In Which a Slow Ride Starts 2022

Heading up C Avenue to trail. Going slow, but riding through the snow.

Fancy Beast ready to ride.

Me, ready to go (after I put my gloves on).

What is your biking goal for 2022? I’m not big on goals—my main point is just to ride and enjoy myself. But in a normal week (during the school year) I would ride about 40 miles just going to and from work. So riding 50 miles a week is pretty normal.

50 times 52 is 2,600. Of course, some weeks I would ride less—the first week of 2022 was zero miles, due to winter making things ugly on Cedar Rapids streets. Still, is 3,000 miles a good annual goal? We’ll say it is, and see if I remember to keep the tally. Anyway, whether I ride all those miles (or more), I’m hoping to enjoy the journey this year.

Today in Iowa, we had a chance of freezing rain, but as of mid-day, it was cool, 18 degrees or so, and grey—but not icy.

And in 2022, so far, 18 is pretty warm. (For any UK or European pals, my temperatures are Fahrenheit—in your world’s more rational scale, it was well below zero today—still warmer than it has been lately). And I own a mountain bike, partly with the intention of using it as a winter beater bike. Wide tyres, slow bike, ready for winter use.

So, I checked the tyres—a bit low, cold temps, don’t you know? I aired them up a bit (on the low end of normal is better anyway on a day like this). My plan was simple—ride up the C Avenue sidewalk to Lindale Trail, head over to the Boyson Trail and come back on quiet streets.

Border between Cedar Rapids and Marion, headed east from Cedar Rapids. Looks like CR wins for trail snow removal, but, honestly, Marion did fine for most of the trail. And the worst part of my ride was returning home on quiet CR streets. Sussex needs another snowplow pass.

I was a bit worried about how unpaved part of trail would be. Well, it was fine, at least as clear and maybe clearer than paved parts.

View of Boyson Trail as I slowly cycle south. I fully stopped to make images today--no messing around trying to shoot and ride.

Start of trail ride, most of it was more cleared than this. The curvy track is one I've just made.

Looking  towards Milwaukee Road bridge. I ride down Lindale Trail to Boyson Trail.

It went well. A few years ago, on a day not unlike today, I fell on the Boyson Trail, but not today. Then, I was riding a hybrid bike, not so great for a winter ride. Today the Fancy Beast behaved well. I kept it slow and just enjoyed the opportunity to roll across part of the planet.

I should have bundled up more. For winter rides, I often wear several pairs of socks and long underwear—today, I thought it was warm enough not to bother. I should have bothered; I was a bit uncomfortably cool by the time I got home.

Still, all in all, I was happy to begin my rides. 6.7 miles down. 2,993.3 to go!

Water bottle at end of ride--can you see the ice?

Seen from one bridge on the Boyson Trail.

Bridge on the trail near Menards. Despite the grey winter day, it's pretty, I think.

Headed north towards home, creek and bridge.

Gap in map is because I rode a bit before computer started.