In Which Wet May 1 Ride Pushes Me Past 600 Miles

Noticed this tree in bloom near the gym at MMU on my morning ride. When I walked over to it in the afternoon to take its picture, there were hundreds of bees. Springtime image.

The April rides ended before the month did—the start of this week was just too darn wet for bike commuting.

I don’t quite have the full dedication that Jenion has—she just completed riding 30 days in a row in April. Well, way to go.

Me, I skip the really wet or snowy days. But on May 1, it was sprinkling in the morning and I was really itching to ride. So, I did. And then, after I was at work, had one of those “thunk” moments where I didn’t’ actually strike my forehead because that would hurt and I don’t like pain, but I could have. I had a tour of the Cedar Rapids Community School District’s video facilities scheduled that afternoon and was planning to drive to work that day as a result.

So, mid-day on a day when I didn't really have the time to spare, I found myself biking like a mad man back home to get, of all things, a car. Forgive me, bike gods, but I knew I didn't have time to return for an evening class if I had been on two wheels.

Anyway, while the ride Wednesday morning pushed my year’s total past 600 miles, Friday was much grander. A beautiful spring day. The bee photo was one I shot in the afternoon before leaving campus, but I did notice the sweet blooming fruit tree on the bike trek up the hill Friday morning. The day finished with me meeting grandchildren at a park on Council and 74th streets, and having a pleasant ride home with one 3-year-old granddaughter, and then a short ride on the Lindale Trail with a 3-year-old grandson. (They are around 3, both have late May birthdays, don’t think they are 3 yet).

I don’t think I’m going to take the 31-day challenge—doubt I will ride every day in May. But maybe I could get to 500 miles this month. After all, I did 323.5 miles in April …

Miles in January, February, March and April. Was just shy of 600 until May 1 ride.

What the MMU bee tree was like--the noise in the video, by the way, is just wind on the mircrophone or passing traffic on Prairie Drive--the bees were very numerous and totally silent: