juices, and packed up everything in my backpack.
The north bikeway goes to Taylorsville Reserve, and the Dayton Gay Volleyball Gang have a holiday potluck picnic and volleyball day in one of the Taylorsville shelters. It is nearly adjacent to the bikeway, though you have to trek through a prairie area to get to the shelter. I arrived with about 45 minutes of biking, and assembled the pasta salad before I changed from my skinsuit.
By 4 p.m., I was changed and repacked again, ready for the ride home.
Distance : 26.65 mi
Time: 01:55:01
HRave: 124
HRmax: 153
29 May 2011
Gentle fixed-gear ride to DPO
The Dayton Philharmonic performed at the Kettering Heritage Festival, and I took the fixed-gear bike to the event.
Time: 00:59:11
Distance: 12.33 mi
HRave: 112 bpm
HRmax: 135 bpm
Time: 00:59:11
Distance: 12.33 mi
HRave: 112 bpm
HRmax: 135 bpm
28 May 2011
Fun fixed-gear ride for day 32
After working 7 hours in the garden, I rewarded myself with a ride to the gym, a short legs workout, and a ride into Beavercreek via the bikeway.
I got an ego boost when a 35-year-old on a nice Trek carbon frame pulled up beside me and said, "Wow, you're killing me. I've been trying to catch you for 3 miles. And you're on a fucking fixed gear too." That was after a stretch up hill where my cadence hadn't reached above 83 for the last couple miles. Just as he caught me, the bikeway had reached its high point west of the I-675 gazebo. The shift to downhill helped me pull the spin up to 105. The catcher kept up, with a gear shift. I said, "Yeah, I've been commuting by bike for a while now, and I'm in pretty good shape. Plus I found the right gearing for me."
Bike: Lotus Legend fixed-gear
Riding time: 02:11:53
Distance: 34.14 miles
HRave: 127
HRmax: 151
I got an ego boost when a 35-year-old on a nice Trek carbon frame pulled up beside me and said, "Wow, you're killing me. I've been trying to catch you for 3 miles. And you're on a fucking fixed gear too." That was after a stretch up hill where my cadence hadn't reached above 83 for the last couple miles. Just as he caught me, the bikeway had reached its high point west of the I-675 gazebo. The shift to downhill helped me pull the spin up to 105. The catcher kept up, with a gear shift. I said, "Yeah, I've been commuting by bike for a while now, and I'm in pretty good shape. Plus I found the right gearing for me."
Bike: Lotus Legend fixed-gear
Riding time: 02:11:53
Distance: 34.14 miles
HRave: 127
HRmax: 151
27 May 2011
Bike-commute day 31—to gym and home
I needed to make the ride and gym work quick today, so I would have time to feed Howard-the-dog, shower, and make it to the 8 p.m. screening of In a Better World.It seemed fine by the online radar and by feel on the road to Cardinal Fitness. But it had started to sprinkle after my 20-minute power shoulders workout. By the time I approached Linden, it had turned to real rain, though a light rain. It continued so for about a mile before tapering off. The roads were still wet, though, and I cautiously navigated corners and stops.
The ick factor was how much road splash my ankle-high cycling shoes caught and retained. The shoes were soaked through by the time the rain stopped. —The shoes and socks were still wet the next morning.
At the concrete bank of the Mad River, which is my gauge of whether the river is flooded as it joins the Great Miami, the water churned and roiled from the recent increase of flow.
- The Mad River's normal depth allows all of the concrete and its bottom horizontal edge to show, and a ribbon of mud embankment below the concrete is visible.
- As the Mad River rises, the water covers the western end of the horizontal edge first.
- Usually when half the length of the horizontal edge is covered, at least the depression in the bikeway west of the Webster Avenue bridge will be flooded.
- If all the horizontal edge is covered, then at least another depression east of Webster Avenue is also flooded.
You and Ohio law
I found an excellent summary of Ohio traffic laws that relate to cycling.
Ride conditions
Temperature: 65 to 68°F at 17:10
Precipitation: none, then a lot
Winds: calm to 5 mph from the south
Clothing: Skinsuit; ankle socks. Open-finger gloves.
Bike: Trek 850
Time: 01:03:04 for 14.90+ miles
Heart rate: 125 bpm average, 138 bpm maximum
Bikeway users: 4 cyclists, 7 pedestrians, 1 dog
Here is a playback of the ride. 15th Garmin day.
26 May 2011
Bike-commute day 31—to work
Today is bike to work day for Research Park, so I'd not taken more than coffee for breakfast at home. Despite the lack of carbs, I had more than enough energy for the ride—maybe I should resume carrying a bagel for a breakfast at work instead of taking time to eat before the commute.
The storms from last evening continued intermittently through the night, with one lightning and wind event around 02:30 that woke me up from dreams about a whole-world epidemic of the Spanish flu. However, the skies had light clouds in the morning, the radar showed no approaching rain storms, and the street was dry down the block. So I set off to work.
As I crossed the Monument Avenue bridge, I could see the river was up, but not close to the bikeway. So I dropped down to the bikeway at the Monument Ramp and headed north and east. Within 50 feet of the ramp up to the YMCA, water covered the bikeway. I slowed, and entered the water to test its depth. It was clearly more than hub deep, so I turned around and ascended the Monument Ramp to take the crushed-gravel path that parallels the river to Main Street.
Across Main Street and into Riverscape, I could see the bikeway under the gazebo was flooded to about a foot, though the way was clear a bit upstream at the zig-zag ramp below the Green Bridge. So I took it down.
Before the Webster Street bridge, the path was flooded except for a two-foot portion, but beyond the bridge, the path was fully flooded to bottom bracket depth. I slowed to avoid much splash, and did a few flutter pedals to impel my "craft" and avoid getting my feet wet. The rest of the bikeway route was mostly dry, with a few areas under the tree canopy still damp or wet.
I saw Tom Helbig, the outdoor recreation and special events coordinator of Five Rivers MetroParks, and Dan Sahli, the new FRMP cycling coordinator, waiting for traffic to pull out as I turned to the Research Park training center. It was an opportunity for a quick introduction of Dan and some jabber about the weather and the development of the ZooBomb event and Sprockettes troop. Tom laughed when I suggested that he, Andy W, Kevin T, and I would make a great gender-fuck version of the Sprockettes. When I suggested it could be a mixed-sex group, he said there were some women who likely could be interested in it. ...All we need are the kids' bikes and costumes.
