tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-40186692890127101752024-03-04T20:29:59.193-08:00Mr. PitherBicycling, random thoughts.
Naperville Bicycle.
Illinois bicycle.
Southwestern Chicago suburbs bicycling.
Chicago Bicycle
Chicagoland Bicycling
Prairie Path
I&M Canal
Great Northwestern Trail
Rails to TrailsDave Jacquehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17609959560089421718noreply@blogger.comBlogger109125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4018669289012710175.post-9887226592634926222024-02-01T16:31:00.000-08:002024-02-01T16:31:49.867-08:00First ride of 2024, yay<p> <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbAgI8UyhyphenhyphenQYrpgjjNJasFDA_ZYxMYgzW2No9lwPDDz26a17mj-lIXVxmxlDJCHz6kyS_w0SllwM2B45Vcf2XOcQcjWRDcPHZsJLCxVtmZ8yANiEd10Lj1Mazd6g0TIZzAZKh-KLkccO-O0ctFY1DsFNHQcVJv1_mQslDje88xQ-X1F-YRQnUPQBccAhgn/s640/240201%20whalon%20lake.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Bicycle "Wyvern" with a frozen Whalon Lake in Bolingbrook, Illinois." border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbAgI8UyhyphenhyphenQYrpgjjNJasFDA_ZYxMYgzW2No9lwPDDz26a17mj-lIXVxmxlDJCHz6kyS_w0SllwM2B45Vcf2XOcQcjWRDcPHZsJLCxVtmZ8yANiEd10Lj1Mazd6g0TIZzAZKh-KLkccO-O0ctFY1DsFNHQcVJv1_mQslDje88xQ-X1F-YRQnUPQBccAhgn/w320-h240/240201%20whalon%20lake.jpg" title="Bike with Lake" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Bicycle "Wyvern" with a frozen<br />Whalon Lake in Bolingbrook, Illinois.<br /><br /></i></td></tr></tbody></table>(OK, so Mr. Pither took a year off. I will cheerfully refund your money.)</p><p>Thanks to a welcome mid-winter warmup, my riding season started off today with a standard "Whalon Lake Loop." It's 11 miles and change, and I did it in 57 minutes and change. Pretty good for not having pushed a pedal in two or three months.</p><p>When the air temp hit 50 degrees, I pushed the e-bike out of the garage, pumped up the tires, suited up, and realized I couldn't ride it because it has thumb shifters and <i>I have a broken right thumb </i>due to a ski spill on Cascade Mountain in Wisconsin three weeks ago. Grrr.</p><p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjeik-OrcyaD-U4iSrhTs56vrPWN0GZGW26Y6MoH4biclVIcFs1D0l99QnBfDGdqVGKFIz16ttuPvZ8rdCy4gt-Et2-7GmeuybQiv0qOX8c1fHEIxeh4zphZiLi83SYCRUsz1YeH7dcWF8Mi9yBCCGS8z3NtYcCAJk82wbC4hZlOrC7SCGBl2KclceuplWm" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="721" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjeik-OrcyaD-U4iSrhTs56vrPWN0GZGW26Y6MoH4biclVIcFs1D0l99QnBfDGdqVGKFIz16ttuPvZ8rdCy4gt-Et2-7GmeuybQiv0qOX8c1fHEIxeh4zphZiLi83SYCRUsz1YeH7dcWF8Mi9yBCCGS8z3NtYcCAJk82wbC4hZlOrC7SCGBl2KclceuplWm=w200-h320" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>A wyvern, a<br />two-legged dragon.<br />Yes, I have a<br />pretentious streak<br />when I'm naming<br />my vehicles.</i><br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table>So I got ye olde-fashioned manual Trek Crossfit out of the shed. It has Shimano 105 shifters that don't require any thumb action. It ain't easy doing the air pump with one hand, especially on Presta valves, but I got "Wyvern" up and running, clipped in and headed out.</p><p>Lord Love A Duck, I miss riding my damn bicycle. I was pretty pleased with my broken, fat, old self as I negotiated the challenging point-5-degree inclines.</p><p>Whalon Lake itself was pretty, as always. It was frozen over, but reflected the rare blue sky. As I circled the lake clockwise, the low sun turned the blue expanse of ice to white and back again.</p><p>A bit of huffing and puffing back up from the DuPage River valley brought me home. It was <i>just barely </i>warm enough to sit in the backyard and enjoy the scant heat of the low-slanting February sunlight with a glass of wine.</p><p>I'll join my Sanctuary Ski Club's "Spokes" bike-ride leaders in a couple of week to plan this year's bike adventures. Looking forward to seeing my bicycle buddies again! Should be some wonderful rides to add to the blog this year. I promise I'll keep up.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: center;">- 30 -</span></p>Dave Jacquehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17609959560089421718noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4018669289012710175.post-47961472864768703372022-08-26T19:10:00.008-07:002022-08-26T20:32:08.128-07:00Hellhole Ride<p>We took our chances today in the "hellhole," as Illinois governor candidate Darren "Downstate Dumbass" Bailey (R) calls my hometown of Chicago. To prepare, Mary holstered her mild-mannered Glock-19. I carried my personal favorite, a plain S&W 1911 E-series. I prefer .45 ACP, despite the kick that tends to throw my aim off; those big, tumbling bullets have the knockdown power to take out Chicago's hardened gang leaders, carjackers and bribe-crazed alderpersons. We donned our IIA bullet-resistant vests, reviewed our zig-zag driving pattern to confuse snipers, and headed into the Hiroshima-level wasteland that used to be a city before Antifa and Kim Fox arrived via caravan from Mexico.</p><p>/political sarcasm</p><p>Actually, our weapons of choice were two bicycles equipped with water bottles, face masks and a Kind bar just in case of the munchies.</p><p>I'd wanted to ride the new-ish <a href="https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/illinois/312-riverrun-path" target="_blank">"312 River Run"</a> for a while, ever since reading about the bridge that was built along and over the north branch of the Chicago River. </p><p>We parked the truck close to the southern end of the trail, right behind Lane Tech High School, a huge, striking brick structure ranked number 3 in Illinois Middle Schools. On the grounds is <a href="https://www.chicagoparkdistrict.com/parks-facilities/clark-richard-kerry-wood-cubs-field" target="_blank">Kerry Wood Cubs Field</a>, a $5 million baseball stadium funded by the Chicago Cubs, Chicago Cubs Charities, and the Wood Family Foundation. Kerry Wood, for those of you who are not from around here, is a former Cubs pitcher who tied the major-league record of 20 strikeouts in a 1998 game against the <i>freakin' Astros </i>(remember the murderer's row of Biggio, Bagwell, Alou?). A hometown hero.</p><p>Anyway. </p><p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPdq1hqhRaVjdii_p2v8xWqBa3CVTxiQygrQgcC0mGyfKMohcL1biD9D2JTr9RquvWdzs6ulp0Qj9ji1If8DV3AUPXQgG0KtrY55c8S951HhuiLv76Yryt_0DxKmaPVwK4T5k43_ezSwIf0eCqkVhVZEbT7MnKsg1k-mxdM2rExrkXBIqig9xgObqUIA/s2016/Chicago%20312%20bridge%20mary.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Mary overlooking Chicago River" border="0" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="2016" height="301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPdq1hqhRaVjdii_p2v8xWqBa3CVTxiQygrQgcC0mGyfKMohcL1biD9D2JTr9RquvWdzs6ulp0Qj9ji1If8DV3AUPXQgG0KtrY55c8S951HhuiLv76Yryt_0DxKmaPVwK4T5k43_ezSwIf0eCqkVhVZEbT7MnKsg1k-mxdM2rExrkXBIqig9xgObqUIA/w400-h301/Chicago%20312%20bridge%20mary.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Such breathtaking beauty. Also, the river and stuff.</i></td></tr></tbody></table>We started off north along the route and soon came to the amazing bridge over, along and across the Chicago River's north branch. </p><p>When I was a youngin', you didn't dare get wet in the Chicago River -- if you did, you went to the hospital for a preventive course of antifungals and anti-bacterial medications. God help you if you'd actually ingested any of it. There were clots of toilet paper and god-knows-what ever-so-slowly <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicago_River" target="_blank">working its way down</a> toward the drinking-water intakes of every town south of Lemont.</p><p>We have come so far, ecologically, thanks to the Environmental Protection Agency (enacted by Richard Nixon! Thank you, Tricky Dick!) and an overall general awareness of things natural. One of the few positive outcomes of the 1970s.</p><p>Now look at this river: canoes and kayaks and fish jumping. Yeah, you can smell the river, and it's ... meh ... but trust me, on a warm day in August 1975, you would have gagged and possibly vomited being that close to the river for as long as we were today.</p><p>The 312 trail isn't very long, just a couple of miles, but that was OK because a mile or so east along bicycle-friendly Chicago streets brought us to <a href="http://www.genessausage.com/">Gene's Sausage Shop and Restaurant</a>, a three-story deli, food store and rooftop biergarten. Mary had a Reuben and a rosé spritzer, while I had a Thuringer sausage with sauerkraut and a Paulanger Pils. We both ordered the red cabbage side, which turned out to be generous and we brought half home. We sat at big communal picnic tables in the shade of big umbrellas enjoying a cool breeze.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1i4sYzS5fYAf2ebu1cJvOxnxG5y43inZDgDC_aUFY6AUfTFAteZKmGRiaYph-XEvKbsfCjx9y8h5YlxdANLFsNxLxNrooIHhFgih9imSJxuxInJN2Sof2hkk_7-fa6-0g_77qbxmZYQYbzgIOQnXd3amhx4zujRc47nLqHBsxwQizHNDFmYwVa5G2EQ/s640/Chicago%20312%20map.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="360" height="702" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1i4sYzS5fYAf2ebu1cJvOxnxG5y43inZDgDC_aUFY6AUfTFAteZKmGRiaYph-XEvKbsfCjx9y8h5YlxdANLFsNxLxNrooIHhFgih9imSJxuxInJN2Sof2hkk_7-fa6-0g_77qbxmZYQYbzgIOQnXd3amhx4zujRc47nLqHBsxwQizHNDFmYwVa5G2EQ/w395-h702/Chicago%20312%20map.jpg" width="395" /></a></div>Gene's rooftop had a great view of the huge smoking crater that used to be Chicago because of the riots that took place on about one square block two years ago, but managed to level the entire city from Waukegan to Gary. Darn those BLM protesters and their nuclear weapons!<p></p><p>Mary was a trooper and assented to continuing the ride, so we headed a bit west to the North Branch Trail, which follows the Chicago River through the northside neighborhoods. Joining us on the trail were moms with strollers, Lance Armstrong wannabes, puffing joggers, just plain people of every stripe, number and color. The pavement was a bit rough in spots and could use some attention. But it's a great ride, zooming underneath major streets to avoid the traffic, and featuring a linear sculpture park from Lincolnwood on north.</p><p>Somewhere along the way, I looked back at Mary and saw "that look": time to turn around. We stopped at a shady park bench for a break, then headed south. With a tailwind, and no side-trip for sausages and <i>rotkkohl</i>, we arrived back at the truck in just under half an hour.</p><p>It would have been a wonderful, relaxed day, in an inviting bicycle-friendly urban landscape with diverse options for dining, living and transportation. Instead, we cowered in a radioactive, bullet-spattered hellhole, fighting and fearing for our lives! But vote for Darren Bailey, because he'll fix everything because he's so <a href="https://giphy.com/clips/thesimpsons-the-simpsons-season-5-episode-3-lfVMUtxp4JhoXLiYDQ" target="_blank">smrt smart</a>.</p><p style="text-align: center;">- 30 -</p>Dave Jacquehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17609959560089421718noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4018669289012710175.post-68408139693660297102022-07-01T14:49:00.005-07:002022-07-01T14:49:43.932-07:00Fox River redux, only this time south<p>Took a spin down the Fox River Trail toward the south on a lovely late June day. Started from my usual spot near the Hollywood Casino in downtown Aurora.