Tennish / Ghost Town

#263 & 264 / #76

Two rides today, one with the casual bike riding group (10 easy miles in Folsom). Then one on the spooky deserted American River Parkway Trail.

The 10 mile ride was Red Leader and my usual 10 mile route on Folsom's bike paths. It was great to share it with new people! There were not many people out on our outbound leg, more on our inbound leg. My theory is that our outbound leg required some connecting the dots to get a whole bike path route. And the inbound leg was more straightforward.

Ok, on to ride #2

An article in the Sacramento Bee has caused a bit of a flap, detailing as it does the plans of the Sacramento County Parks authority to begin the process of enforcing the 15mph speed limit already in place (but totally and utterly ignored) on the Parkway Trail. Lidar guns and warnings and citations and all that jazz. Here's a link to the article.

Whether it was from the strong Delta breeze this afternoon, or the faster riders avoiding the Parkway because this is the first weekend of enforcement, the trail was quite empty. I saw only a handful of riders I would characterize as "fast".

I'm not sure now if I am in favor of this enforcement or not. It was a royal pain in the ass checking my speedometer to see if I was exceeding 15mph. I did, several times.
It also means that I have to kiss my attempts at a 15mph AVERAGE on certain routes goodbye.

I have a bunch of thoughts rattling around in my head about this, which I will lay out in no particular order.

I think I'll be riding on the roads in Folsom more often, I'll load up my trike with some extra bright red flashers and maybe see about getting some hi-viz gloves for better signaling visibility.

How are the Park Rangers going to catch a speeding bicyclist to warn or cite? Their own bicycle? Motorized vehicle? I'm interesting in learning this.

This enforcement, by not happening from the beginning of the parkway trail's existence, but by suddenly being enforced years after the 15mph limit was put in place, means many riders of this trail will choose to leave the trail. Is it still a MULTI-use trail then?

Anyway, I'll still ride the trail and wait and see what happens. Should be interesting.

Baked

#262

I was out far longer today than I had planned. My Nike Dryfit sunblocking shirt kept most of the sun off my arms, but I am a little pink. I eschewed the sun leggings and applied sunscreen 3 times. My legs above my knees are a bit pink but not bad. I pulled my Columbia cooling buff thing up over my neck, jaw and earlobes so only my face near my nose was exposed. And it was liberally slathered (is that redundant?) with sunscreen.

When I apply sunscreen trailside without the benefit of a mirror, the results are pretty strange. I don't know if my buff pulled up over my face or my shining white gloppy nose (finally observed with utter horror in a trailside restroom many miles later) was why I got such strange looks today.

I rode, by the way, from Karen's Bakery in Folsom to the railroad trestle past I-80 and back again. 49 miles. 4 and 1/2 hours moving time. I think I left the parking garage at 8:45 and got back at 2:45? Something like that. A lot of time outside, anyway.

I saw three other trikes: 2 recumbents with one rider each, and an unoccupied 'adult' tricycle parked by the trail. Between the three 'bent trikes, we represented a good slice of trike-dom - one touring trike with middle of the road recline, one very reclined Cattrike, and a very upright and high-seat trike with basically armrests. Cool!

I had another interesting conversation with a couple of boys. They were dying to talk to me about the trike, so I invited them (with their mom's permission) to do so.

I was VERY VERY HAPPY to see the parking garage at the end of my ride, and even happier to stuff my face at Karen's. The deli case there was quite depleted. Turns out that the rowing teams who were competing all weekend at Nimbus Flats were staying at the hotel down the road from Karens. Rowers EAT. I had a curried tuna sandwich. Yum yum yum!

I will probably lay off the bike for a few days - it will be quite hot and I would like to have some 'legs' left for my upcoming backpacking trip.

Stomped

#261 / #74

Finally, Red Leader and I on the same ride at the same time! The heavens resounded with choirs of angels (one hopes they were in tune).

We "loafed" around Folsom on our old route through neighborhoods on the many twisty trails. Red Leader is a bit of a speed freak. I would rather he kept it below 15 all the time on these trails.

Saw a woman on a cruiser type bike returning from the grocery store, her handlebars loaded down with dangling plastic grocery bags.

Many children on bikes and skateboards and feet. Dogs, on and off leash. Other bicyclists - one crouching roadie and many mountain-cruiser-comfort types.