Ride conditions
Temperature: 61 to 64°F at 06:50
Precipitation: none, after very heavy rains overnnight
Winds: calm to 10 mph from the south
Clothing: Skinsuit; ankle socks. Open-finger gloves.
Bike: Trek 850
Time: 00:49:52 for 12.45 miles
Heart rate: 131 bpm average, 149 bpm maximum
Bikeway users: 6 cyclists, 4 pedestrians, 0 dogs, 0 goslings
Here is a playback of the ride. 15th Garmin day.
The storms from last evening continued intermittently through the night, with one lightning and wind event around 02:30 that woke me up from dreams about a whole-world epidemic of the Spanish flu. However, the skies had light clouds in the morning, the radar showed no approaching rain storms, and the street was dry down the block. So I set off to work.
As I crossed the Monument Avenue bridge, I could see the river was up, but not close to the bikeway. So I dropped down to the bikeway at the Monument Ramp and headed north and east. Within 50 feet of the ramp up to the YMCA, water covered the bikeway. I slowed, and entered the water to test its depth. It was clearly more than hub deep, so I turned around and ascended the Monument Ramp to take the crushed-gravel path that parallels the river to Main Street.
Across Main Street and into Riverscape, I could see the bikeway under the gazebo was flooded to about a foot, though the way was clear a bit upstream at the zig-zag ramp below the Green Bridge. So I took it down.
Before the Webster Street bridge, the path was flooded except for a two-foot portion, but beyond the bridge, the path was fully flooded to bottom bracket depth. I slowed to avoid much splash, and did a few flutter pedals to impel my "craft" and avoid getting my feet wet. The rest of the bikeway route was mostly dry, with a few areas under the tree canopy still damp or wet.
I saw Tom Helbig, the outdoor recreation and special events coordinator of Five Rivers MetroParks, and Dan Sahli, the new FRMP cycling coordinator, waiting for traffic to pull out as I turned to the Research Park training center. It was an opportunity for a quick introduction of Dan and some jabber about the weather and the development of the ZooBomb event and Sprockettes troop. Tom laughed when I suggested that he, Andy W, Kevin T, and I would make a great gender-fuck version of the Sprockettes. When I suggested it could be a mixed-sex group, he said there were some women who likely could be interested in it. ...All we need are the kids' bikes and costumes.
Ride conditions
Temperature: 61 to 64°F at 06:50
Precipitation: none, after very heavy rains overnnight
Winds: calm to 10 mph from the south
Clothing: Skinsuit; ankle socks. Open-finger gloves.
Bike: Trek 850
Time: 00:49:52 for 12.45 miles
Heart rate: 131 bpm average, 149 bpm maximum
Bikeway users: 6 cyclists, 4 pedestrians, 0 dogs, 0 goslings
Here is a playback of the ride. 15th Garmin day.
25 May 2011
Bike-commute day 30—to home with a thunderstorm
This was a time trial day, made necessary by an impending thunderstorm. Even as I started out, I knew it would be a high intensity ride to beat the storm home, if possible.
My times were very good for the first and second checkpoints. Then I felt the first drops of rain just past the Findlay Street bridge, which continued very lightly through the next half mile. I stopped momentarily under the Keowee Street bridge to guage the intensity and decide what to do to pass the storm. I decided to push quickly to Brixx, where I could eat something while the storm rolled through. The storm unloosed exactly as I reached the restau and lasted while I had a grilled chicken balsamic salad.
Ride conditions
Temperature: 83 to 85°F at 18:20
Precipitation: none, then a cloudburst
Winds: 5 mph from the southwest
Clothing: Skinsuit; ankle socks. Open-finger gloves.
Bike: Trek 850
Time: 00:46:08 for 12.38 miles
Heart rate: 133 bpm average, 151 bpm maximum
Bikeway users: 9 cyclists, 7 pedestrians
Here is a playback of the ride. 14th Garmin day.
My times were very good for the first and second checkpoints. Then I felt the first drops of rain just past the Findlay Street bridge, which continued very lightly through the next half mile. I stopped momentarily under the Keowee Street bridge to guage the intensity and decide what to do to pass the storm. I decided to push quickly to Brixx, where I could eat something while the storm rolled through. The storm unloosed exactly as I reached the restau and lasted while I had a grilled chicken balsamic salad.
Ride conditions
Temperature: 83 to 85°F at 18:20
Precipitation: none, then a cloudburst
Winds: 5 mph from the southwest
Clothing: Skinsuit; ankle socks. Open-finger gloves.
Bike: Trek 850
Time: 00:46:08 for 12.38 miles
Heart rate: 133 bpm average, 151 bpm maximum
Bikeway users: 9 cyclists, 7 pedestrians
Here is a playback of the ride. 14th Garmin day.
Bike-commute day 30—to work
Today was to be a sprint day, but my body wasn't into the ride at all as I pedalled along the lower river bikeways. It wasn't a time to push myself because of basic tiredness. Maybe a contributing factor is lower than optimal hydration. I remember thinking as I climbed into bed I should grab another glass of water; no, I want the juice-water mix, and it's too much trouble... and I was asleep.
So this morning I bought an 8-oz "juice beverage" to mix with a full styroglass of ice and LaCroix water for an all-day sippie. Perhaps I'll feel up to sprints this afternoon, though the bikeway may be too congested to do them. Maybe the best plan is one sprint on the curve from Woodman to Woodbine, another sprint up the hill near the frisbee golf course, and a third near the Kettering apartment village—all before I get to the gym and on less-used bikeways.
Three notable things happened this morning: several geese were conducting an école maternelle for about 35 goslings at the Green Bridge, I saw Millie and Gladys out on their walk for the first time this year, and I assisted a young woman who had taken a wrong turn and didn't know where she was.