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8JlDS6zOHKU1T4d_M5hhZHVfdmHDb9mBB1_I1F97OvgdHNEMgeyfSbfbYm2Kn61YryzmdKt7uPIVUp95MJL6kKHWzfA7JMAUDs1LeMshi1eX9yRn_oohGR4S07ls66fI-GZjzjLy5vDqRMWyVANrZAeYqzYUdQMXK5YlwDEb6m6tw1rwRddt3h205sA/s640/fox%20river%20south%2002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8JlDS6zOHKU1T4d_M5hhZHVfdmHDb9mBB1_I1F97OvgdHNEMgeyfSbfbYm2Kn61YryzmdKt7uPIVUp95MJL6kKHWzfA7JMAUDs1LeMshi1eX9yRn_oohGR4S07ls66fI-GZjzjLy5vDqRMWyVANrZAeYqzYUdQMXK5YlwDEb6m6tw1rwRddt3h205sA/w400-h300/fox%20river%20south%2002.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Here's a look back toward downtown Aurora. There were some fish below the bridge here, languidly poised in the slow current and pointed upstream. I'm guessing they were redhorse; that would be good news since that species is pretty sensitive to pollutants. Indicates that the Fox is in pretty good shape.</p><p></p><p><br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwBBqKEgTvLUwd6KsSmaNmlmNMWyz4D_mOvCnmq5wW7hJjqpO2kzPIp9INSHIubrVetU45wVPtl7Ab1nWaIcEZIbhSLSezd0CB3KVbHU__N9jkyEtZsEeHs2rnLVKBWURZiovtfmvW2lsxd9huCj416UahuNCyTUQ8arfnTnskRKGLe0KAMddL56-tLg/s640/fox%20river%20south%2003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwBBqKEgTvLUwd6KsSmaNmlmNMWyz4D_mOvCnmq5wW7hJjqpO2kzPIp9INSHIubrVetU45wVPtl7Ab1nWaIcEZIbhSLSezd0CB3KVbHU__N9jkyEtZsEeHs2rnLVKBWURZiovtfmvW2lsxd9huCj416UahuNCyTUQ8arfnTnskRKGLe0KAMddL56-tLg/w400-h300/fox%20river%20south%2003.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>Not a lot of competition for space on the trail on a Thursday. Nodded to a few fellow cyclists and walkers, who appeared to be mostly retirees like myself.</p><br /><p><br /></p><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2MbK8oT07QR1oIi5j58hfmT9NLSSMz_BDaqdHlOV2vAm33gSzup63aTb9tes5FVDGiEq5lku-aZnPX-4OiiIfSJ1ehi_tkJ4Zk9w1rLj0qvfuvMxQRP9Ef_cVEbgC3Ztandd_C4Gd2FioVwPybfvJjVF5k1Fxck32mVLNyvNBAZBrrJxbrqBwmRZY4g/s640/fox%20river%20south%2004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2MbK8oT07QR1oIi5j58hfmT9NLSSMz_BDaqdHlOV2vAm33gSzup63aTb9tes5FVDGiEq5lku-aZnPX-4OiiIfSJ1ehi_tkJ4Zk9w1rLj0qvfuvMxQRP9Ef_cVEbgC3Ztandd_C4Gd2FioVwPybfvJjVF5k1Fxck32mVLNyvNBAZBrrJxbrqBwmRZY4g/w400-h300/fox%20river%20south%2004.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div>It's about 7 miles to the trail's end in the town of Oswego. A bit too early for lunch, so I headed back north. Stopped for a few minutes to enjoy the view from the Veteran's Serenity Park. This is really nicely done: a place to pause and reflect.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSUgP0zIdjSXv2EKceJxOr0ycDU2-mqHwsoykpOD7QEFUX5nywPEFE6YwZz0_5ADasCRow6lmuNSM-6OO2j1SWUUeSbQ1NWlPBfE8I1wCTx9eGD4c6MdlvWunWHJ1l3ZfuLqm_Q5mGln82CCQhBgjONliHnazt5QWf5Zwlj5jB0nIe-ke3QecvLuuOVg/s640/fox%20river%20south%2007.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSUgP0zIdjSXv2EKceJxOr0ycDU2-mqHwsoykpOD7QEFUX5nywPEFE6YwZz0_5ADasCRow6lmuNSM-6OO2j1SWUUeSbQ1NWlPBfE8I1wCTx9eGD4c6MdlvWunWHJ1l3ZfuLqm_Q5mGln82CCQhBgjONliHnazt5QWf5Zwlj5jB0nIe-ke3QecvLuuOVg/w300-h400/fox%20river%20south%2007.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div>I was feeling frisky on the way back, so I decided to tack on a few more miles. The Virgil Gilman Trail connects to the Fox River Trail just south of downtown Aurora, so I headed west.</div><div><br /></div><div>On the first of a series of bridges near the start of the trail, a long train of tankers carrying sludgy oil-shale crude raped from the pristine Alberta wilderness thundered overhead. Soon that oil will be converted into kilotons of carbon dioxide and pumped directly into our already tortured atmosphere.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvkFsqgBfmXZ8hb4UqJ8l68AS30xmV3ecFqR2_y6CMlU5V1Ebe4uai4Lj_CpbCQFEpNvpj9DGoFiQp36mGk_n5rsuviGlMbKCVvOqUsawdno30jORn7yTjju29aCANIm2B3g7zVaTcdBMLTJtf0f4D-HZHCVpQCkf2tviXNPvp5PaqQkIP6IHKDWax4w/s640/fox%20river%20south%2001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvkFsqgBfmXZ8hb4UqJ8l68AS30xmV3ecFqR2_y6CMlU5V1Ebe4uai4Lj_CpbCQFEpNvpj9DGoFiQp36mGk_n5rsuviGlMbKCVvOqUsawdno30jORn7yTjju29aCANIm2B3g7zVaTcdBMLTJtf0f4D-HZHCVpQCkf2tviXNPvp5PaqQkIP6IHKDWax4w/w400-h300/fox%20river%20south%2001.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Anyway, the Gilman is another smooth, paved trail heading west out of Aurora into the exurbs. It starts off unpromisingly, with a short stretch through an industrial truck-marshalling yard, but soon quiets down and turns into another gem. These amazing trails are a real asset to the Chicago area and don't get the attention they deserve.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy7LByE6CgQmAnxueRFXTGnVYbTHMeM7uI2tAlpHnhje48TtMPgkdIY6bKMywNYLEkAfdG35pxmSV4ZBS3M0HYnyxty3jLv71eeC9j6DGC6ldQDvo_GBqyF2OdP23kEBg_Rukq4atQEiRuApsnnWYq_ykhH-u_N7aT2riGivtNpUpe4RhWb7tbMNOGCg/s640/fox%20river%20south%2005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="391" data-original-width="640" height="245" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy7LByE6CgQmAnxueRFXTGnVYbTHMeM7uI2tAlpHnhje48TtMPgkdIY6bKMywNYLEkAfdG35pxmSV4ZBS3M0HYnyxty3jLv71eeC9j6DGC6ldQDvo_GBqyF2OdP23kEBg_Rukq4atQEiRuApsnnWYq_ykhH-u_N7aT2riGivtNpUpe4RhWb7tbMNOGCg/w400-h245/fox%20river%20south%2005.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>This local <i>gendarme </i>enjoys the trail's seclusion and quiet beauty as he takes a well-deserved nap after a grueling morning of writing a speeding ticket.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg26vNQxA76_iCymrmpAT3iSfi5wJfBXzz2SvVgaQBatiRzN6t0DuKipY9KJirmITaq3zzLwWl85Z8qdlWBjjMBBD0yPKOsMQA7q7ByUE256K3fpooZoTuraCl6QwekgM9-3g4xhQ6sSaWPC4IAmkHFk_CfzsSpmDV_Fz048rMWHAxjiRAKvKS5_dEunA/s640/fox%20river%20south%2006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg26vNQxA76_iCymrmpAT3iSfi5wJfBXzz2SvVgaQBatiRzN6t0DuKipY9KJirmITaq3zzLwWl85Z8qdlWBjjMBBD0yPKOsMQA7q7ByUE256K3fpooZoTuraCl6QwekgM9-3g4xhQ6sSaWPC4IAmkHFk_CfzsSpmDV_Fz048rMWHAxjiRAKvKS5_dEunA/w300-h400/fox%20river%20south%2006.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div>Well, the old clock in the sky said it was time to be getting home after a relaxed 20-mile ride. Also it was getting sticky hot.</div><div><br /></div><div>Just signed up for the North Shore Century, which takes place Sept. 18, so I need to pick up the pace on these rides.</div><div><br /></div><div>I want to do at least the 62-mile "metric century (100 kilometers)," but would really like to shoot for the 75-miler. Gonna take a lot of riding 'twixt now and then to shake off these pandemic pounds and get my stamina up.</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">- 30 - </div>Dave Jacquehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17609959560089421718noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4018669289012710175.post-27550729962763449422022-05-16T19:47:00.002-07:002022-05-18T14:56:42.786-07:00Fox River ride, the first of (I hope) many<p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Too pretty a day to stay inside. Headed west to one of my favorite rides, the Fox River Trail.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil8-YFIdogS4BoEe4TNxmufTcnJayf3HsBkMtoy6x5kLSkY0i8VyWiPtZYEJ3G9SfKTu5BqyR9U0ZFFD3zS4hEqYM94IiXXNj5mcHoNOx2LWuaoB5-nbckvMD2yVMg9BR3hK8jJwLKCDhP2lcho5jEsgsxAT6uQKO8SHXacZjCiBfkuJgw_ji8Dlr76g/s640/path%20with%20fox%20river.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil8-YFIdogS4BoEe4TNxmufTcnJayf3HsBkMtoy6x5kLSkY0i8VyWiPtZYEJ3G9SfKTu5BqyR9U0ZFFD3zS4hEqYM94IiXXNj5mcHoNOx2LWuaoB5-nbckvMD2yVMg9BR3hK8jJwLKCDhP2lcho5jEsgsxAT6uQKO8SHXacZjCiBfkuJgw_ji8Dlr76g/s320/path%20with%20fox%20river.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">As usual, I started from downtown Aurora, just east of The Casino That Will Save The City </span><span style="font-family: helvetica;">and of course Did Not. </span><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Nice huge empty parking lots for us bike riders, anyway.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">You could not have ordered a nicer day for a bicycle ride. Upper 60s rising into the lower 70s, low humidity, light wind from the west-northwest.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0twe-TXoeKhFz98FVSrm8EXTmR0ogZ4WggjGRbBCmiSUa7edL1-2NaXC7oCrTC5nFI_RxhQovVmvB7liXxSn9iKiSEbnW2tBIeHRQRjw8oparZgSLfRH9P4IPDUrp3rB7xeeyyRrkWrZoruevPHu70OhjmF_tysXG5xG-Uc_4DcIbpdpAgf55OG9UkQ/s640/lilacs%20trees%20sky.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0twe-TXoeKhFz98FVSrm8EXTmR0ogZ4WggjGRbBCmiSUa7edL1-2NaXC7oCrTC5nFI_RxhQovVmvB7liXxSn9iKiSEbnW2tBIeHRQRjw8oparZgSLfRH9P4IPDUrp3rB7xeeyyRrkWrZoruevPHu70OhjmF_tysXG5xG-Uc_4DcIbpdpAgf55OG9UkQ/s320/lilacs%20trees%20sky.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Lilacs in bloom, trees just beginning to leaf out, brilliant blue sky, I mean, seriously, heartbreakingly, beautiful.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">It's pollen in my eye, swear to god. Pollen.</span></div><div><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd6rq54t3pzsammCD1IhtNj6JsNi8LJbSdqUBtMZ5YPNokU8XZHP7t9mDG1k89fvmbFh5X6POTz4OjwnnWCiXRkPcsahc8O_R_pGBuvohNXSxnydz-2tkC2MOP6GcWniVuyPLX_V7OgtvdFWa4kmgwL32_y5OGdOMidWr-GJhybntCXQp1v5Cz4aWGZg/s640/lighthouse.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd6rq54t3pzsammCD1IhtNj6JsNi8LJbSdqUBtMZ5YPNokU8XZHP7t9mDG1k89fvmbFh5X6POTz4OjwnnWCiXRkPcsahc8O_R_pGBuvohNXSxnydz-2tkC2MOP6GcWniVuyPLX_V7OgtvdFWa4kmgwL32_y5OGdOMidWr-GJhybntCXQp1v5Cz4aWGZg/s320/lighthouse.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">This little lighthouse was built <span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">by industrialist George Fabyan on his estate around 19</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">05.</span></span></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: helvetica;"><div><br /></div><div>Fabyan supported the Baconian theory, popular at the time, that Shakespeare's plays were written by Francis Bacon.</div><div><br /></div><div>Rich people: they're just like us, only dumber.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjegrhCWkz0sBuehJyBjUvNxFkWoymjBQ5O0zxNGztLi1YJWkftX9u9xUmEzRPjJuMXvNKA4w4wf5OT58rDrbRPzCw969Phl4kuytc3YQL-YQUAc8lEcxC22SyEQbhXr95x7c_IliUAZDKxsgpny3_FM9ajWXMqt3hqQPQR7Bf2N-0uEGuDG-Ff6m1bLA/s640/windmill.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjegrhCWkz0sBuehJyBjUvNxFkWoymjBQ5O0zxNGztLi1YJWkftX9u9xUmEzRPjJuMXvNKA4w4wf5OT58rDrbRPzCw969Phl4kuytc3YQL-YQUAc8lEcxC22SyEQbhXr95x7c_IliUAZDKxsgpny3_FM9ajWXMqt3hqQPQR7Bf2N-0uEGuDG-Ff6m1bLA/s320/windmill.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>In 1914 the Fabyan purchased and had moved a Dutch-style windmill built c. 1870 from its original farm site in York Center, Illinois, to his estate.</div><div><br /></div><div>Known as the Fabyan Windmill, this five-story grist mill was restored to working order in 2004. It is known by Shakespeare scholars as "Idiot's Windmill."</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcrO53SChbX19hlRMdBIux0dd5qLL5ihr67E558fwziMCwI-UInSA4SVZdMk4PmIU5Nx-eNngJxPgiG6JnZm9PcZOZE09CYOyV-z5c-aNI9iFF7___Tg4ieDTQ8MY9mZN3pDhBZh585ugq_CqIYLyIPS6J_UBR59XuKju2AusUxkU_T_xHLMzMLQ8c2Q/s640/train%20next%20to%20bike%20path.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcrO53SChbX19hlRMdBIux0dd5qLL5ihr67E558fwziMCwI-UInSA4SVZdMk4PmIU5Nx-eNngJxPgiG6JnZm9PcZOZE09CYOyV-z5c-aNI9iFF7___Tg4ieDTQ8MY9mZN3pDhBZh585ugq_CqIYLyIPS6J_UBR59XuKju2AusUxkU_T_xHLMzMLQ8c2Q/s320/train%20next%20to%20bike%20path.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>I was surprised and delighted by a short train popping up along the east side of the river on the way home. I am a male person, so trains make me happy for some reason.