We had a lively conversation with a couple of kids at the skate/BMX park. The city has built a very popular huge pile of dirt in a neighborhood park, attracting kids like bees to flowers.

The two boys were full of questions about the trikes, every third statement was "can I pleaaaaaaase try it?" We declined. I doubt the kid could have reached the pedals anyway. One had heard of Greenspeed trikes. The other was alarmed at the closeness of the derailler to the ground (long cage, 20" wheels). I was told I need new tires since there is no tread left! So I pointed out the wear indicator dimples. We discussed crashing and cornering and the kids were wondering if we were going to try the dirt.

Sorry kids, you are not going to be entertained with two old farts on trikes spinning out on the side of a pile of dirt.
Now, if I had a bike with at 26 in back ...

47 more miles to go for May. Tomorrow is filled with errands, so it looks like I will be emulating those college freshmen I used to tutor: finishing at the very last moment on Friday.

Hammered

#260

I didn't ride on Wednesday, saving all my mojo for today's longer ride - 45 miles, I think.

My problems pushing my bike forward (felt like permanent uphill last ride) were do to a deflating rear tire. I have difficulty getting the business end of the pump off of the Schrader valve on the back wheel. The fender and fender stays limit the places I can put the valve for filling, and the bike frame does also. And I suppose I'm chicken about bashing my knuckles into the gears. Which I have done more than once.

When I pulled the flat tube out, the hole was right at the base of the valve stem. Thinking back on that ride, I did have some trouble getting the pump to let go.

So I finally switched that wheel out to a Presta-valved tube. Much better. I used one of the metal type of hole filler, which is actually quite a bit longer than it needs to be, making the available valve stem almost too short. I shall experiment with hacksawing one of the other ones shorter, then when I feel like wrestling the back wheel off again, I'll swap it out.

Today ride started at 7am. It is the Hammerin' Wheels' DIY century ride, no fee and no support. Cue sheets and leaders/sweeps are provided. 50 riders? Me the only recumbent.

I went into this ride knowing I'd turn around at the first official rest stop. And I was the slowest one there, even on this century designed for beginner century riders - pace 13-15mph. I averaged just exactly 13mph before I got myself slightly lost in downtown Sacramento.  I undid what got me lost, and took the parkway trail all the way to mile 0 instead of spending more time wandering around C, 19th, 12th, E whatever in Sacramento.

Then, for the 23 or so miles back, I loafed along at maybe 12mph.

Strava's Android app ate my ride again: probably when I either checked the map or sent a text. Hopefully, the support folks can retrieve it like they did last time.

ride in the morning cool

#259

Now I know where all the other trike riders are: riding in the morning on weekdays. I saw 2 on the trail and 1 while driving to the trailhead, and three 2-wheel 'bents also.

I have a big ride coming up on Saturday so I wanted to see how I felt riding this morning (Monday) after a week of lots of riding.

I was pretty tired. So I turned around after 4 miles and slogged back.

I would normally ride on Wednesday with Red Leader, but I might send him out by himself.

I'll see how I feel at yoga on Wednesday morning.

Down with Moderation!

#258 / #71

17 miles today. Only 110 more miles to go in May. 60 of those will be on the Hammerin' wheels "Green Smoothie" century, of which I am doing 30 with the group, then 30 on my own to get back to the start. So, that means 5 miles a day, or 10 miles every other day, or 25 a week for the rest of May. I can do that.

I rode on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday. Moderation is something I don't get, not at all.

All or nothing, that's me.

Red Leader and I are wandering around the house now, lamenting about our toasted quads. Feels good.

I'll try to get 15 of my 25 miles in on Monday, then the usual ride on Wednesday with Red Leader, then metric century madness!

CU

Rain?! in May!!!

#257

Last time I was at the dentist's office (across our small town) I said I would ride my bike there for my next teeth cleaning.

So I did.

Preceded by a frantic closet excavation for my winter tights.

It was misty/drizzle, the kind that is light enough the pavement under the heaviest tree cover stays dry. About 60 degrees and little to no wind.

I was a little tired from my previous 2 consecutive days of bike riding, so I made liberal use of my smallest chain ring, creeping up hill and coasting down hill.

I wore a lightweight wool Ibex shirt under my bright windbreaker, and had a summer-weight wicking poly day glo shirt to wear on the way back, figuring it would be warmer and I'd be working harder since it is more up than down back to my house.

Looking forward to a ride or two this weekend.

Rubber side down, everybody.