Millie and Gladys are in their 70s, both with husbands at home who are affected by long-term health issues. I've known Gladys for perhaps three years, and Millie for at least two. Gladys lives in the area bounded by the bikeway and Woodman Avenue, somewhere a little south of Woodbine. Millie lives just west of the bikeway and about a block north of Woodbine. They walk together along the bikeway, and I usually see them in the stretch from Woodbine to Linden. Gladys is by far the more devoted to her morning exercise, and she is always the more forthcoming in what is happening in her life and the more inquisitive in how I'm doing. Millie has had periods off from walking, to allow recuperation from torn ligaments in her knees and the apparently poor surgical repairs to them. I described and performed several knee exercises for her this morning, which I prefaced with an explanation that they help strengthen the tendons that hold the patella in place and relieve achiness at the top and inside of the front of the knee.
While we three jabbered on the bikeway, a woman in her 20s passed us, going south. I had never seen her before in the morning, and her passing made me aware of the need to eventually get to work, so I said goodby to Millie and Gladys soon after. As I approached Woodman, there was the woman looking first at the bikeway signage, then up and down Woodman. As I passed I asked, "Are you lost? There aren't many ways to go here." She laughed and said, "Well, I think I really am lost. I rode from the Beavercreek hub this morning and went into Dayton. But I must have taken a wrong turn when I came back—I don't know how, though. And I really don't know where I am now." So I turned around, and told her that she mised a turn at the trestle, which she recognized as a landmark. Then I told here the simplest way back to the correct way home would be to turn back, cross two streets, and turn right at the T intersection beyond the trestle. She remembered the graffiti wall, and I used that as a landmark to place Linden Avenue for her, and to relate the trestle as being a block's distance north of Linden.
She seemed confident in the correct way home, so I took off for the remaining 2 miles of my commute.
Ride conditions
Temperature: 62°F at 06:55, 66°F at 07:55, 68 to 70°F at 10:20
Precipitation: none
Winds: calm to 5 mph from the southwest
Clothing: Skinsuit; ankle socks. Open-finger gloves.
Bike: Trek 850
Time: 00:45:33 for 11.89 miles
Heart rate: 132 bpm average, 147 bpm maximum
Bikeway users: 12 cyclists, 5 pedestrians, about 35 goslings
Here is a playback of the ride. 14th Garmin day.
So this morning I bought an 8-oz "juice beverage" to mix with a full styroglass of ice and LaCroix water for an all-day sippie. Perhaps I'll feel up to sprints this afternoon, though the bikeway may be too congested to do them. Maybe the best plan is one sprint on the curve from Woodman to Woodbine, another sprint up the hill near the frisbee golf course, and a third near the Kettering apartment village—all before I get to the gym and on less-used bikeways.
Three notable things happened this morning: several geese were conducting an école maternelle for about 35 goslings at the Green Bridge, I saw Millie and Gladys out on their walk for the first time this year, and I assisted a young woman who had taken a wrong turn and didn't know where she was.
Millie and Gladys are in their 70s, both with husbands at home who are affected by long-term health issues. I've known Gladys for perhaps three years, and Millie for at least two. Gladys lives in the area bounded by the bikeway and Woodman Avenue, somewhere a little south of Woodbine. Millie lives just west of the bikeway and about a block north of Woodbine. They walk together along the bikeway, and I usually see them in the stretch from Woodbine to Linden. Gladys is by far the more devoted to her morning exercise, and she is always the more forthcoming in what is happening in her life and the more inquisitive in how I'm doing. Millie has had periods off from walking, to allow recuperation from torn ligaments in her knees and the apparently poor surgical repairs to them. I described and performed several knee exercises for her this morning, which I prefaced with an explanation that they help strengthen the tendons that hold the patella in place and relieve achiness at the top and inside of the front of the knee.
While we three jabbered on the bikeway, a woman in her 20s passed us, going south. I had never seen her before in the morning, and her passing made me aware of the need to eventually get to work, so I said goodby to Millie and Gladys soon after. As I approached Woodman, there was the woman looking first at the bikeway signage, then up and down Woodman. As I passed I asked, "Are you lost? There aren't many ways to go here." She laughed and said, "Well, I think I really am lost. I rode from the Beavercreek hub this morning and went into Dayton. But I must have taken a wrong turn when I came back—I don't know how, though. And I really don't know where I am now." So I turned around, and told her that she mised a turn at the trestle, which she recognized as a landmark. Then I told here the simplest way back to the correct way home would be to turn back, cross two streets, and turn right at the T intersection beyond the trestle. She remembered the graffiti wall, and I used that as a landmark to place Linden Avenue for her, and to relate the trestle as being a block's distance north of Linden.
She seemed confident in the correct way home, so I took off for the remaining 2 miles of my commute.
Ride conditions
Temperature: 62°F at 06:55, 66°F at 07:55, 68 to 70°F at 10:20
Precipitation: none
Winds: calm to 5 mph from the southwest
Clothing: Skinsuit; ankle socks. Open-finger gloves.
Bike: Trek 850
Time: 00:45:33 for 11.89 miles
Heart rate: 132 bpm average, 147 bpm maximum
Bikeway users: 12 cyclists, 5 pedestrians, about 35 goslings
Here is a playback of the ride. 14th Garmin day.
24 May 2011
Bike-commute day 29—to gym and home
 |
| Hawthorn Hill to Runnymeade |
 |
| Stoney Hollow |
In fact, we already have the beginnings of a reclaimed bicycle exchange at the Life Enrichment Center. This organization refurbishes bikes, paints them bright yellow, and places them for free use in the downtown area. As each yellow bike becomes disabled, a sticker on the bike has contact information for performing any needed repairs.
 |
| Walnut Hill to Wyoming |
So, two of the directions have answers or plans in the works. I've been scouring Google Maps in the last few evenings, looking for the areas in the city that have a high point near a low point. The three map segments here are the first results. The red dot indicates the "mountain" and the blue dot the "depression." Over many years of cycling in the Dayton area, I've ridden the Stoney Hollow and Walnut Hill paths.
- The Stoney Hollow route drops 188 feet over 2.1 miles. I remember it as a shaded, cool area that has extremely limited auto use.
- The Walnut Hill route drops 177 feet over 1.0 miles. It would require road closure and police presence to allow any group ride.
- The Hawthorn Hill route drops 136 feet over 0.64 miles. It would also require police presence and street closures.
Ride conditions
Temperature: 76 to 79°F at 17:20
Precipitation: none
Winds: 5 mph from the southwest
Clothing: Skinsuit; ankle socks. Open-finger gloves.
Bike: Trek 850
Time: 01:02:56 for 15.51 miles
Heart rate: 125 bpm average, 140 bpm maximum
Bikeway users: 16 cyclists, 16 pedestrians, 4 dogs
Here is a playback of the ride. 13th Garmin day.
Bike-commute day 29—to work
Even the bit of the Great Miami River bikeway was clear today! As I dropped from the Monument Avenue Bridge to the bikeway, I thought I should try the old way again, to use the Wolf Creek bikeway to Broadway. Gotta remember to try it tonight.
My time for each leg were pretty good today, even without much of a press for speed. It was just that I focussed, from time to time, on the bottom part of the revolutions, kinda kicking back through the stroke. It's always pleasing, almost amazing, how subtle attention to form pays off in efficiency.
Ride conditions
Temperature: 63 to 64°F at 07:10 and 65 to 68°F at 09:30
Precipitation: moderate overnight, but bikeway was dry with a few wet areas under tree cover
Winds: calm to 5 mph from the south and southwest
Clothing: Skinsuit, ankle socks, open-finger gloves.
Bike: Trek 850
Time: 00:45:07 for 11.87 miles
Heart rate: 129 bpm average, 148 bpm maximum
Bikeway users: 4 cyclists, 7 pedestrians, 1 dog, 7 goslings
Here is a playback of the ride. 13th Garmin day.
My time for each leg were pretty good today, even without much of a press for speed. It was just that I focussed, from time to time, on the bottom part of the revolutions, kinda kicking back through the stroke. It's always pleasing, almost amazing, how subtle attention to form pays off in efficiency.
Ride conditions
Temperature: 63 to 64°F at 07:10 and 65 to 68°F at 09:30
Precipitation: moderate overnight, but bikeway was dry with a few wet areas under tree cover
Winds: calm to 5 mph from the south and southwest
Clothing: Skinsuit, ankle socks, open-finger gloves.
Bike: Trek 850
Time: 00:45:07 for 11.87 miles
Heart rate: 129 bpm average, 148 bpm maximum
Bikeway users: 4 cyclists, 7 pedestrians, 1 dog, 7 goslings
Here is a playback of the ride. 13th Garmin day.
20 May 2011
Bike-commute day 28—to Bike to Work pancake breakfast and Cycling Summit
Today was a gloriously sunny and warm day. Perfect for the 400+ hungry cyclists to have pancakes before heading to work.
As for me, I went to work as a volunteer to register participants in the Cycling Summit.
Ride conditions
Temperature: 66 to 71°F at 07:20
Precipitation: none
Winds: calm to 5 mph from the southwest
Clothing: Skinsuit; ankle socks. Open-finger gloves.
Bike: Trek 850
Time: 00:38:20 for 9.06 miles
Heart rate: 126 bpm average, 149 bpm maximum
Bikeway users: not recorded
Here is a playback of the ride., which includes the full day, with stops at Riverscape for pancakes, a short hop to the Cycling Summit, a return hop to Brixx for an after-summit social, and a return home. 12th Garmin day.
As for me, I went to work as a volunteer to register participants in the Cycling Summit.
Ride conditions
Temperature: 66 to 71°F at 07:20
Precipitation: none
Winds: calm to 5 mph from the southwest
Clothing: Skinsuit; ankle socks. Open-finger gloves.
Bike: Trek 850
Time: 00:38:20 for 9.06 miles
Heart rate: 126 bpm average, 149 bpm maximum
Bikeway users: not recorded
Here is a playback of the ride., which includes the full day, with stops at Riverscape for pancakes, a short hop to the Cycling Summit, a return hop to Brixx for an after-summit social, and a return home. 12th Garmin day.
19 May 2011
Bike-commute day 27—to home
Quick ride home, with little time to shower, feed Howard-the-Dog, make a snack, and get to the Neon Movies to see Veer, the film prelude to the Cycling Summit.
Ride conditions
Temperature: 62 to 66°F at 17:30
Precipitation: none
Winds: 5 mph from the southwest
Clothing: Skinsuit; ankle socks. Open-finger gloves.
Bike: Trek 850
Time: 00:45:36 for 11.92 miles
Heart rate: 132 bpm average, 148 bpm maximum
Bikeway users: 2 cyclists, 20 pedestrians
Here is a playback of the ride. 11th Garmin day.
Ride conditions
Temperature: 62 to 66°F at 17:30
Precipitation: none
Winds: 5 mph from the southwest
Clothing: Skinsuit; ankle socks. Open-finger gloves.
Bike: Trek 850
Time: 00:45:36 for 11.92 miles
Heart rate: 132 bpm average, 148 bpm maximum
Bikeway users: 2 cyclists, 20 pedestrians
Here is a playback of the ride. 11th Garmin day.
Bike-commute day 27—to work
Another gentle ride today. The roads were dry as I started out, but the Mad River had flooded one area of the bikeway to a depth of a couple inches. The bikeway was damp, almost wet, underneath the tree cover near Parklane Road and from Burkhardt south to Founders Drive.
The Garmin device conked out once during the ride, for about two blocks between Broadway and Salem. Otherwise, it performed well.
I spent some time thinking about what I need to bring with for tomorrow's Bike to Work Day and Cycling Summit. Here's my notated list:
Ride conditions
Temperature: 54 to 55°F at 06:21 and 58 to 63°F at 09:30
Precipitation: none, but bikeway was almost wet in some parts
Winds: calm to 5 mph from the north and northeast
Clothing: 2 layers top, skinsuit, ankle socks, full-finger gloves.
Bike: Trek 850
Time: 00:48:32 for 11.92 miles
Heart rate: 128 bpm average, 151 bpm maximum
Bikeway users: 2 cyclist, 3 pedestrians, 0 dogs, 12 goslings
Here is a playback of the ride. 11th Garmin day.
The Garmin device conked out once during the ride, for about two blocks between Broadway and Salem. Otherwise, it performed well.
I spent some time thinking about what I need to bring with for tomorrow's Bike to Work Day and Cycling Summit. Here's my notated list:
- Skinsuit to wear for the ride to Riverscape
- Gym shorts, t-shirt, flip-flops to change into at the pancake breakfast
- A+D cream
- Skinsuit—wear the same one to the Kroc Center
- Sport towel and non-sudsying soap to clean and dry off at the Kroc Center—change into the gym shorts and t-shirt
- Spare sweatshirt—in case it's too air-conditioned
- Skinsuit, a fresh one for the ride home and maybe a 10-30 mile exercise ride
- Basics of course: cash, wallet with driver's license and credit card, RoadID, charged cellphone
Ride conditions
Temperature: 54 to 55°F at 06:21 and 58 to 63°F at 09:30
Precipitation: none, but bikeway was almost wet in some parts
Winds: calm to 5 mph from the north and northeast
Clothing: 2 layers top, skinsuit, ankle socks, full-finger gloves.
Bike: Trek 850
Time: 00:48:32 for 11.92 miles
Heart rate: 128 bpm average, 151 bpm maximum
Bikeway users: 2 cyclist, 3 pedestrians, 0 dogs, 12 goslings
Here is a playback of the ride. 11th Garmin day.
17 May 2011
Bike-commute day 26—to home
Cold, wet ride. Cautiously performed.
Again, the Garmin device performed inadequately, presumably because of the cloud cover.
Ride conditions
Temperature: 48 to 50°F at 18:00
Precipitation: light
Winds: 5 to 10 mph from the southwest
Clothing: 2-layer skinsuit; ankle socks. Open-finger gloves.
Bike: Trek 850
Time: 00:50:57 for 11.92 miles
Heart rate: 116 bpm average, 136 bpm maximum
Bikeway users: 4 pedestrians
Here is a playback of the ride. 10th Garmin day.
Again, the Garmin device performed inadequately, presumably because of the cloud cover.
Ride conditions
Temperature: 48 to 50°F at 18:00
Precipitation: light
Winds: 5 to 10 mph from the southwest
Clothing: 2-layer skinsuit; ankle socks. Open-finger gloves.
Bike: Trek 850
Time: 00:50:57 for 11.92 miles
Heart rate: 116 bpm average, 136 bpm maximum
Bikeway users: 4 pedestrians
Here is a playback of the ride. 10th Garmin day.
Bike-commute day 26—to work
Heavy cloud cover today. It was unlikely the Garmin device would perform well, and it cut out three times. Perhaps a minute of riding is unaccounted for, and the time for the ride comes from the elapsed time today.
Even with the heavy skies and cooler temperatures, the ride was pleasant, and made so by the fragrance of the just-blooming locust trees. Because I was coming off a three-day rest period, I took it pretty easy, barely breaking a 130 HR until the very last quarter mile.
Ride conditions
Temperature: 43 to 45°F at 06:45 and 45 to 48°F at 09:30
Precipitation: none
Winds: calm to 5 mph from the north and northeast
Clothing: 2 layers top and bottom, ankle socks, full-finger gloves.
Bike: Trek 850
Time: 00:51:39 for 11.92 miles
Heart rate: 122 bpm average, 150 bpm maximum
Bikeway users: 1 cyclist, 3 pedestrians, 1 dog
Here is a playback of the ride. 10th Garmin day.
Even with the heavy skies and cooler temperatures, the ride was pleasant, and made so by the fragrance of the just-blooming locust trees. Because I was coming off a three-day rest period, I took it pretty easy, barely breaking a 130 HR until the very last quarter mile.
Ride conditions
Temperature: 43 to 45°F at 06:45 and 45 to 48°F at 09:30
Precipitation: none
Winds: calm to 5 mph from the north and northeast
Clothing: 2 layers top and bottom, ankle socks, full-finger gloves.
Bike: Trek 850
Time: 00:51:39 for 11.92 miles
Heart rate: 122 bpm average, 150 bpm maximum
Bikeway users: 1 cyclist, 3 pedestrians, 1 dog
Here is a playback of the ride. 10th Garmin day.
13 May 2011
Bike-commute day 25—to gym and home
Friday.
Busy.
Gotta get home in time to eat a quick meal, feed Howard, shower, and make it to the performance of Bernstein's Mass that is a joint performance of the Dayton Philharmonic and the WSU Theatre Arts deparment. Then afterward, stop at Press to see Kevin Tunstall's newest pottery.
Ride conditions
Temperature: 83 to 93°F at 16:25
Precipitation: none
Winds: calm to 5 from the southwest
Clothing: skinsuit; ankle socks. Open-finger gloves.
Bike: Trek 850
Time: 00:57:17 for 16.55 miles
Heart rate:124 bpm average, 136 bpm maximum
Bikeway users: 4 cyclists, 3 pedestrians, 1 dog
Here is a playback of the ride. 9th Garmin day.
Busy.
Gotta get home in time to eat a quick meal, feed Howard, shower, and make it to the performance of Bernstein's Mass that is a joint performance of the Dayton Philharmonic and the WSU Theatre Arts deparment. Then afterward, stop at Press to see Kevin Tunstall's newest pottery.
Ride conditions
Temperature: 83 to 93°F at 16:25
Precipitation: none
Winds: calm to 5 from the southwest
Clothing: skinsuit; ankle socks. Open-finger gloves.
Bike: Trek 850
Time: 00:57:17 for 16.55 miles
Heart rate:124 bpm average, 136 bpm maximum
Bikeway users: 4 cyclists, 3 pedestrians, 1 dog
Here is a playback of the ride. 9th Garmin day.
Bike-commute day 25—to work
Friday: Smell of the Queen Anne's Lace
Ride conditions
Temperature: 63 to 67°F at 07:30
Precipitation: none
Winds: calm to 5 mph from the south and west
Clothing: Skinsuit; ankle socks. Open-finger gloves. (A bit too warm.)
Bike: Trek 850
Time: 00:45:35 for 11.92 miles
Heart rate: 123 bpm average, 142 bpm maximum
Bikeway users: 4 pedestrians, 1 dog
Here is a playback of the ride. 9th Garmin day.
Ride conditions
Temperature: 63 to 67°F at 07:30
Precipitation: none
Winds: calm to 5 mph from the south and west
Clothing: Skinsuit; ankle socks. Open-finger gloves. (A bit too warm.)
Bike: Trek 850
Time: 00:45:35 for 11.92 miles
Heart rate: 123 bpm average, 142 bpm maximum
Bikeway users: 4 pedestrians, 1 dog
Here is a playback of the ride. 9th Garmin day.
12 May 2011
Bike-commute day 24—to gym and home
Thursday. Short gym for abdominal core. Met cyclist Cliff at the trestle. Rode together to the stadium.
Ride conditions
Temperature: 74 to 77°F at 16:50
Precipitation: none
Winds: 5 to 10 mph from the southwest
Clothing: skinsuit; ankle socks. Open-finger gloves.
Bike: Trek 850
Time: 00:58:17 for 16.55 miles
Heart rate: 133 bpm average, 148 bpm maximum
Bikeway users: not recorded
Here is a playback of the ride. 8th Garmin day.
Ride conditions
Temperature: 74 to 77°F at 16:50
Precipitation: none
Winds: 5 to 10 mph from the southwest
Clothing: skinsuit; ankle socks. Open-finger gloves.
Bike: Trek 850
Time: 00:58:17 for 16.55 miles
Heart rate: 133 bpm average, 148 bpm maximum
Bikeway users: not recorded
Here is a playback of the ride. 8th Garmin day.
Bike-commute day 24—to work
Thursday. Sprints for heart training.
Today was a sprint day, with one sprint in the second leg and two sprints in the third leg. I brought my HR to above 145 for periods of 1:24, 1:39, and 1:33.
Ride conditions
Temperature: 63 to 67°F at 07:30
Precipitation: none
Winds: calm to 5 mph from the south and west
Clothing: Skinsuit; ankle socks. Open-finger gloves. (A bit too warm.)
Bike: Trek 850
Time: 00:47:09 for 11.92 miles
Heart rate: 132 bpm average, 156 bpm maximum
Bikeway users: 4 pedestrians, 1 dog
Here is a playback of the ride. 8th Garmin day.
Today was a sprint day, with one sprint in the second leg and two sprints in the third leg. I brought my HR to above 145 for periods of 1:24, 1:39, and 1:33.
Ride conditions
Temperature: 63 to 67°F at 07:30
Precipitation: none
Winds: calm to 5 mph from the south and west
Clothing: Skinsuit; ankle socks. Open-finger gloves. (A bit too warm.)
Bike: Trek 850
Time: 00:47:09 for 11.92 miles
Heart rate: 132 bpm average, 156 bpm maximum
Bikeway users: 4 pedestrians, 1 dog
Here is a playback of the ride. 8th Garmin day.
11 May 2011
Bike-commute day 23—to gym and home
Wednesday move.
Ride conditions
Temperature: 74 to 77°F at 16:50
Precipitation: none
Winds: 5 to 10 mph from the southwest
Clothing: skinsuit; ankle socks. Open-finger gloves.
Bike: Trek 850
Time: 01:03:14 for 16.55 miles
Heart rate: 131 bpm average, 145 bpm maximum
Bikeway users: 4 cyclists, 3 pedestrians, 1 dog
Here is a playback of the ride. 8th Garmin day.
Note about the illustration
The line drawings were published online and captured by me during the playback. The video provides stills from The Art of Frank Patterson by Horace F. Button, which was published 1952 by Temple Press, Ltd.
Ride conditions
Temperature: 74 to 77°F at 16:50
Precipitation: none
Winds: 5 to 10 mph from the southwest
Clothing: skinsuit; ankle socks. Open-finger gloves.
Bike: Trek 850
Time: 01:03:14 for 16.55 miles
Heart rate: 131 bpm average, 145 bpm maximum
Bikeway users: 4 cyclists, 3 pedestrians, 1 dog
Here is a playback of the ride. 8th Garmin day.
Note about the illustration
The line drawings were published online and captured by me during the playback. The video provides stills from The Art of Frank Patterson by Horace F. Button, which was published 1952 by Temple Press, Ltd.
Bike-commute day 23—to work
News links
Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) introduced a “Commuter Relief Act” that would expand tax credits for those who commute by bike, foot, carpool or transit.
Pedaler Clothing announces a line of hoodies and jeans that incorporate reflective elements to make the urban cyclist more visible.
Levi's announces the 511 Skinny Commuter jeans that include more back fabric for "coverage," antimicrobial treatment for limiting stink, reflective strips, and "performance stretch fabric."
Ride conditions
Temperature: 63 to 67°F at 07:30
Precipitation: none
Winds: calm to 5 mph from the south and west
Clothing: Skinsuit; ankle socks. Open-finger gloves. (A bit too warm.)
Bike: Trek 850
Time: 00:47:18 for 11.92 miles
Heart rate: 128 bpm average, 147 bpm maximum
Bikeway users: 4 pedestrians, 1 dog
Here is a playback of the ride. 8th Garmin day.
Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) introduced a “Commuter Relief Act” that would expand tax credits for those who commute by bike, foot, carpool or transit.
Pedaler Clothing announces a line of hoodies and jeans that incorporate reflective elements to make the urban cyclist more visible.
Levi's announces the 511 Skinny Commuter jeans that include more back fabric for "coverage," antimicrobial treatment for limiting stink, reflective strips, and "performance stretch fabric."
Ride conditions
Temperature: 63 to 67°F at 07:30
Precipitation: none
Winds: calm to 5 mph from the south and west
Clothing: Skinsuit; ankle socks. Open-finger gloves. (A bit too warm.)
Bike: Trek 850
Time: 00:47:18 for 11.92 miles
Heart rate: 128 bpm average, 147 bpm maximum
Bikeway users: 4 pedestrians, 1 dog
Here is a playback of the ride. 8th Garmin day.
10 May 2011
Bike-commute day 22—to home
...So because of the still-threatening skies, I decided against stopping at the gym. And well decided. Sprinkles were falling as I started from Kodak, though they let up. Some portions of the bikeway were damp, some with run-off just cleared, some with steaming pavement. I got mud-spattered from the wet areas, but not rained on. A gentler pace kept me safe through to the still-flooded Great Miami River. From there, I took the zig-zag up to Riverscape and sidewalks through downtown to the street up from the Monument Avenue Bridge.
At the end of my commute, I stopped to say hello to two women who were gardening at a house on Euclid that had been for sale. One of them was the new owner—Justa, whose husband was still at his workplace. The other was her sister who helped with their move.