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNUMX072OXut39TX5HvQk9xYssMaaERWRQHSgNQTq-MdnamYqngHEvpLIUblXo3vj88PT9sGxM7gkjo70UNOSjT_QNY5ZNTJUYwpAf9UikXeGJRziYBSwh9EV6NEjwul7NJ2I3jrsbYOjW5O9R2gIErzahwPH7VwVHP5LAKPolEDcpSTW1yaIPJhRR4Q/s640/tree%20shaded%20path%201.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNUMX072OXut39TX5HvQk9xYssMaaERWRQHSgNQTq-MdnamYqngHEvpLIUblXo3vj88PT9sGxM7gkjo70UNOSjT_QNY5ZNTJUYwpAf9UikXeGJRziYBSwh9EV6NEjwul7NJ2I3jrsbYOjW5O9R2gIErzahwPH7VwVHP5LAKPolEDcpSTW1yaIPJhRR4Q/s320/tree%20shaded%20path%201.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Then the dappled path back to the car, and (sigh) home. Total was 19.88 miles, according to <a href="https://cyclemeter.com/" target="_blank">Cyclemeter</a>. </div><div><br /><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">- 30 -</div></span></span></div>Dave Jacquehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17609959560089421718noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4018669289012710175.post-54484417182291185652022-05-07T21:18:00.006-07:002022-05-18T14:57:56.003-07:00Welcome spring!<p></p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"></p></blockquote><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoCj47IIO6V14De5gQcVIWobw3s--SVMo7NnpodgKQNafg8nnDl2H_3DbwyTXgAOZln4slLshkBAvyk-WPp1UnYc7XmWGW1KpZcEWnzE_ep2GKkUkbKaa5LnQUuZgz65zLdgudZqQQBVO-PDQZYY4ZcDOBNNg7eDRRYWk0xK7mLStv4XPXQ2TQQXRpDA/s392/2205407%20Santuary%20%20group%20crop.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="259" data-original-width="392" height="371" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoCj47IIO6V14De5gQcVIWobw3s--SVMo7NnpodgKQNafg8nnDl2H_3DbwyTXgAOZln4slLshkBAvyk-WPp1UnYc7XmWGW1KpZcEWnzE_ep2GKkUkbKaa5LnQUuZgz65zLdgudZqQQBVO-PDQZYY4ZcDOBNNg7eDRRYWk0xK7mLStv4XPXQ2TQQXRpDA/w561-h371/2205407%20Santuary%20%20group%20crop.jpg" width="561" /></a></div>I led the Sanctuary Bicycle Group on its first long ride of the season. Wonderful turnout today, 16 riders, which we attributed to pent-up demand. Previous rides were canceled because of the horrible weather we've been experiencing here in the Chicago area. This was the first sunny day in more than a month!<p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjYkFZr2m0t61bggIJjYid1aRo6-D85gTf5b09On3hVQOLogdUv18UaRYeEKrwtIfA-Bpe9BLJcnAkb0SoGfv24u5ZPFPO4xOXaBjXgtADg8rfcXV-0g2Qha2VdTLnPUoqJAOoz7yZIEp8pbz1YEHuk6h7wwVaRdSNNAGw2gDPpvtQz3UsNPZ3gea2qg/s532/220507%20Sanctuary%20bike%20ride%20map.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="532" data-original-width="360" height="423" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjYkFZr2m0t61bggIJjYid1aRo6-D85gTf5b09On3hVQOLogdUv18UaRYeEKrwtIfA-Bpe9BLJcnAkb0SoGfv24u5ZPFPO4xOXaBjXgtADg8rfcXV-0g2Qha2VdTLnPUoqJAOoz7yZIEp8pbz1YEHuk6h7wwVaRdSNNAGw2gDPpvtQz3UsNPZ3gea2qg/w287-h423/220507%20Sanctuary%20bike%20ride%20map.jpg" width="287" /></a></div>We headed south from downtown Naperville along the DuPage River Trail to Knoch Knolls Park. There, we took the newly extended trail west to 95th Street. A mile or two on quiet suburban side streets later, we entered Springbrook Prairie Forest Preserve.<p></p><p class="MsoNormal">After the six-mile Springbrook Prairie loop, we rode south on Southern DuPage County Regional Trail, along 75th Street, cutting a bit short along Modaff Road north to Bailey, and back to downtown Naperville.</p><p class="MsoNormal">Apré Bike, delightful conversation and companionship at Hizeman's Bar and Grill. Highly recommend the pork & pineapple tacos.</p><p class="MsoNormal">Distance: 21 miles, with a mix of paved trail, limestone, and side street.</p><p class="MsoNormal">Add 10 miles for me, because I rode from the starting point in downtown Naperville and back.</p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><p class="MsoNormal"></p></blockquote><p class="MsoNormal">I'm seriously wheezy tonight — overdid it too early in the season.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">- 30 -</p><div><br /></div><p></p>Dave Jacquehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17609959560089421718noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4018669289012710175.post-8143579122528133862022-04-07T19:07:00.005-07:002022-04-07T20:07:28.485-07:00Savannah, Ga., March 21-28, 2022<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjAF5D8l6XP5tf2g3HcmGgxQp6wbiRljj1AnMzWIh03t14QCd2ndTMegkDX57tXrkt5eiFgl-ypYJoMGtW7c5kTHtuIDhmhtvbUmvDrv5LEZLinCv01AvMYxWh-FNVJgSrDV5mQ0ayGYT38QS7S3ptlVW6355kBeLeZ820Pl3lHjrOrCo-MtlPhgNPhg/s640/Riverboat%20night%20reflection.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; font-size: 18.6667px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjAF5D8l6XP5tf2g3HcmGgxQp6wbiRljj1AnMzWIh03t14QCd2ndTMegkDX57tXrkt5eiFgl-ypYJoMGtW7c5kTHtuIDhmhtvbUmvDrv5LEZLinCv01AvMYxWh-FNVJgSrDV5mQ0ayGYT38QS7S3ptlVW6355kBeLeZ820Pl3lHjrOrCo-MtlPhgNPhg/w400-h300/Riverboat%20night%20reflection.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Georgia Queen, Savannah riverfront</i></td></tr></tbody></table><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">We brought our bicycles –
that’s the best way to do that town (heck, pretty much any town). </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Traffic in
Savannah’s historic district is low and slow, thanks to Mr. Oglethorpe’s 24
squares, and the most dangerous things we had to dodge were the damned horse
carriages.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">We saw all the houses and mansions mentioned in The Good Book
(MITGOGAE), and many that weren’t. I highly recommend the Telfair Museum if you
haven’t been there, especially the “sculpture garden” in the basement.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"></span></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLz5FyNS6oQvAvrJOjygo-bjGHHU8T2JASWk7xKVeJG49DpMXmkhX47noxf0WktHPtYgtTghVBWlpV4AERdDqRRZf_eoQ_XaRheUnV3P8ww9iBlYOPIRDEpiIuWus6O0XzmfUwkXqV8AfSE6PGrHJgIDzh8loxFlSpP6GH_HYdYOadiuTQ2JGJVN819A/s640/mary%20mercer%20bicycle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Mary in front of the Mercer House, Savannah, GA" border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLz5FyNS6oQvAvrJOjygo-bjGHHU8T2JASWk7xKVeJG49DpMXmkhX47noxf0WktHPtYgtTghVBWlpV4AERdDqRRZf_eoQ_XaRheUnV3P8ww9iBlYOPIRDEpiIuWus6O0XzmfUwkXqV8AfSE6PGrHJgIDzh8loxFlSpP6GH_HYdYOadiuTQ2JGJVN819A/w400-h300/mary%20mercer%20bicycle.jpg" title="Mercer House" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><i>Mary in front of the Mercer House</i></span></td></tr></tbody></table><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">We also visited the lovely
town of Beaufort, which the <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/travel/travel-beaufort-south-carolina/2021/12/08/6c5cbaae-53a0-11ec-8927-c396fa861a71_story.html" target="_blank">Washington Post advertised</a> as “Charleston without all
the tourists and less damned horse carriages.”</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">It was that, surely, but since it was
much smaller and didn’t have nearly the number of quaint restaurants per square
inch as Savannah, Mary wasn’t impressed. I did some fly-fishing in the local
waterway; caught nothing but enjoyed it immensely. We bicycled the “Spanish Moss
Bicycle Trail,” which is as cool as it sounds and more than I could have hoped
for. </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Here we are enjoying the warm
sunshine, which they have in abundance in places</span></p><div><p class="MsoNormal"><b style="font-size: 14pt;"><i>THAT AREN’T CHICAG</i></b><b style="font-size: 14pt;"><i>O</i></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">(Sorry, did I scream that out loud in despair.)</span></p><div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZedocMTHAfHNzQXvXs0e6u6V54kopXiWpjp6qmywPzFSuI7pXxQ8qV-fcZi1xA3nVDpCEN6yR_cA5UE56d-fP_DKyim6rmD86KtE_ychtNQTosBFoHKCS6IYiPElxTLCuKt49bKKOMxiWsnqKXCrJLC-t3-3PSvsB9f109MtpwdNvQai5IKcKhusS2g/s640/Dave%20spanish%20moss%20bicycle%20trail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="481" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZedocMTHAfHNzQXvXs0e6u6V54kopXiWpjp6qmywPzFSuI7pXxQ8qV-fcZi1xA3nVDpCEN6yR_cA5UE56d-fP_DKyim6rmD86KtE_ychtNQTosBFoHKCS6IYiPElxTLCuKt49bKKOMxiWsnqKXCrJLC-t3-3PSvsB9f109MtpwdNvQai5IKcKhusS2g/w301-h400/Dave%20spanish%20moss%20bicycle%20trail.jpg" width="301" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Happy Dave. Bike. Warm. Happy.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">At the end of the trail we
met a guy in a golf cart who invited us to follow him to “The Sands.” We
shrugged and said “sure!” which is a good way to a find a really cool local
place or end up in an ax-murderer’s dungeon.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfxA-n6bi5P0myvVbFJwPBbJedTwmjkCQ9682TuWiOurYQkuXTeX5csShlSr6y247MpoPr5971GzhWlPvrU_GtBFUoP6T01MnENtMqaF9XjXVCPTOvrBuTkBL9hOMppQ9kN6uWW4nKPA3E7bKo9XAQ_0M_fJeiF0-uATBXWcQysq19z53Uq8rjm3qnzg/s640/Port%20Royal%20Sands%20Observation%20Tower%20Mary.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfxA-n6bi5P0myvVbFJwPBbJedTwmjkCQ9682TuWiOurYQkuXTeX5csShlSr6y247MpoPr5971GzhWlPvrU_GtBFUoP6T01MnENtMqaF9XjXVCPTOvrBuTkBL9hOMppQ9kN6uWW4nKPA3E7bKo9XAQ_0M_fJeiF0-uATBXWcQysq19z53Uq8rjm3qnzg/s320/Port%20Royal%20Sands%20Observation%20Tower%20Mary.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Port Royal observation tower,<br />with lovely woman observing.<br /></i></td></tr></tbody></table></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">We followed him to the little town
of Port Royal, which had a sandy beach (hence the name), a fantastic wooden
boardwalk over the water, and a cool timber observation tower. (We are apparently
not dungeon fodder.)</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"></span></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPP16UCoCFJNk1drn7CrJgvz_s8TsEpjhAMieKQM7geQedI_0x7qRhIMb0kDyjAJwTSfr4qlm2zN0Fn1Phi4VzUqMI8FDB9Q4YsBGwQB3clkxY0zgmGNzPPcjpbn9y4rJxMzqCJHfLBkHO8DrmdCFdBXVRECZ-6ytmsv9aHjQQ5zJK-9rKlb5guL1jpg/s640/Mary%20alligator%20Port%20Royal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Mary on Port Royal Tower" border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPP16UCoCFJNk1drn7CrJgvz_s8TsEpjhAMieKQM7geQedI_0x7qRhIMb0kDyjAJwTSfr4qlm2zN0Fn1Phi4VzUqMI8FDB9Q4YsBGwQB3clkxY0zgmGNzPPcjpbn9y4rJxMzqCJHfLBkHO8DrmdCFdBXVRECZ-6ytmsv9aHjQQ5zJK-9rKlb5guL1jpg/w320-h240/Mary%20alligator%20Port%20Royal.jpg" title="Mary on Port Royal Tower" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Tiny dancer, tiny alligator</i></td></tr></tbody></table><p class="MsoNormal">In a park in the middle of town there was a pond with alligators and interesting birds galore. We watched the mating dance of the Anhingas, which I highly recommend as a mildly erotic form of birdwatching</p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFOdri5Z_FmeWNCQY6W2xLcFpIvctHQuszqfI0NivTMe3zQDoM1HLGv7eZPOKElb7cTX1oF5VvvPc2v98UuI7B4IrBDJ4gzSO6Qk1hsCAMcDwtdF0KiLP5MfPlkKd2ioHEi8P43ZoGiFlzG_uH0q1IFqoEnraeg7Qprz3L-0QiWHsz8FaKA5zFBdBTcg/s640/dockside%20shrimp%20boat%20sunset.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="526" data-original-width="640" height="263" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFOdri5Z_FmeWNCQY6W2xLcFpIvctHQuszqfI0NivTMe3zQDoM1HLGv7eZPOKElb7cTX1oF5VvvPc2v98UuI7B4IrBDJ4gzSO6Qk1hsCAMcDwtdF0KiLP5MfPlkKd2ioHEi8P43ZoGiFlzG_uH0q1IFqoEnraeg7Qprz3L-0QiWHsz8FaKA5zFBdBTcg/s320/dockside%20shrimp%20boat%20sunset.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Rusty shrimper. Good name<br />for a southern rock band.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Later we had dinner at an excellent restaurant on the water called </span><a href="https://www.fishcampon11th.com/" style="font-size: 14pt;">Fishcamp</a><span style="font-size: 14pt;">, and watched the sun set
