In Which We Consider 50-Mile Bookish Rides

Early February--Feb. 2, I think. Cool mornings with pretty sunrises, at Rockwell-Collins pond (above) and MMU (below).

An acquaintance from the neighborhood just “friended” me on Facebook, partly so he can invited me to his group there. He is planning an interesting bicycle ride—from the Marion Public Library to the Iowa City Public Library, a journey that would travel mostly on bike trails, with some streets near the start and in the final third of the journey.

He says the rout would be about 50 miles, which makes it a doable ride by May, I think. It will have some hills along roads beyond Ely, but since most of the miles of the ride are on bike trails, most of the miles are also fairly flat. Besides, I do need some hill climb practice, too.

Well, I’m happy to have been invited to the Facebook group. The plans aren’t final—no date has been set—but I assume at some point others would be welcome to join this Reader’s Ride, the Biking Bookworms, the Page Peddlers. (I think the B idea is closer to his title).

I’ll let you know when I know more.

Anyway, it’s been almost a fortnight since I last updated the world on my biking life, and I’m almost certain you’ve bene clamoring for an update. Clamor no more, here it is.

Feb. 9--Faux Spring no  more--winter is back, baby! Morning of my winter-coat ride.

 The past two weeks have certainly ben a study in contrasts. In Iowa, the first half of February has featured some warm days that foreshadow spring, and some bone-chilling cold mornings, too. Snow this past week, kept me off my back for a grand total of one day, as it wasn’t much snow, and I was able to wear enough clothes to brave the sub-zero wind chills the next morning.

Speaking of sub-zero wind chills, I made a happy accidental discovery. Last year, my wife got me a new winter coat. I don’t usually wear it to bike—it’s rather heavier than I usually need, and I like the thin hood of a windbreaker that I normally wear. But on one super cold morning this week, I just wanted more warmth, and reached for the winter coat. But I wanted head protection, too, so I put on the winter coat hood and mashed on my helmet—and, well, even the winter coat’s hood came be made to fit under my helmet.

So I was way more comfortable than usual on the coldest morning this week. The week ended with rides that were far from cold—in the same week that I discovered I can wear my heavy winter coat to bicycle, I also rode home (Friday) for the first time sans coat, because it was too warm for anything more than a sweatshirt as my outer layer.

Today, a granddaughter is coming over to celebrate her 4th birthday—she insisted that grandma host the party, and the child’s parents certainly weren’t against that plan. Anyway, with any luck, she may come over a bit early, and if the rain stays north, as it should, I may hitch the Tagalong seat to Clarence and take her for a birthday spin.

That would be fun And springlike.

Turkeys at top of Bowman Woods Hill--did the hill climb on my way home from the gym Feb. 11.