Ride conditions
Temperature: 74 to 77°F at 16:50
Precipitation: none
Winds: 5 to 10 mph from the southwest
Clothing: skinsuit; ankle socks. Open-finger gloves.
Bike: Trek 850
Time: 00:51:04 for 16.55 miles
Heart rate:119 bpm average, 136 bpm maximum
Bikeway users: 4 cyclists, 3 pedestrians, 1 dog
Here is a playback of the ride. 7th Garmin day.
Note about the illustration
The line drawings were published online and captured by me during the playback. The video provides stills from The Art of Frank Patterson by Horace F. Button, which was published 1952 by Temple Press, Ltd.
Bike-commute day 22—to work
Ride conditions
Temperature: 61 to 64°F at 07:20
Precipitation: none
Winds: calm to 5 mph from the south and east
Clothing: 2-layer top, skinsuit; ankle socks. Open-finger gloves. (A bit too warm.)
Bike: Trek 850
Time: 00:47:09 for 11.92 miles
Heart rate: 128 bpm average, 144 bpm maximum
Bikeway users: 4 pedestrians, 1 dog
Here is a playback of the ride. 7th Garmin day.
Note about the illustration
The line drawings were published online as a video slideshow and captured by me during the playback. The video provides stills from The Art of Frank Patterson by Horace F. Button, which was published 1952 by Temple Press, Ltd.
09 May 2011
Bike-commute day 21—to gym and home
Ride conditions
Temperature: 73 to 78°F at 17:10
Precipitation: none
Winds: calm to 5 mph from the east
Clothing: skinsuit; ankle socks. Open-finger gloves.
Bike: Trek 850
Time: 01:02:21 for 15.71 miles
Heart rate: 124 bpm average, 141 bpm maximum
Bikeway users: 21 cyclists, 14 pedestrians, 4 dogs
Here is a playback of the ride. 6th Garmin day.
Note about the illustration
The line drawings were published online and captured by me during the playback. The video provides stills from The Art of Frank Patterson by Horace F. Button, which was published 1952 by Temple Press, Ltd.
Bike-commute day 21—to work
The Great Miami bikeway is still flooded by as much as 0.5 meter, at least from Riverscape to the low dam at Monument Avenue. If the week's forecasted chance of showers and thunderstorms doesn't pan out, even that part of the bikeway may be clear within the week. The forecast of showers, though, is for all periods except Wednesday night.
My ride today was almost leisurely, despite a very late start.
Ride conditions
Temperature: 57°F at 07:55 61 to 65°F at 10:10
Precipitation: none
Winds: calm to 5 mph from the east
Clothing: 2-layer top, skinsuit; ankle socks. Open-finger gloves.
Bike: Trek 850
Time: 00:49:59 for 11.89 miles
Heart rate:128 bpm average, 142 bpm maximum
Bikeway users: 2 pedestrians, 5 cyclists
Here is a playback of the ride. 6th Garmin day.
Note about the illustration
The line drawings were published online as a video slideshow and captured by me during the playback. The video provides stills from The Art of Frank Patterson by Horace F. Button, which was published 1952 by Temple Press, Ltd.
06 May 2011
Bike-commute day 20—to Courteous Mass and home
Using the idea of courtesy instead of criticism, the grouped riders say hello to passing motorists and people on their porches or the sidewalks. Friendly waves abound, from and to the cyclist group. And none of them one-finger waves.
Another aspect of the courtesy of the massed riders is scrupulous obedience to traffic laws, even if it may mean the group splits between one green light and the next. And that happens frequently enough downtown, even in a small group. In such a case, at least one cyclist from the lead group remains behind to guide the separated cyclists back to the main group.
This afternoon, about a dozen cyclists collected at Fifth-Third Field by 5:30 and took a quiet route to the University of Dayton via Wayne Avenue and the Southpark neighborhood. The return took Brown Street and Jefferson Street north to First Street and then Patterson Boulevard to return to Fifth-Third Field.
Ride conditions
Temperature: 61 to 65°F at 16:10
Precipitation: none
Winds: calm to 10 mph from the south and west
Clothing: 2-layer top, skinsuit; ankle socks. Open-finger gloves.
Bike: Trek 850
Time: 01:24:2 for 16.55 miles
Heart rate:114 bpm average, 144 bpm maximum
Bikeway users: 5 cyclists
Here is a playback of the ride. 5th Garmin day.
Note about the illustration
The line drawings were published online and captured by me during the playback. The video provides stills from The Art of Frank Patterson by Horace F. Button, which was published 1952 by Temple Press, Ltd.
Bike-commute day 20—to work
Heart strength training program
I'll continue training with three to four sprints on two commutes each week.
Goal one. Using the standard 220 minus your age, I should expect a maximum heart rate of only 161 bpm. My HRmax today reached up to 95% of this expected rate.
My goal for the next couple months will be to reach 161 bpm consistently for two out of three or four sprints.
Goal two.
By the end of May, I want to increase my stamina to 1:00 at a HR of 145 to 161 bpm (90 to 100% of HRmax).
By the end of June, I want to increase my stamina to 2:00 at a HR of 90 to 100% of HRmax.
These goals probably will have a joint result in a higher actual HRmax. I'll find a sports medicine facility that can measure my HRmax at the end of June.
Last night, I moved the Garmin Edge 705 mount as far forward as the stem and handlebars would allow, which means a difference of only 0.75 inch. The device performed without problem today, even with a consistent cloud cover.
Ride conditions
Temperature: 44 to 50°F at 06:58
Precipitation: none, medium to heavy clouds
Winds: calm to 5 mph from the south
Clothing: 2-layer top, skinsuit; ankle socks. Full-finger gloves.
Bike: Trek 850
Time: 00:45:53 for 11.95 miles
Heart rate:132 bpm average, 154 bpm maximum
Bikeway users: 2 pedestrians, 2 cyclists
Here is a playback of the ride. 5th Garmin day.
Note about the illustration
The line drawings were published online and captured by me during the playback. The video provides stills from The Art of Frank Patterson by Horace F. Button, which was published 1952 by Temple Press, Ltd.