over a pier full of shrimp boats.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 18.6667px;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 18.6667px;"><br /></span></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 18.6667px;">- 30 -</span></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span></p></div></div>Dave Jacquehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17609959560089421718noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4018669289012710175.post-37748120657077505652017-10-05T19:30:00.000-07:002017-10-05T19:43:36.057-07:00Long Rides<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvFELbQeAp_bHRtzzaQWA4pgInDs3KJbfQZkgKIoT_KiDmXbzr-HnmBGCiq2GOChSA7aTliLKWO8go5B19FbN5R5ZtRxyeSDlNZiZg1aJ4kwCp_v6lMg313_PsGIXVZs_B6fhJ8smrlvGh/s1600/IMG_0995.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvFELbQeAp_bHRtzzaQWA4pgInDs3KJbfQZkgKIoT_KiDmXbzr-HnmBGCiq2GOChSA7aTliLKWO8go5B19FbN5R5ZtRxyeSDlNZiZg1aJ4kwCp_v6lMg313_PsGIXVZs_B6fhJ8smrlvGh/s320/IMG_0995.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Finish line!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
It's been a skinny year for long rides. But I did manage to take part in my favorite ride, the North Shore Century, and a new ride: the Kickstand Classic, an actual timed race.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4fQGzvAuvbpH3wKCK3gdhnCqpV0wVAmaIoUifrXXxPvylcS69pOZD-NlXuyCQsfgVTVUhuovCAA9fhi8atAvgWWJIpp9pBEMKXuaSnqRhPICYkP2-5sF2EuvZYxP6h2UnawIYWfGqFA8h/s1600/FullSizeRender.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4fQGzvAuvbpH3wKCK3gdhnCqpV0wVAmaIoUifrXXxPvylcS69pOZD-NlXuyCQsfgVTVUhuovCAA9fhi8atAvgWWJIpp9pBEMKXuaSnqRhPICYkP2-5sF2EuvZYxP6h2UnawIYWfGqFA8h/s200/FullSizeRender.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Taking a break in Lake Bluff.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The NCC was, as usual, very well organized and a joy. I joined a thousand of my bike-riding friends at sunrise near the Northwestern University campus (<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZTPKnvAiH5o" target="_blank">Go U Northwestern!</a> Sorry!) for a sojourn through the far northern 'burbs: from the merely expensive neighborhoods of Evanston, through the million-dollar homes of Wilmette, the ten-million-dollar homes of Kenilworth and the "Well, I'm sure <i>someone </i>keeps track of these things" homes in Glencoe.<br />
<br />
Every 15 miles or so, there was a rest stop with abundant food and hydration options: bananas, Clif bars, bagels, pickles, donuts, mini-Nemo's-sub-sandwiches, grapes, etc. The last 10 miles is always a real test of my endurance, but when I see the <a href="https://www.bahai.us/bahai-temple/" target="_blank">Baha'i temple</a> I know I'm getting really close and I'm going to finish.<br />
<br />
I completed the Metric Century (67 miles, 108km) in 5 hours, 11 minutes. Goal for next year: five hours.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</div>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgabiRx4kyhU9Lj1Cr6d0iBW0_ML8KM0DHU6CzXORWcyqavGWY2WnjmSIj_wxnqRGMkujoco1S_j2EyMIFXc2EO8QWzA8jQjFOZ8VuakjIQC0A1gf2mN9CWI1H430HtrUzBpx8rtf9vjJ1U/s1600/IMG_1012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgabiRx4kyhU9Lj1Cr6d0iBW0_ML8KM0DHU6CzXORWcyqavGWY2WnjmSIj_wxnqRGMkujoco1S_j2EyMIFXc2EO8QWzA8jQjFOZ8VuakjIQC0A1gf2mN9CWI1H430HtrUzBpx8rtf9vjJ1U/s200/IMG_1012.JPG" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Yay my also-ran medal!</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The <a href="http://www.kickstandclassic.org/" target="_blank">2017 Kickstand Classic</a> was my first-ever timed race. It was a well-organized event and I was moderately happy with my results but I hope to do better next time ... that's probably the whole point of races, right? I finished the 19.4 mile course in 1:11:45, for an average speed of 16.26 mph. My goal was an average of 15 mph.<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgypFRVOUznEmijJghbzORUQbY8CyWMt-YJnf4qtUfiM-xH3ZjNUTZEn78Irp6QrJvEiytzyIcDrlik3vaAACH2ERYapL5OQSBa05DH2m-jHDv3As5DLjyFRFdsW6YMp61kVthfmNN-JfnP/s1600/IMG_1007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgypFRVOUznEmijJghbzORUQbY8CyWMt-YJnf4qtUfiM-xH3ZjNUTZEn78Irp6QrJvEiytzyIcDrlik3vaAACH2ERYapL5OQSBa05DH2m-jHDv3As5DLjyFRFdsW6YMp61kVthfmNN-JfnP/s320/IMG_1007.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Jason and Kristie: notice anything?</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
I liked being timed for the race, but I had mixed feelings about being ranked. I finished 236 out of 351. Bleh.<br />
<br />
Next year's goal: finish in the top half and first in my age group (I finished 2nd). According to this race's spreads shown on the website, I'll have to finish in 1:05 or less to make 175th. I think I can do that, especially if I lose a few pounds by then.<br />
<br />
<table class="ar-yourresult ar-overview-desk participant-list" style="background-color: white; border-bottom: 2px solid rgb(238, 238, 238); border-collapse: collapse; border-spacing: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #313741; font-family: ProximaNova, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin-bottom: 20px; table-layout: fixed; width: 100%px;"><tbody style="box-sizing: border-box;">
<tr data-age="55" data-final-time-ms="4305000" data-final-time="1:11:45" data-gender="Male" data-id="245817677" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><td class="col-place ar-cell-center" style="border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(238, 238, 238); box-sizing: border-box; float: none; font-size: 1em; line-height: 3em; padding: 10px 0px 10px 10px; position: static; text-align: center; vertical-align: top;"></td><td class="col-bid ar-cell-center" style="border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(238, 238, 238); box-sizing: border-box; float: none; font-size: 1em; line-height: 3em; padding: 10px 0px; position: static; text-align: center; vertical-align: top;"><br /></td><td class="col-name" style="border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(238, 238, 238); box-sizing: border-box; float: none; font-size: 1em; line-height: 3em; padding: 10px 0px; position: static; vertical-align: top;"></td><td class="col-age" style="border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(238, 238, 238); box-sizing: border-box; float: none; font-size: 1em; line-height: 3em; padding: 10px 0px; position: static; vertical-align: top;"></td><td class="col-sex" style="border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(238, 238, 238); box-sizing: border-box; float: none; font-size: 1em; line-height: 3em; padding: 10px 0px; position: static; vertical-align: top;"></td><td class="col-chip-time" style="border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(238, 238, 238); box-sizing: border-box; float: none; font-size: 1em; line-height: 3em; padding: 10px 0px; position: static; vertical-align: top;"></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />Dave Jacquehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17609959560089421718noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4018669289012710175.post-32802963324493053872017-10-05T18:30:00.003-07:002017-10-05T18:37:33.245-07:00So it’s been a while<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">I’ve neglected my blog Mr. Pither for a long time. I don’t know why. I’ve been biking pretty steadily - in fact, just as much as ever. So I’m forced to believe that it’s a failure of writing enthusiasm, rather than biking. Get together, you two.</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzp1lj65NinTq28vv7grapHIej9dK-vo8vPPzLDTdyKDOZgKmqzrS-60xFqtXPhxUoZc75Vpg8OA_J5qtE69Ma2lzJhrCeIQkOh4rb-SoUfb0ZME4t3ND1U6N2D3aKBblSH5UAnSMt1BiM/s1600/IMG_0856.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzp1lj65NinTq28vv7grapHIej9dK-vo8vPPzLDTdyKDOZgKmqzrS-60xFqtXPhxUoZc75Vpg8OA_J5qtE69Ma2lzJhrCeIQkOh4rb-SoUfb0ZME4t3ND1U6N2D3aKBblSH5UAnSMt1BiM/s320/IMG_0856.JPG" width="320" /></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Anyway.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I’ve been biking up a storm this year: almost 400 miles recorded by Cyclemeter. Mary has actually joined me a couple of times, mainly because I bought her a new bike and she’s been guilted into it.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Her old bike, a massive Trek step-through that must have weighed 50 pounds, was donated to </span><a href="http://www.workingbikes.org/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Working Bikes</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> in Chicago. Her new bike is a </span><a href="https://www.specialized.com/us/en/bikes/fitness/vita/vita-sport/106362" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">teal Specialized Vita</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> with a triangle frame that yes, she has to throw a leg over, but she has admitted is a lot easier to ride. We bought it from the </span><a href="http://spokesetc.com/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">local bike shop Spokes</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, which I recommend to anyone who wants a good bicycle, fitted by people who care, and by that I mean the proprietor Basil. Thanks, Basil. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-NjkS0jIvYijbo3q_srOHgwdfAp9O6Lf8T8_Pk92P7gt0L4EeTsg8VSydAKYmO_lXV5o6N1Q8f2VaMfRrOcfLOeC_3wSutLIbV4jtQ1qzoxM-V5n0G_DHjJbSre4OxaxXjZrgXPVqziYw/s1600/IMG_0859.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-NjkS0jIvYijbo3q_srOHgwdfAp9O6Lf8T8_Pk92P7gt0L4EeTsg8VSydAKYmO_lXV5o6N1Q8f2VaMfRrOcfLOeC_3wSutLIbV4jtQ1qzoxM-V5n0G_DHjJbSre4OxaxXjZrgXPVqziYw/s320/IMG_0859.JPG" width="320" /></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Spokes was also where Mary bought a bike for our niece. It’s her first bike with more than one speed. Yeah, she’s happy. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I took her brother to the local Play It Again Sports and bought him a multi-speed bike. He was a little miffed that he didn’t get a NEW bike like his sister, but that kid is gonna grow like a damn weed and I’m not gonna spend a lot on his bike until he gets into high school.</span></div>
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<br />Dave Jacquehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17609959560089421718noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4018669289012710175.post-61190888125599624322015-11-12T07:31:00.001-08:002015-11-12T07:31:23.501-08:00DuPage River extension<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbfqv4jViPgRLFo9nxFbo5K8SsdlwlXwv0E-npbV1cqHURGm22tjTun3VCOYK7E3FNG7RPvzsNsQWBbo1piDRQWBENZhj9ivsvWx_vnMCQX_hmrpYrtC9GOue9FZBUKOszLsXVW7PqKG6B/s1600/bridge.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbfqv4jViPgRLFo9nxFbo5K8SsdlwlXwv0E-npbV1cqHURGm22tjTun3VCOYK7E3FNG7RPvzsNsQWBbo1piDRQWBENZhj9ivsvWx_vnMCQX_hmrpYrtC9GOue9FZBUKOszLsXVW7PqKG6B/s400/bridge.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">A new bridge has opened up several miles of previously inaccessible (to me) bike trail along the south bank of the DuPage River in Bolingbrook. The bridge is seen here from the Bolingbrook Historic Trout Farm (seriously).</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWr7ayOeSuk52cYu8-oKSHae5Q4WuYPT2UwTPOseZmW5CnED6L9-Hg4RgRECBYeC0Eq_0Vv1vcSHttSLOXSoR_MXkXlcci_ONzy0tOYnjkU6qpChiKmo2yYz_u-kheL1S6L9X7SKoS-gkX/s1600/meander.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWr7ayOeSuk52cYu8-oKSHae5Q4WuYPT2UwTPOseZmW5CnED6L9-Hg4RgRECBYeC0Eq_0Vv1vcSHttSLOXSoR_MXkXlcci_ONzy0tOYnjkU6qpChiKmo2yYz_u-kheL1S6L9X7SKoS-gkX/s400/meander.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The river meanders through DuPage River</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Park, just east of Washington Street.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">East of the new bridge, the trail winds through the</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">woods and over some small hills.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrqVmlYeRkm1c-i2Y7nCtYadSKk2SmMQTw-HKyvucJ0r_Ore3yDmZKtoKDL6xn-eAWwaIvjhU33Kpiy1zxNacrLcR8D2zerUoBslu4sbsPLlzFptFDHMPLzjPFxN3HMfTtbSTsYqIF29l4/s1600/peaceful.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrqVmlYeRkm1c-i2Y7nCtYadSKk2SmMQTw-HKyvucJ0r_Ore3yDmZKtoKDL6xn-eAWwaIvjhU33Kpiy1zxNacrLcR8D2zerUoBslu4sbsPLlzFptFDHMPLzjPFxN3HMfTtbSTsYqIF29l4/s400/peaceful.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">A placid scene about halfway 'twixt the park</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">and Royce Road. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Near the end of the trail is the thriving metropolis of Barber’s Corners, where I stopped for a coke at Portillo’s. Actually, Barber’s Corners was never an incorporated municipality, just a hamlet at the intersection of Rt. 53 and Boughton Road in what is now Bolingbrook. It was named after an otherwise uninteresting settler named John Barber, according to a plaque at nearby.</span><br /></div>
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<i>dsj 151112</i></div>
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Dave Jacquehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17609959560089421718noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4018669289012710175.post-9573551445188342842015-11-10T08:39:00.004-08:002015-11-12T07:32:29.471-08:00Shwarma run<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">We’ve had a string of unusually mild days in November, so I’ve taken advantage by bringing my trail bike to work for a lunchtime spin. There’s a new restaurant, Damascus Falafel, a couple of miles down the road, which makes a tempting target.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeEu7FRdoj5hexIojxFlyO1NMoIDq-46T2-g_3CZOkfALZTaTA4JKlCWkuCy0yz9iZq1M1nGaBMseaG6D0rduWKZG5NFnWY0i_6QTpqnXF0KUGKiFi2L0Kv7UwZfuR6FVfEqJ-49_yffai/s1600/IMG_1768.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeEu7FRdoj5hexIojxFlyO1NMoIDq-46T2-g_3CZOkfALZTaTA4JKlCWkuCy0yz9iZq1M1nGaBMseaG6D0rduWKZG5NFnWY0i_6QTpqnXF0KUGKiFi2L0Kv7UwZfuR6FVfEqJ-49_yffai/s320/IMG_1768.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">91st Street was recently repaved. Too bad they couldn’t afford a couple of bike lanes along this picturesque roadway. Luckily it’s not too busy.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWXMQnpNegPpwSbjcdEj6kEyUDg2Uzqq4fmQS8-QwL5HLXQj28FbmxkgZNEoayU8bssy_2KINQ6jujmDNIGyR0w0av86OzV_ckpe446IFniW_5Ya-g5J-8qAb9unXChhm9T2i5_zBBkDOb/s1600/IMG_1771.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWXMQnpNegPpwSbjcdEj6kEyUDg2Uzqq4fmQS8-QwL5HLXQj28FbmxkgZNEoayU8bssy_2KINQ6jujmDNIGyR0w0av86OzV_ckpe446IFniW_5Ya-g5J-8qAb9unXChhm9T2i5_zBBkDOb/s320/IMG_1771.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Lunch is served: chicken shwarma bowl with lots of greens and a modest squirt of garlic sauce. </span><a href="http://www.damascusfalafel.com/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">I highly recommend this place.</span></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6HopOg4LYBhnaVMLkL_GIYo4_h49M23OvE9g59vJVnvjfpu63S6fjMfq8KZ3eiqk7AcfyfVru8_mk_9bPWG83LbHqyoEFrkDBRJtgdWUGX6Bmc9l6r5DvWkNE1jIlDwsmV0cKhH-N1jCa/s1600/IMG_1773.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6HopOg4LYBhnaVMLkL_GIYo4_h49M23OvE9g59vJVnvjfpu63S6fjMfq8KZ3eiqk7AcfyfVru8_mk_9bPWG83LbHqyoEFrkDBRJtgdWUGX6Bmc9l6r5DvWkNE1jIlDwsmV0cKhH-N1jCa/s320/IMG_1773.JPG" width="240" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">On the way back, I decided to take the scenic route through Waterfall Glen Forest Preserve. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">First I had to stop and read this signpost version of "War and Peace</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">."</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrngX0xZFnZrx-l4jflV9Iklz-bTYdOQpJmROZDZ-71tboB6wADbQXbQeoEh-6JCgImqF4-YLcnQb0kAnpBkhPoqHTl5qkjv2DPof9UamG_EzdrZAOcbgeTv3iClmv8U81BnPiQQhETw2k/s1600/IMG_1776.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrngX0xZFnZrx-l4jflV9Iklz-bTYdOQpJmROZDZ-71tboB6wADbQXbQeoEh-6JCgImqF4-YLcnQb0kAnpBkhPoqHTl5qkjv2DPof9UamG_EzdrZAOcbgeTv3iClmv8U81BnPiQQhETw2k/s320/IMG_1776.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> Waterfall Glen is a wonderful ride pretty much any time of year. Well, I guess I can’t speak to winter. I haven’t tried it in the snow.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0eF6fi-kclZRln1Axp2J9VLfvuTWCIxeyf_YRf3gfhCSqNBTDSDtoM8yPkRAiJga-4c5hEQ9ZwiqC_B6PHyFLOJoCcdxRg6k8K8Z2mGuoccyH3qGZ3YauvvZM0ICB2I07creccdOwSsek/s1600/IMG_1779.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0eF6fi-kclZRln1Axp2J9VLfvuTWCIxeyf_YRf3gfhCSqNBTDSDtoM8yPkRAiJga-4c5hEQ9ZwiqC_B6PHyFLOJoCcdxRg6k8K8Z2mGuoccyH3qGZ3YauvvZM0ICB2I07creccdOwSsek/s320/IMG_1779.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Stowing the bike in the car, and back to reality. Sigh.</span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">dsj 151103</span></i></div>
Dave Jacquehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17609959560089421718noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4018669289012710175.post-47823210413205748172015-10-07T13:19:00.000-07:002015-11-12T07:34:49.820-08:00Rise 'n' ride<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-Sv-Ht8lRmI7MyccoBvBL5ZNx4VFWgaQ4qbMa9rGvO_x1GbLKmDqe4d4cA4Z-A-dZY5zfMgNWfN4rqZPVf1CqQ4WJPFKWAweUPzEe2F8nlVMPPGOpJ65hILHEJX2Y5dHCeYA93t2Kevr1/s1600/151007+sunrise+ride.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-Sv-Ht8lRmI7MyccoBvBL5ZNx4VFWgaQ4qbMa9rGvO_x1GbLKmDqe4d4cA4Z-A-dZY5zfMgNWfN4rqZPVf1CqQ4WJPFKWAweUPzEe2F8nlVMPPGOpJ65hILHEJX2Y5dHCeYA93t2Kevr1/s320/151007+sunrise+ride.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
A pretty sunrise this morning on my way to work. This is the path through Greene Valley Forest Preserve, just east of Greene Road. This was my first bicycle commute in a couple of weeks, so I wasn't pushing myself very hard -- and managed a 55:59 anyway. It all depends on the lights.Dave Jacquehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17609959560089421718noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4018669289012710175.post-87727068676075217152015-09-23T20:40:00.000-07:002015-09-24T11:46:50.660-07:00North Shore Century ride 2015<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">My son Steven joined me for this year's North Shore Century Ride. I'm a happy dad. I decided to show a little mercy on the kid and keep it to the Metric Century, 62 miles (100 metric kilocentimegaters), this year. I'll keep working on him over the next year or so and talk him into the full 100 miles in 2016.</span><br />
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Anyway, 7:30 a.m. in the lakefront park in Evanston, Illinois, found us registering, picking up our T-shirts, and heading west into the high-value 'burbs on the annual ride.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br />Gosh, we both look so serious about this. In actuality, we were both having a pretty good time. Later, those of us with less long-distance bicycle experience began to feel a bit of discomfort.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">This is Sunrise Park, in Lake Bluff. The most picturesque bit of the entire ride, which is why there is this picture.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilUyhSBWI0_n40w-ylH3cdkpCM-SWVGdjmBkxMZ80KMi95msHKYXcKNH2lPdyM1uHmDhwIG8HipfEkpDH2fgkoKt4U3a5bHtT02YcR0D9pKh9d5A6OSNZWunc7aZZhhzQVcg5owglnEAOP/s1600/IMG_1706+-+Copy+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilUyhSBWI0_n40w-ylH3cdkpCM-SWVGdjmBkxMZ80KMi95msHKYXcKNH2lPdyM1uHmDhwIG8HipfEkpDH2fgkoKt4U3a5bHtT02YcR0D9pKh9d5A6OSNZWunc7aZZhhzQVcg5owglnEAOP/s400/IMG_1706+-+Copy+%25282%2529.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">At about the 30-mile mark, my shifting started going to hell. I couldn't shift any higher than about fifth gear (out of 9). I compensated with the front chainring, but it was far from ideal, since I've become a complete bike snob. When we got to the second rest stop, I headed over to the Trek tent. I was thinking there was an obvious problem that would easy to spot if they put the bike up on the rack. A length of fishing line caught in the derailleur, for example, which had happened to me before after a ride around <a href="http://www.reconnectwithnature.org/preserves-trails/Whalon-Lake" target="_blank">Whalon Lake</a>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">John from <a href="http://trekhp.com/" target="_blank">Highland Park Trek</a> was happy to set my bike <a href="http://lotr.wikia.com/wiki/Shadowfax" target="_blank">Shadowfax</a> up on the stand and take a look. His first thought was that the original lubrication around the shifter had congealed. He sprayed some Gunk into the mechanism and let it work while Steven and I rested. After about 15 minutes, John ran the Shimano 105 through its paces: still not working right.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">While I was distracted by some ancient Northwesternite — who had noticed my NU jersey and insisted on telling me the entire history of the <a href="http://northwestern.evansscholars.org/site/c.6pLHLUPxEdLUH/b.6141199/k.BF97/Home.htm" target="_blank">Northwestern University Chick Evans scholarship</a> at great length — John found that the shift cable was badly frayed and commenced to replace the entire right-hand cable system on my bike. While I watched, astonished, he restored it to better-than-factory readiness in about five minutes. Seriously, holy cow. I was so stunned all I could offer was a handshake. Now I realize a $20 bill (or two, or three) would have been appropriate. At any rate: thanks, John with the chainring tattoo on your elbow. Reply to me personally and I'll treat you to lunch.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmmVYqcDrzyIpgJQWOcu1LNVVsSoLSH6Z07uK1T2H7c8UtGbapU-xEveeg5OzFYRSxH0EmfawWEsFNR7xxyCMbHyp94atr-g8zGBxu0wMI-simY21NX0sN4mpARKKh56rZM2EkaoB3EabB/s1600/IMG_1702+-+Copy+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmmVYqcDrzyIpgJQWOcu1LNVVsSoLSH6Z07uK1T2H7c8UtGbapU-xEveeg5OzFYRSxH0EmfawWEsFNR7xxyCMbHyp94atr-g8zGBxu0wMI-simY21NX0sN4mpARKKh56rZM2EkaoB3EabB/s400/IMG_1702+-+Copy+%25282%2529.JPG" width="300" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Who needs .GPX files as long as you have a cue sheet, a handlebar clip, and sexy knees? Here we are on the home stretch. Nasty-ass pavement on Sheridan Road. You'd think the roadway along some of the most expensive real estate in the nation would be smooth as the proverbial baby's <i>tuchis</i>, but no. I kept having to swerve out into middle of the street to avoid crevasses and potholes on the roadway's perimeters. For shame, Kenilworth! For shame!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi536moF5I7MsAXhcSbJXRG09CCnWRqP7cGzZSiuz1Y8vmeIpw7gqQjvmgRqnXWxhe0GGD7JW5oylo6BY1cAcDbE5m9kTfpcbTLog8YNlq0HeDCjxZvlwml2Nn9fQl_QM72gBfLyrzvJRnW/s1600/IMG_1707+-+Copy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi536moF5I7MsAXhcSbJXRG09CCnWRqP7cGzZSiuz1Y8vmeIpw7gqQjvmgRqnXWxhe0GGD7JW5oylo6BY1cAcDbE5m9kTfpcbTLog8YNlq0HeDCjxZvlwml2Nn9fQl_QM72gBfLyrzvJRnW/s320/IMG_1707+-+Copy.JPG" width="240" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">The Bahá’í House of Worship in Wilmette is always a welcome sight. Yes, it's one of the most beautiful buildings on the immediate planet, but it also means that we're almost to the end of the North Shore Century Ride. Total was 63.5 miles in 4 hours, 21 minutes of ride time (about six hours total, including a long stop where John rebuilt my bike).</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV4vluIlpJr_mw0xPJgz8QoJes4qGU2Bd-OjocQ1aNmK9VoplD0wXX-AjFNglrCEwHHjydTNFtF5HU3Km0pu2NjyXuWRkwz7J1CeufBt26MorPhu6KhrOUVFyKqKbfK6Iq69EOEhUepEt2/s1600/IMG_1710+-+Copy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV4vluIlpJr_mw0xPJgz8QoJes4qGU2Bd-OjocQ1aNmK9VoplD0wXX-AjFNglrCEwHHjydTNFtF5HU3Km0pu2NjyXuWRkwz7J1CeufBt26MorPhu6KhrOUVFyKqKbfK6Iq69EOEhUepEt2/s400/IMG_1710+-+Copy.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">I insisted on a post-ride beer at Tommy Nevin's pub in Evanston. I studied for (and somehow actually received!) a master's degree at Northwestern, and my classmates and I spent quite a few evenings decompressing at Nevin's after a day of classes. While we sipped a libation and munched a late lunch, a group of musicians ambled in and began to play Celtic music. Serendipity!</span><br />
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<a href="https://youtu.be/SnC8UgE1l50" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Also, there's video.</span></a><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">dsj 150923</span></i><br />
<br />Dave Jacquehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17609959560089421718noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4018669289012710175.post-33338284434901563142015-09-13T20:29:00.002-07:002015-09-16T12:18:02.607-07:00Sept. 13 German-American fest and lakefront ride<span style="font-size: large;">Sister-in-Law Susan was visiting the weekend, so rather than watch the Bears and Cubs LOSE LIKE A BUNCH OF SICK NUNS not that we're emotionally invested in either team WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU PEOPLE we decided to head into Chicago and check out the German-American fest and maybe take a short ride along the lakefront.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu8Hspt0COrj9btsBFCyHU8ONlJkwngGuQsDDth7aLugZ2x5efm6EaPS95dNWAPLJXDPBbyDkcmT_QToqrdx13nSI3nnuq5qKSQQ4uCxT1C9Wf_Moe7aqFdShNpj875ReK8LdzxD7VlE5H/s1600/german+fest+tentat72dpi+-+Copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu8Hspt0COrj9btsBFCyHU8ONlJkwngGuQsDDth7aLugZ2x5efm6EaPS95dNWAPLJXDPBbyDkcmT_QToqrdx13nSI3nnuq5qKSQQ4uCxT1C9Wf_Moe7aqFdShNpj875ReK8LdzxD7VlE5H/s400/german+fest+tentat72dpi+-+Copy.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i>Gemutlickheit!</i></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The German-American fest was underwhelming in terms of extent and strudel content (none - Mary checked). But the music was thigh-slapping, the thuringer was drowned in good mustard and wimpy sauerkraut and beer was had by me. I bought a T-shirt.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1OJyWD0rnxrlZYy4iWAqjWC9EtCJYGIXDjptzO56BuyxNWo8EitkahBbc32s886nlIpAMlYdhyphenhyphenqc9FkW8ezRR0dlfsBrlwpmDWmdLUFuqcXYQq8JNH9f8_5BbcuapZSK2dmwlnu1CuQ6W/s1600/DSJ_1170at72dpi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1OJyWD0rnxrlZYy4iWAqjWC9EtCJYGIXDjptzO56BuyxNWo8EitkahBbc32s886nlIpAMlYdhyphenhyphenqc9FkW8ezRR0dlfsBrlwpmDWmdLUFuqcXYQq8JNH9f8_5BbcuapZSK2dmwlnu1CuQ6W/s400/DSJ_1170at72dpi.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i>Underexposed sisters and skyline.</i></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">After Dave had enough of mingling with his people, we headed east to the lakefront path. Susan had never experienced the LFP. We headed south from Lawrence and soon came to a photogenic bit.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbBdYpq3YC-mmZcyg1F-Oj6A-rmmwELi4Rvjj3K1_i-yGQ83w7g29-JAqThfeVtQaPGa95hwu1hcYIwrL95ZcrY-vYz-3Pfp6yNd-RZGp-hBmHwNgtQ6bEpXNx6Ssz0XNlj8QYEN9jE9su/s1600/sisters+and+skyline2at72dpi+-+Copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbBdYpq3YC-mmZcyg1F-Oj6A-rmmwELi4Rvjj3K1_i-yGQ83w7g29-JAqThfeVtQaPGa95hwu1hcYIwrL95ZcrY-vYz-3Pfp6yNd-RZGp-hBmHwNgtQ6bEpXNx6Ssz0XNlj8QYEN9jE9su/s400/sisters+and+skyline2at72dpi+-+Copy.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-size: large;"><i>More sisters and Chicago skyline.</i></span></blockquote>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0Hdrndlie4EB1nj1vpyhUPd3YGa-KnQhX07hbIeB1C0v8cUnMzeg4LgJMSdH4tbFDrDvTS_wtMhWfSdF8EbQ3MkCgaUby7QwSrEry65QUhxA_1dPqlXo6HFbzl5OmKKM0GijDKAxanTzX/s1600/DSJ_1184at72dpi+-+Copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0Hdrndlie4EB1nj1vpyhUPd3YGa-KnQhX07hbIeB1C0v8cUnMzeg4LgJMSdH4tbFDrDvTS_wtMhWfSdF8EbQ3MkCgaUby7QwSrEry65QUhxA_1dPqlXo6HFbzl5OmKKM0GijDKAxanTzX/s400/DSJ_1184at72dpi+-+Copy.jpg" width="372" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption"><span style="font-size: large;"><i>Eastbound on Lawrence, heading back to the car.</i></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Rather than head straight home, we </span><span style="font-size: large;">detoured to Arlington Heights and </span><span style="font-size: large;">ordered some decent Malaysian food — OK the only Malaysian food in the Chicago area — from the </span><a href="http://www.penangarlington.com/" style="font-size: x-large;" target="_blank">Penang restaurant</a><span style="font-size: large;">. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Got home, downloaded the pix, wrote a blog post, sucked down some prawn mee, got sleeeeeepy. Night, all.</span></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: large;">dsj 150913</span></i></div>
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<br />Dave Jacquehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17609959560089421718noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4018669289012710175.post-46568394658662670092015-09-07T18:28:00.001-07:002015-09-08T08:23:03.627-07:00Cal-Sag Trail with Steven<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijkDoYgR0S3dFuUYchEWyo5_mCXc-c3it0Z1dCI5knbgNvctGh7jazu7mHIxEKnwqcAsEKayuv85rL2pY9-bo_-ij-ekPreFBx73mduKIoh_lVwXTGU1MkZw-dG2mLPHXR4Npk1owwyfxi/s1600/IMG_1188.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijkDoYgR0S3dFuUYchEWyo5_mCXc-c3it0Z1dCI5knbgNvctGh7jazu7mHIxEKnwqcAsEKayuv85rL2pY9-bo_-ij-ekPreFBx73mduKIoh_lVwXTGU1MkZw-dG2mLPHXR4Npk1owwyfxi/s320/IMG_1188.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i>Daisies, I think.</i></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Steven and I took a spin on <a href="http://www.calsagtrail.org/map/" target="_blank">the Cal-Sag Trail</a> today, and aside from the wilting heat, it was a great time and we'll be back.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">We caught the trail, newly opened as of June 6, at Route 83 just south of Archer Ave., at the Sag Quarry trailhead. It's a brand-new asphalt surface, smooth as the proverbial newborn powdered <i>tuchis</i>. Even the few road crossings are smooth, for now. There are some mild hills and enough squiggles in the pavement to keep things interesting.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJxrJErrlhqaoKbif_2pwCpquJSVFnJLIPWQ7neqNDyjki8eiwfQjS0Q2ZDRe7N87UMpl9QiOtEgtd8JTVYhQHYcQ0UOp7vEWdxqSZyeFGrz-m-m-YOJgpMjgx2k8vOVxUG4I2ee4-xM85/s1600/IMG_1190.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJxrJErrlhqaoKbif_2pwCpquJSVFnJLIPWQ7neqNDyjki8eiwfQjS0Q2ZDRe7N87UMpl9QiOtEgtd8JTVYhQHYcQ0UOp7vEWdxqSZyeFGrz-m-m-YOJgpMjgx2k8vOVxUG4I2ee4-xM85/s320/IMG_1190.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i>The shade was most welcome.</i></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Heading east-southeast on the trail, the Des Plaines River is on your left, with a hilly glacial <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moraine" target="_blank">moraine </a>beyond. There are forested sections (much cooler on the 85+ F, humid day) that remind me of the nearby Archer Avenue "tree tunnels."</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">A highlight of the ride: a bald eagle soaring on the thermals over the moraine. When I see one of these magnificent birds, I always feel like I should salute.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid7WwgjIcDKKeUcn6FhRr2XyyCafZglzmAg_yBR-cBzckSmUUKpeDB5K51ZRabB1COzya4BZgSOTuvpwtQZr9_0gzDZjRjPJmY8behyl1ZYsKN1xz4lh_4tyCrUE6AvvEs5q1uisfuHx3W/s1600/IMG_1193.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid7WwgjIcDKKeUcn6FhRr2XyyCafZglzmAg_yBR-cBzckSmUUKpeDB5K51ZRabB1COzya4BZgSOTuvpwtQZr9_0gzDZjRjPJmY8behyl1ZYsKN1xz4lh_4tyCrUE6AvvEs5q1uisfuHx3W/s320/IMG_1193.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i>Not daisies, but these yellow flowers<br />grew alongside the trail by the billions.</i></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">At Lake Katherine, we got punk'd by some ambiguous signs and ended up on the plain old Cook County Forest Preserve trails, which are themselves excellent and well worth the ride. At the 12.5-mile mark, we turned aro</span><span style="font-size: large;">und and headed back.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuvu85JYOGB0jPajMQmSO4MsQFr2DuLNIljtIZQRpbzEppZVKW6b7XU8GLJ9OLtY3SkYwIIfw6Li8cFIyT0q-f3EZJwUs_4gUcHAkYIF8usvEdOZuKXEKx7nXLYtKBszkpzYu75w1UO2PT/s1600/IMG_1194.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuvu85JYOGB0jPajMQmSO4MsQFr2DuLNIljtIZQRpbzEppZVKW6b7XU8GLJ9OLtY3SkYwIIfw6Li8cFIyT0q-f3EZJwUs_4gUcHAkYIF8usvEdOZuKXEKx7nXLYtKBszkpzYu75w1UO2PT/s320/IMG_1194.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i>A park in Palos had these exercise stations,<br />and of course Steven had to try them out.</i></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">25 miles was more than enough on a sweltering Labor Day. I can't wait to try that trail on a cool sunny morning in October, when the leaves are changing. It's going to be amazing.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikNt3ghhYeyNVHKHCAfAvbqi6OaQSv8xU4KyG8hgTEY6Xjf2pH_hR_eDFsSRA1YqXBOYiIZKIqgxUTNM4l2K9QG2s2IEo9l5ZfOQKeV1pGjfsAdAflSrXL_OUGmP0C7fksfPT-HUOHuUn5/s1600/IMG_1197.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikNt3ghhYeyNVHKHCAfAvbqi6OaQSv8xU4KyG8hgTEY6Xjf2pH_hR_eDFsSRA1YqXBOYiIZKIqgxUTNM4l2K9QG2s2IEo9l5ZfOQKeV1pGjfsAdAflSrXL_OUGmP0C7fksfPT-HUOHuUn5/s320/IMG_1197.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mity4ewW464" target="_blank">Boss! Des Plaines! Des Plaines!</a><br />OK, you had to be there.</i></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">And thanks to my friend Eleanor, who recommended the trail!</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Link: <a href="http://www.calsagtrail.org/map/">www.calsagtrail.org/map/</a></span><br />
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<i><span style="font-size: large;">dsj 150907</span></i><br />
<br />Dave Jacquehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17609959560089421718noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4018669289012710175.post-44599545329211262742015-09-07T17:04:00.000-07:002015-09-09T08:35:03.078-07:00Cubs by bike<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And so it came to pass that Mary joined her women friends and went to Lake Summerset for the weekend. And lo, rather than pine away in a darkened room, Dave got himself a Cubs ticket and headed east into the city for the day.
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Metra allows bicycles on off-peak trains, including those on brilliant mid-August Saturdays, so rather than fight the traffic and stress over parking at an inner-city ball park with no parking, I rode my bike. Well, not all the way -- I took the train from downtown Naperville to downtown Chicago. There was much Cubbie blue on the Metra platform. Apparently I wasn’t the only Napervillian heading for the game that morning.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl8iZ4Nn_U74vzkPkRHgFeIVDjFAsD14rS_ouqTAZY0M1pIkn0-qAaf-XmqpTpiYAjMpX5_tFRrvhOpOZhVgkP1LFXPVe3HckfJrYd7AjuVeuY0q23jZQy2PWp1Nm3X_t5U9pfZPj41mJV/s1600/IMG_1138.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl8iZ4Nn_U74vzkPkRHgFeIVDjFAsD14rS_ouqTAZY0M1pIkn0-qAaf-XmqpTpiYAjMpX5_tFRrvhOpOZhVgkP1LFXPVe3HckfJrYd7AjuVeuY0q23jZQy2PWp1Nm3X_t5U9pfZPj41mJV/s400/IMG_1138.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: large;">All aboard the Cubs bandwagon. Er, train.</span></i></td></tr>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">There was a bit of fumbling getting on board. I was not aware, nor is it obvious from the Metra website, that bicycles are only allowed on the ADA / handicapped equipped cars. However, a conductor whistled me over and got me squared away. I was ready with a bungie cord to tie </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wyvern" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Wyvern </span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">down. (Wyvern is the name of my Trek Crossrip bicycle -- it’s the commuter, 32 mm Gatorskin cut-resistant tires, aluminum frame, rack for pannier bags or, in this case, a trunk bag. It’s green.)
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An hour later, I was headed north along the Chicago River.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixE8lEVF1woneIxyfrv2_Rb67bqj4qdqZubrgxuKlweueFRrV7JzTQAYuAp76_jZ9slh_4KCHMurzv6KH_k1DUval88vwzRtoEkJhLn32O_FImBx1raiGnMeTfxRXFCHklK2pq1hGcnTuz/s1600/IMG_1141.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixE8lEVF1woneIxyfrv2_Rb67bqj4qdqZubrgxuKlweueFRrV7JzTQAYuAp76_jZ9slh_4KCHMurzv6KH_k1DUval88vwzRtoEkJhLn32O_FImBx1raiGnMeTfxRXFCHklK2pq1hGcnTuz/s400/IMG_1141.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: large;">The river gets even greener on St. Patty's Day.</span></i></td></tr>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Seriously, world, how hard would it be for all streets to be like this stretch of LaSalle? Cars and bicycles sharing the road, the lion laying down with the lamb, cats and dogs living together, kumbaya my lord can’t we all just get alo-- hey, </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">asshole</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, get off your freakin’ phone and </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">pay attention </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">there’s humans on bicycles over here and don’t you honk at me you jerkface </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">douchebag</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">!</span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipqDxYuKUOIErTyw2MZYkb_0I9CAOHrBu4owofbEaWtk4Tl7XQhtvOfC-5o-BcYXpn8teUrNG9hbjTuhEgYVkElU0i8DgQHLz5Ca_yzF6hLNyIXrGMijSsWMUT69FsrPvkdEFbmUrSV3fH/s1600/IMG_1144.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipqDxYuKUOIErTyw2MZYkb_0I9CAOHrBu4owofbEaWtk4Tl7XQhtvOfC-5o-BcYXpn8teUrNG9hbjTuhEgYVkElU0i8DgQHLz5Ca_yzF6hLNyIXrGMijSsWMUT69FsrPvkdEFbmUrSV3fH/s400/IMG_1144.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: large;">Please note that I came to a complete<br />stop for the red light. </span></i><i><span style="font-size: large;">I am a good<br />bicycle ambassador.</span></i></td></tr>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Heh, I kid because I love. Actually, riding a bicycle in Chicago is pretty easy and fairly safe. There are lots of bike lanes, or at least "sharrows" as in the picture above to remind motorists that there may be bikes about. It’s an eight-mile, 45-minute ramble from Union Station to Wrigley Field. The Cubs have a free, </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">secured and guarded</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> bike check right across the street, tucked in behind the T-shirt store.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnWZPYddASZAFRpa9saPQe-K-WTbkXaayQr7twhuF_OlA3FhwJlEE08CejL3pOBNI6m5j_GhvpgfxoXp7CK8TucTWkqFXSNkVBaoTJKPmEIpcSnlJT3S2i6CpQm7e8G5b5_oO5WKSwPlG_/s1600/IMG_1154.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnWZPYddASZAFRpa9saPQe-K-WTbkXaayQr7twhuF_OlA3FhwJlEE08CejL3pOBNI6m5j_GhvpgfxoXp7CK8TucTWkqFXSNkVBaoTJKPmEIpcSnlJT3S2i6CpQm7e8G5b5_oO5WKSwPlG_/s320/IMG_1154.JPG" width="320" /></span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Soon I was in my seat, very close to the infamous Bartman seat, I think: right where the foul line meets the brick wall in left field. Wind was blowing right-to-left and out-ish. A hot dog, a glass of wine, some friendly seatmates to my left and right, a warm sunny day in Wrigley in a rare winning season -- well. I was one happy guy. I got even happier when the Cubs’ home runs started landing in the basket. Cubs won over the Braves, 9-7. Great game. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLx3Onmztxp_frAfwMbu02LcmovJACqFHZ8GvcLZHNDj-S9OJ_EtvSo6bdbHuWfHr_k-3hwJhMvmgMmsvJo4BORfFOuJrWozioSiv8z7dGpYr7gvb-qDruLGsJUUxmGzO28-A3lIi5DicR/s1600/IMG_1156.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLx3Onmztxp_frAfwMbu02LcmovJACqFHZ8GvcLZHNDj-S9OJ_EtvSo6bdbHuWfHr_k-3hwJhMvmgMmsvJo4BORfFOuJrWozioSiv8z7dGpYr7gvb-qDruLGsJUUxmGzO28-A3lIi5DicR/s400/IMG_1156.JPG" width="300" /></a></span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">On the way out, right under the big sign at Clark and Addison:</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcl3ByF8-xjtK-hgaRrxYxN-NDE0Ne5YmgwDvxb2KPGNsPGOtrADC2aNHe-rVIspIXYlhZ8oWkZt92LD8gi5O2zx2pobzqRnyszYe2qn5twYLhZ_817_YvyFkSFYsj-HAhaY59wzAXujad/s1600/IMG_1158.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcl3ByF8-xjtK-hgaRrxYxN-NDE0Ne5YmgwDvxb2KPGNsPGOtrADC2aNHe-rVIspIXYlhZ8oWkZt92LD8gi5O2zx2pobzqRnyszYe2qn5twYLhZ_817_YvyFkSFYsj-HAhaY59wzAXujad/s320/IMG_1158.JPG" width="240" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; line-height: 13.4933px; text-align: start; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><i>She said yes. But only because the Cubs won.</i></span></span></td></tr>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Feeling very Cubbie Blue on the way home, I decided to stop at Harry Caray’s restaurant for an expensive but always excellent dinner. I ordered the succulent 8 oz. filet at the bar while I watched the first quarter of a Bears preseason game. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4PO5VA2WN8TLbnrsMJB_9VlxrAnk1SoqN5pGCaGea5C8t0J1m43zgXxcbmHkIlOqehfWwXnIzwHmQdDAqDTvwLp9hC9E0Qi_-02gpypIfmp2rw9YaAX1jhavhA3XAkVqzK4fio1tfXZ3X/s1600/IMG_1164.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4PO5VA2WN8TLbnrsMJB_9VlxrAnk1SoqN5pGCaGea5C8t0J1m43zgXxcbmHkIlOqehfWwXnIzwHmQdDAqDTvwLp9hC9E0Qi_-02gpypIfmp2rw9YaAX1jhavhA3XAkVqzK4fio1tfXZ3X/s320/IMG_1164.JPG" width="240" /></a></span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Speaking of the unfortunate Mr. Bartman:</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuagDOdfm07HmIZiSxAdGy17BIKbwwWcarLPyfcOg8x5udUQNdLMmJc9h5A9-CFvYfZ7237vpSAXMV5IjZOybAgPpNQwm5tk8ZsNt2lSLzL_zMbMAoc_ZjUd2nrjBnnG4c_73BKzsNwPsV/s1600/IMG_1598.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuagDOdfm07HmIZiSxAdGy17BIKbwwWcarLPyfcOg8x5udUQNdLMmJc9h5A9-CFvYfZ7237vpSAXMV5IjZOybAgPpNQwm5tk8ZsNt2lSLzL_zMbMAoc_ZjUd2nrjBnnG4c_73BKzsNwPsV/s320/IMG_1598.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: large;">The most famous baseball shreds in Chicago history.</span></i></td></tr>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I headed back on Wacker Drive. It was pretty cool zipping along the almost-deserted downtown streets at night.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtNI-Gfl8wLzCUifANiwfQFaKCUr8hyfKIoU9NB8iVpICLA_SJrwVQ6FZQlz_1prcOfQJaLzCMYG6Vov0eF5s1dyOngm-yVf-bHJtafJQhAaFSEQJ7QXsUW5VKtOpwoE-hhV6aKUM97sLj/s1600/IMG_1167.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtNI-Gfl8wLzCUifANiwfQFaKCUr8hyfKIoU9NB8iVpICLA_SJrwVQ6FZQlz_1prcOfQJaLzCMYG6Vov0eF5s1dyOngm-yVf-bHJtafJQhAaFSEQJ7QXsUW5VKtOpwoE-hhV6aKUM97sLj/s320/IMG_1167.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
</span><br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Strapped Wyvern into the handicapped spot on the train car, like the old pro that I am.
