The Importance of "Bike On Your Left!"

It was a beautiful day for riding, and I was lucky that, although I had some work I had to do today, I could spend a couple of hours biking, too. Did 30 miles today and wish I could have done more.

Shown is the Cedar River Trail near Cedar Lake. To round out my 30 miles, I rode from MMU south to Quaker Oats, and then turned north and rode to the 3-mile mark on the Cedar Valley Nature Trail past Boyson Road.

The "incident" took place as I was headed for home. I was approaching a young lady walking with a male companion. 'She was kind of ambling in the middle of the trail.

I followed what for me is standard procedure on any walking/biking trail. I have a bell, which I cheerily rang, and then said "bike on your left" in a loud, but not rude, voice.

I heard a rather unpleasant sounding reply, although it was complimentary to me. "Thank you!" she shouted. "You're the first one that's done that."

"That," apparently, is sound any warning before passing a pedestrian.

Now, I'm frequently either a biker or a pedestrian on trails, and even if I wish she had sounded nicer to the biker who did what she wanted all bikers to do, I would agree she has a valid point. Only a minority of bikers sound warnings, and all ought to.

Of course, there is some risk. A colleague of mine at MMU can describe a mishap where he said "bike on your left" and the woman moved to her left and BAM. She and he were both hurt and shaken, she more than he.

So, I also try to time it to leave a little reaction leeway. If a pedestrian steps in the wrong direction, I hope I'm still able to evade.

In any case, I think it's both safer and less rude to sound the warning. So, bikers, remember these words of wisdom: "Bike on your left." Say it loudly, clearly and with enough time for you and Ms. Walker to both react.

Even the Cattle Wanted Water

It was summer hot today, a perfect afternoon to get some "heat" practice in, so I rode 20 miles starting a little after 3 in the afternoon.

Took water with me, which was a good move.

Well, the first half of the ride was not bad. I rode west to Hiawatha to catch the Cedar River Trail to the Cedar Valley Trail, and headed north on that trail for 6 miles. I had planned to do 5, but the 5-mile-marker was missing so I did one extra mile by accident.

I felt pretty powerful. It was hot, but not too hot, I was sweaty but not uncomfortable, all was going well.

Until I turned around. Forgot that a 15- to 20-mph south wind was making it hot. Well, at least the wind in my face helped cool me down, but it also made me work very hard.

Taking the photo of the cattle which were visible from the trail was an excuse to stop briefly on the return journey (and gulp the last of my water).

Still, I suppose, headwind training for RAGBRAI is a good idea!

I was supposed to be home by 4:30, but rolled in after 5. Oh well.

10 miles puts me 40 over goal

First time I've exceeded the RAGBRAI training goal, and I did it by 40 miles this week.

According to the schedule, this should an an "off" week of 75 miles, but school gave me many previous off weeks, and a 10 mile ride today put me at 115 for the week.

The photo shows what the sky looked like on the way home. It was a bit sunny for a few minutes of the ride, but mostly cloudy and humid. We're in for summer heat for Memorial Day, and somehow the look of this sky is appropriate for that "remember" holiday.

Anyway, today I went south to Regis Middle School to catch the south end of the short CENMAR trail. Rode to the north end and then back home--about a 10-mile loop and a fairly easy ride, after yesterday's hilly marathon.

I feel I'm doing well, and so far (knock on wood) the new back wheel on my bike is holding up!

Good to See an Old Friend Back

Well, I’ve had two pretty good training days—yesterday’s Cedar River Trail ride with Cate and an even longer ride today.

I rode the Sac and Fox trail today. I think it’s one of the crown jewels of trails in Cedar Rapids. Sadly, it’s isolated—does not tie into anything or go from any useful place to any other useful place—and it’s a slightly iffy biking trail, a soft limestone surface that can be sandy or muddy in places, so you have to watch it.

But the trail winds along Indian Creek and the Cedar River, and provides the most “wild” trail ride in Cedar Rapids.

In 2008, when devastating floods carved the heart out the city, the trail was basically destroyed. A year after that epic flood, I wrote a post on my other blog about how tragic it was that, a year later, the trail was still totally wiped out.