Bike-commute day 19—to gym and home
As I approached Airway, traffic caused a precious wait, instead of a mere stop. Both riders ahead passed the curve and drop toward the former Multi-Service plant. Once clear of traffic, I crossed the four-lane street and a set of pedestrians on the crossing sidewalk. I passed the curve and drop where I had last seen the riders just as another pair of riders who had been riding toward me left the bikeway through the access to Wright View. I caught a glimpse of the two riders ahead, and they had separated by perhaps 150 feet. The red rider had yet to reach the 90-degree corner beyond the Multi-Service plant, and the yellow-red rider had reached the tunnel formed by the canopy of trees along the bikeway.
I passed the red rider, a sporty-looking woman, before we reached the tunnel-canopy, and I saw the yellow-red rider still ahead, just negotiating the turn out of the tunnel. Now our separation was holding at about 150 feet, each of us well matched. But north of Fairpark Avenue, he must have tired a bit in the next stretch of canopy and I had a renewed burst of stamina, in which my HR rose to the ride's maximum of 146 bpm. I approached as close as 15 feet before he crossed Smithville, and I passed him in the middle of the weaving bikeway that passes from Smithville to Springfield Street. At that intersection, he pulled onto Springfield Street and continued east toward Wright-Patterson airbase, while I pulled into Eastwood Park as a connector to the Mad River Bikeway.
Awww, I was hoping to get a chance to greet and meet as we rode together into Dayton. Disappointed but still full of energy, I continued on with greater speed than usual, up to the point of jogging over to East Monument Street to bypass the flooded bikeway adjacent to the Mad River.
Ride conditions
Temperature: 62 to 68°F at 17:49
Precipitation: none
Winds: 5 to 10 mph from the north
Clothing: skinsuit; ankle socks. open-finger gloves.
Bike: Trek 850 hybrid
Time: 01:00:31 for about 16 miles
HR 132 bpm average, 146 bpm maximum
Bikeway users: 9 cyclists, ~15 pedestrians
4th Garmin day. Playback.
05 May 2011
Bike-commute day 19—to work
For the most part, these routes already exist, though they are not designated or in much use by cyclists. For example, these parallel routes already exist near the bikeway that typically is flooded during high water:
- East Monument Avenue parallels the Mad River Bikeway from Irwin Street west to North Patterson Boulevard.
- The Riverwalk and a gravel path parallel the Great Miami River from North Patterson Boulevard to the Monument Avenue Bridge.
- An unnamed delivery street parallels the Great Miami River south from Washington Street to Veterans' Park near Stewart Street.
- East River Road in Moraine parallels the Great Miami River south from Carillon Boulevard to the point where the river-level bikeway rises to join East River Road.
- North Alex Road parallels the Great Miami River in West Carrollton.
- North Miami Street parallels the Great Miami River in Miamisburg.
My energy level on today's ride was fairly low. The 705 device worked well until 38:08 into the ride, when the 705 went to autopause for no reason. (I remember that just prior to the shift to autopause, a loose twig got picked up in the rear wheel, at the cadence sensor, and that I looked town to check that it was clearing from the wheel.) I lost data from just south of Linden Avenue through just south of Woodbine. I turned off the device, waited 10 seconds, turned it on, and waited for acquisition of satellite information before resuming. This restart caused an additional lap time (split 4).
Ride conditions
Temperature: 34 to 41°F at 06:45
Precipitation: none
Winds: calm to 5 mph from the east
Clothing: 2-layer top, 2-layer bottom; ankle socks. Full-finger gloves.
Bike: Trek 850
Time: between 00:46:25 and 0:57:00 for 12.00 miles
Heart rate:124 bpm average, 142 bpm maximum
Bikeway users: 2 pedestrians, 2 cyclists
Here is a playback of the ride. 4th Garmin day.
Note about the illustration
The line drawings were published online and captured by me during the playback. The video provides stills from The Art of Frank Patterson by Horace F. Button, which was published 1952 by Temple Press, Ltd.
04 May 2011
Bike-commute day 18—gym and home
Chuck emailed me soon after I posted this morning's commute, "Is the new gadgetgizmo broken already?"I can't answer yes or no. The gizmo works great ...some of the time. When it failed—again—during my afternoon ride, it did so again while there was fairly heavy cloud cover. I also noticed that it dropped into autopause once while I was standing on the pedals, leaning forward. I'll try to reposition the mount, move it more forward, but I can't do anything about the cloud cover. Except ride only on clear, sunny days. See the bike leaning against the wall? Maybe that's my steed on the majority of days in Dayton, waiting for the sun.
The essential question remains: should the 705 be so sensitive, so reliant on a GPS signal at a given moment that it must autopause so readily and frequently?
Ride conditions
Temperature: 50 to 54°F at 17:36
Precipitation: none
Winds: 0 to 5 mph from the southeast
Clothing: 2-layer top, skinsuit; ankle socks. open-finger gloves.
Bike: Trek 850 hybrid
Time: about 01:06:00 for about 16 miles
Bikeway users: 5 cyclists, 5 pedestrians
3rd Garmin day. Playback.
Bike-commute day 18—to work
Impatience has been my work for the past couple weeks. Only three days where it wasn't raining and I could ride, and I wasted one perfectly good day because I had errands to run in preparation for an Easter-weekend trip.Today's ride showed some limitations of the Edge 705. At about 14 minutes into the ride, the 'puter began to auto-pause, even though I was riding without a stop. I tried to restart it by pressing the start/stop button, to no avail. Even turned the 'puter off once. Still no help. I suspect that the GPS signals weren't making it through the heavy cloud cover. But that's just a suspicion. I tried to reset the 'puter off the auto-pause, but I couldn't find the control in the software's menu structure.
The path was mostly dry from home through Eastwood Park, but then the way was consistently wet for the remainder of the ride. My slower speed reflects the caution I needed for the wet and for often stopping to attempt another fix for the auto-pause.
Ride conditions
Temperature: 41 to 44°F at 07:00
Precipitation: none
Winds: calm to 5 mph from the east
Clothing: 2-layer top, 2-layer bottom; ankle socks. Full-finger gloves.
Bike: Trek 850
Time: between 00:44 and 0:59 for 12.00 miles
Heart rate:124 bpm average, 142 bpm maximum
Bikeway users: 2 pedestrians, 1 cyclist
Here is a playback of the ride. 3rd Garmin day, cadence installed
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)