Well, today it’s back. The only part that I saw closed was the bridge to the Indian Creek Nature Center—not sure what the issue is there, but the Sac and Fox trail itself was glorious. It was a cool day today and sprinkles fell in Cedar Rapids, so the trail was very web and mushy—I had to watch it.

In addition, horses use the trail, and I had to watch for their marks, too.

It was an interesting ride. I saw six deer-only one pair, the rest all as individuals. Could not get any photos as they moved too fast. I also saw two kayakers on Indian Creek, something that I’ve not seen before. We had a brief conversation as they floated by while I photographed them—they said the creek was shallow in spots and they had to portage their kayaks a couple of times, but were having a good trip.

Anyway, as I slowly rode the trail, I stopped now and then to take some pictures. Some flowers that I saw are on my other blog.

The most treacherous part of the trail was where Indian Creek flows into the Cedar River. The trial was very soft and muddy, and obviously had flooded recently. It was still passable, however, and I did do the entire 7.2-mile trail.

Combining those 14.4 miles with my ride to and from the trail, and I figure it was close to a 30-mile ride. The ride featured the ascent of Cottage Grove hill—excellent RAGBRAI training.

See this blog post for pictures of some of the flowers I saw today.

Well, people of Cedar Rapids, of all the trails I’ve been on lately, the Sac and Fox was the least crowded, but most deserved more use. Get out there and walk and ride!

What Would Urban Trout Taste Like?

I got a good 15-mile RAGBRAI practice ride in today, courtesy of my sister Cate.

I was not sure I would get a practice ride in today, but the time opened up for one later this afternoon--so I called Cate, and she was available.

I rode over to her house via 73rd Street, and from Cate's we went to the Cedar Valley Trail in Hiawatha and followed it into the little lake by Quaker Oats in downtown Cedar Rapids.

Not that it's a totally original thought, but we were amused by the McLeod Run--Only Urban Trout Stream in Iowa signs. What kind of fish would an "Urban Trout" be? One with several extra hooks as well as tattoos? One you don't want to catch because it'll pull a switchblade on you? One that dresses all in black and rides a skateboard everywhere?

Cedar Rapids is barely home to anything urban, let alone sophisticated fish. One images there being more Urban Trout Seattle (or Boise, for that matter).

Well, the day was cool, we got sprinkled on a little, the geese greeted us with hisses as they tried to protect there goslings, and a teenage girl told me my bike was "hot."

Somehow, I don't think she was being sincere. Cate cajoled me--"what, you don't trust the sincerity of teenage girls?"

No, I do not. I'd rather trust an Urban Trout. Even one with fins so loose, they appear to drag on the floor. That's right. "Fins on the Ground."

Photo from Joseph Wu Origami, posted on Flickr--one look at urban fish.

The Bridge To the Great Beyond

I wrote about it on my other blog, and if you want a blog post that's a bit of a downer, it's available here.

But, I won't blog here about loss.

I rode twice to campus today, which makes it a 20-mile day. The second time, I left around 7 and met Audrey and the grandkids at Noelridge Park.

They had been there for some time, so it was only a few minutes before we all left--they in the van to pick up some quick pizza for supper, me on bike. I made it home first, by the way.

Snapped this photo of a pedestrian bridge at Noelridge for this blog, although I ended up using it as a sort of a sybmol of the bridge to the afterlife in my other blog.

The route from MMU to the park was a bit meandering, as I don't really know the way. From the park to home, I'm in more familiar territory, although two school parking lots I used to cut through were both shut off.

Oh well, made it safe and sound, and got this cool photo on the way, too.

Why I Bike

Check her out, Amelia Jayne Sebers, my third granddaughter, born today.

One reason to bike is to try to stay healthy so I can see Amelia graduate from high school, attend her wedding and dance with her then.

Of course, there are lots of other ways to exercise, so it's not just to try to live a healthy life--enjoying the birds and the breezes and the flower and the sun have a lot to do with it, too.

Still, the birth of a healthy grandchild makes any day great, and is a great excuse for a ride.