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj0zjvXidXSrh22Bucv71Dm36lByDcDqb8XPPCDOIHOzfhb1hu6z2w3xTNcpHLOPzsm7hHQUvv4nHLQdJK3pOmRHZ_F5nT3d_KjpjLt6Nr7o_RM5hqOveD5fLdp-sJtt3H1w4gk2y9tVpx/s1600/IMG_1168.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj0zjvXidXSrh22Bucv71Dm36lByDcDqb8XPPCDOIHOzfhb1hu6z2w3xTNcpHLOPzsm7hHQUvv4nHLQdJK3pOmRHZ_F5nT3d_KjpjLt6Nr7o_RM5hqOveD5fLdp-sJtt3H1w4gk2y9tVpx/s320/IMG_1168.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i>Mine's the one with the flag.</i> </span></td></tr>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And managed to stay awake all the way out and not miss my stop. It was a long four-mile ride home from the train station, but all in all, it was easier and more fun than driving. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUGITf-3ZxqozN4IG1rROq-vNPut-JmHch0Ryr2yQry2XrYM0sMSpicZoMWnnq77KSUMHM_kyn-OsltNDcSochomzo3PrRqoiAyiG1qM4u3vklASlFtgD8zsKq51vARJAYEIGCnkTb6T5E/s1600/IMG_1171.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUGITf-3ZxqozN4IG1rROq-vNPut-JmHch0Ryr2yQry2XrYM0sMSpicZoMWnnq77KSUMHM_kyn-OsltNDcSochomzo3PrRqoiAyiG1qM4u3vklASlFtgD8zsKq51vARJAYEIGCnkTb6T5E/s320/IMG_1171.JPG" width="240" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: sans-serif; line-height: 24px;">♬ </span>Catch the last train to N-ville and I'll meet you at the station ...<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: sans-serif; line-height: 24px;">♬</span></span></i></td></tr>
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Dave Jacquehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17609959560089421718noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4018669289012710175.post-4059943408692272302015-08-14T19:45:00.000-07:002015-08-14T20:14:58.879-07:002015 Rotary Ride / Metric CenturyVideo: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bDHBooER7uk" target="_blank">2015 Rotary Ride</a>. Yes, the helmet mount was on an angle and looks a bit weird. Sorry.<br />
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<div>
I really enjoy organized rides, whether I do the whole 100 miles or some fraction thereof. In past years, I've been riding solo: Whatever conversation and company occurs is happenstance, the spontaneous camaraderie that happens along the way.<br />
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<br /></div>
<div>
But starting with last year's North Shore Century, in which my cousin Mark joined me, I've started to think having some company is a good thing. When Mary volunteered her workout friend Judy to join me on my annual Naperville Rotary Club Ride, I was initially put off. I like my classical music and internal conversation ("Ya damn <i>woosie</i>, stand up on those pedals and <i>attack</i> that hill!").</div>
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Turns out, conversation with an actual human is not only fun, it makes the miles <i>fly </i>by. I noticed that phenomenon with Mark last year, and with my new biking buddy Judy this year. I hope Judy had a good time: she's great company and I hope she'll join me again.</div>
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<div>
We did a metric century (62 miles / 100 kilometers). I arrived at Commissioner's Park fairly perky. Seriously, I could have done another 20 miles (4,345 centipedes) that day. It overcast and humid, but for August, relatively cool (77 degrees Fahrenheit / 2,987 pricklewads per centripoid). </div>
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Dave Jacquehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17609959560089421718noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4018669289012710175.post-57574651649670200882015-07-11T20:43:00.000-07:002015-07-11T21:18:24.596-07:00606 Trail in ChicagoThis is the <i>best </i>new extremely short trail in the Chicago area. All 2.7 miles and 30 minutes of it. <a href="https://youtu.be/nWGcvcktO3k" target="_blank">I can prove it, here's the video.</a><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7aXRdSxXB8OoqtXpOBazjLgTcwlud7aIDi0hsy3x9Kzg2u5YtXt4psN818_-oPppiT_BL3sThXkJOWk1dlg4_ZyI8CNcGQJShm_oMkn0ImuDL7kgsJo3netmi4utxWlTw39mwztEDn0KD/s1600/IMG_1454.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7aXRdSxXB8OoqtXpOBazjLgTcwlud7aIDi0hsy3x9Kzg2u5YtXt4psN818_-oPppiT_BL3sThXkJOWk1dlg4_ZyI8CNcGQJShm_oMkn0ImuDL7kgsJo3netmi4utxWlTw39mwztEDn0KD/s320/IMG_1454.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Winner of the Tour d'Sexy.</i></td></tr>
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Mary and I hit <a href="http://www.the606.org/visit/map/" target="_blank">the new 606 trail </a>this morning. This is a real marvel of urban bicycle / running / baby-jogger-stroller planning and is a MUST for anyone living in the six-county area.<br />
<br />
We exited the Kennedy at Armitage, fumbled around a bit on the back streets, and found a place to park near the 606's east end. It's an old elevated train right-of-way running through the mid-north side of the city, basically yuppie central. Bicycles have a nice two-lane divided highway down the middle. Runners have a rubberized strip on either side to minimize the impact on their plantar fascias, or fibular cerebellums, or whatever. Dog owners have a three-mile linear excretion zone.<br />
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There are little pull-offs with benches or picnic tables. Beautiful (and we hope dog-proof) gardens.<br />
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My goodness, what a great people-watching opportunity. My favorite today: the guy in the FULL Mexican <a href="http://www.desertlivingtoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/1.jpeg" target="_blank">Lucha Libre wrestling outfit</a>, and his kid wearing the Superman cape.<br />
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All too soon, we returned to our starting point. Mary was ready to continue our ride, so I suggested we head to the lake front path, about two miles east. About 1.5 miles east on Armitage, we hit Lincoln Park Zoo. Surprised that we could just wander on in — admission is free! — we locked up the bikes (two cable locks and a U-lock) and wandered on in.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZCv-IDSwxP9-yT_pEql2u0DkQ_0F4JCosuFSLvAaUFNEzUifijhmbhswJR3a0cMqVYizBt40c2X0NH9Ku2SElzgqo4ctG4Tb-5jWDchz8wob1uxIGJ1sAABs1qeDD7L7pHCj6f4n_-nGI/s1600/IMG_1471.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZCv-IDSwxP9-yT_pEql2u0DkQ_0F4JCosuFSLvAaUFNEzUifijhmbhswJR3a0cMqVYizBt40c2X0NH9Ku2SElzgqo4ctG4Tb-5jWDchz8wob1uxIGJ1sAABs1qeDD7L7pHCj6f4n_-nGI/s320/IMG_1471.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>OK, I'd eaten all the Kahlua pork and<br />macaroni salad by this point.</i></td></tr>
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We checked out the flamingos (pink, how cliché) then saw a zebra and white-lipped deer, both of which appeared to be suicidal, and perhaps only delaying their exit until they could obtain heavy weaponry, starting with grenade launchers, and take a few hundred humans with them. Mary and I both agreed that zoos were depressing, and decided to leave <i>post haste</i>.<br />
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A short ride up Clark Street brought us to the little storefront <a href="http://www.alohaeats.com/" target="_blank">"Aloha Eats,"</a> one <br />
of our favorite places in the city. They serve up delicacies we've only had in the islands, starting with <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spam_musubi" target="_blank">spam masubi</a>: a soap-bar-sized slab of sticky rice topped with a slice of fried spam (yes, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=anwy2MPT5RE" target="_blank">actual spam, wonderful spam</a>) and wrapped in a sheet of seaweed. It's a carby rice, salt/umami-savory/fishy combination that's unlike anything else. Yum.<br />
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Personally, I'd like to live in Chicago. But that's just me.Dave Jacquehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17609959560089421718noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4018669289012710175.post-11676467977601682932015-06-18T14:01:00.000-07:002015-06-18T14:10:03.179-07:00Little Miami Trail Video<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yDrvFl7mCxw" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="Lil Miami Deer" border="0" height="197" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmMpQCVY27HBOxaG35hP1sIQV0JcFB4LRnLAahUDellS8ZHEhywnFTf318E7i_5LtN5Yt9zbiK2eO1vNoc9S4TbBkGkRUxEfQKzXjxtyg-nWuBl7z5ASQWZwa4Sl12l763A5pWfizBg2ot/s320/miami_deer.jpg" title="" width="320" /></a></div>
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yDrvFl7mCxw" target="_blank">Here's the video from the Little Miami Scenic Trail earlier this month.</a> Took me a while to get the video downloaded and spliced.<br />
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Check out the little spike buck (deer) at 1:15 -- I could have reached out and touched the thing.<br />
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No video of the signpost crash, sorry. I'm never rolling when I do something stupid.Dave Jacquehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17609959560089421718noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4018669289012710175.post-48330073029500069232015-06-13T22:35:00.002-07:002015-06-18T14:16:51.011-07:00Kidnapped!<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So my wife kidnapped me on my birthday and forced me to attend a Cubs game and eat barbecue ribs and drink cheap wine. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWjORxULZSTIYVgderRMMVT7sFGOYTH9J5m7cktr-dW0DWnOXUrUB7MH6Xk1Lm4nD_O3-hCoCYCvKGUDR5z-GuTwWFAMqzWzfUwPUZX-yBdbY_IOS8n9GaGy2vYoGn_jWTSBz65shCXMxo/s1600/happiest+of+birthdaysat72dpi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWjORxULZSTIYVgderRMMVT7sFGOYTH9J5m7cktr-dW0DWnOXUrUB7MH6Xk1Lm4nD_O3-hCoCYCvKGUDR5z-GuTwWFAMqzWzfUwPUZX-yBdbY_IOS8n9GaGy2vYoGn_jWTSBz65shCXMxo/s400/happiest+of+birthdaysat72dpi.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><i>You see how angry I am at being kidnapped.</i></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I have the best life companion anyone could ever hope for. She had to plan this stuff <i>months </i>in advance.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX6RzPDIwWXCu4W3ZYnLh6unBUakrCmf1FM1nMjUO5dMe53lIS4UdyA1eEae5ptiMyVd8xVA-UVE3-LeiLh_yd2goNxMa4PXn5hisFKtJ1ncahxITDGYoh48VG1ZfCB90gis5M7lkUgOAg/s1600/my+birthdayat72dpi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="246" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX6RzPDIwWXCu4W3ZYnLh6unBUakrCmf1FM1nMjUO5dMe53lIS4UdyA1eEae5ptiMyVd8xVA-UVE3-LeiLh_yd2goNxMa4PXn5hisFKtJ1ncahxITDGYoh48VG1ZfCB90gis5M7lkUgOAg/s400/my+birthdayat72dpi.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><i>How did she know it was my birthday!?</i></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Here's how it went down:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
She says we're going to <a href="http://wrigleybbq.com/" target="_blank">a great barbecue place</a> in Chicago. She (not intentionally) drives right by Wrigley Field. I'm inwardly groaning because I know there's a game at 3:05 — I can hear the organ playing.</span><br />
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We pull up in front of the <a href="http://www.majestic-chicago.com/" target="_blank">Majestic Hotel</a> a few blocks away. I'm really confused because I'm looking for a BBQ joint.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
"Oh, by the way we're staying here tonight," she said.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
A little bit hopeful, I asked, "Are we going to the Cubs game, too?" She just smiled at me. Duh.</span><br />
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At 2:30 p.m., we're at a chilly, misty Wrigley Field, gobbling down foot-long hot dogs and waiting for the game to begin.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbpNLSdXab86FQ9VeXL8WZ_JyS326fxAjO-sKZ2vZBCZeRf3dy7n9qD7fgAv81ivdx2Qe0Gr1GvyIeXu2L9FVciMXq52M_QGgRU7hNLeuPzv9pNaYPbdk_eVbQmcQJB2PGFJ9WHZAf9Kmd/s1600/KB+gets+a+hit+copyat72dpi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="333" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbpNLSdXab86FQ9VeXL8WZ_JyS326fxAjO-sKZ2vZBCZeRf3dy7n9qD7fgAv81ivdx2Qe0Gr1GvyIeXu2L9FVciMXq52M_QGgRU7hNLeuPzv9pNaYPbdk_eVbQmcQJB2PGFJ9WHZAf9Kmd/s400/KB+gets+a+hit+copyat72dpi.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><i>Kris Bryant gets a hit.</i></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkwfAQkatP_J9N6xuKc2HgiDXIrpY9BiM47hr6YpxQWjs6_BajJV91KdxnlQVf1vUt66VkU_T_OojhUgff6rCfcDU4KZ8mlHB-B4umUUb-NNg3lcIW1jmJyM1J2eDEr85fLmMzdMkVbmzO/s1600/castro+homer+high+5at72dpi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkwfAQkatP_J9N6xuKc2HgiDXIrpY9BiM47hr6YpxQWjs6_BajJV91KdxnlQVf1vUt66VkU_T_OojhUgff6rCfcDU4KZ8mlHB-B4umUUb-NNg3lcIW1jmJyM1J2eDEr85fLmMzdMkVbmzO/s400/castro+homer+high+5at72dpi.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Starlin Castro celebrates a homer.</span></i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="text-align: center;"><br /></span>
<span style="text-align: center;">The home team lost 5-4, but it was a fun game with two close plays at the plate. My Cubs are a scrappy team this year and a blast to watch in person. Mary got us great seats, of course. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="text-align: center;"><br /></span>
<span style="text-align: center;">After the game, barbecue ribs and a nightcap at <a href="http://www.roscoes.com/website/" target="_blank">a funky bar</a> nearby.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="text-align: center;"><br /></span>
<span style="text-align: center;">I love that girl. And I suspect she loves me.</span></span><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> dsj 150613</span></i><br />
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Dave Jacquehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17609959560089421718noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4018669289012710175.post-9109469772195696972015-06-08T18:38:00.000-07:002015-06-18T14:21:57.962-07:00OK, OK, helmets = good. Lesson learned<span style="clear: right; float: right; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYzL2Jgl52XERruo1DKjencup_hr1qVAMcpMdfXv_SvD9fKmZz_0Bk5KzK0MYQ5mVupnHR1cOTnnS6OH0NcIDSNvt23xE5BD_UQEPH3XYO9HQN3oMVF-vxgHhIgu97XlvR_-fJtymU0Wf-/s320/FullSizeRender_1.jpg" /></span><span style="clear: right; float: right; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNLulSEvvGlupa80XH04hMATc0m9NnMo7rSRHS4X9O6pp45AgyzvfgU5lumZHxMXkZMeXetvtmg7jeFsFd0u3k2nqsODWkhWAGDGgGa1ippkejRu3kOG3LyvmhngHVwpYqorzZ2H_oNkGt/s320/FullSizeRender.jpg" /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I've never gotten a scratch riding a motorcycle, but the damned bicycle is going to kill me. Got tangled up on a sharp turn on the Little Miami Scenic Trail on Sunday and ran into a 4X4 sign post.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
Came up and over a roadway and there was a right-angle bend at the bottom; I turned too sharply and the front wheel contacted my shoe — the dreaded "toe overlap" finally got me — and before I could even say a really bad word WHAM I hit the signpost and tumbled into the grass.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
Took the brunt of the impact on my left hand. A deep gash on the base of my index finger and assorted lacerations on the other fingers. Also sore on my knee and jaw.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Note dented helmet; I'll never make fun of the "magic hat" again. Thank you, Mary, for insisting that I wear the thing. The bike is fine, except for some scratches on the shift lever.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
Video was taken, although the camera wasn't rolling when I wiped out, darn it. I'll post a YouTube link in a day or three.</span><br />
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Dave Jacquehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17609959560089421718noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4018669289012710175.post-73050677026520164682015-05-24T15:20:00.003-07:002015-08-11T10:21:00.649-07:00Biking the Drive!<div style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4zAl7bfMtEtPiG9j94tZY5vAC-6go6OoJWcbBSRCPKR4K3zl6-R7Lqp04Ush9x1QEkGyvGlD74vzJz4IBvnPkjFp5fKCzGt03QkW3drzMVBhoKicYiuPHRsXPDuJXThtDBeTRxobSXYEO/s1600/dave+on+the+drive.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="254" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4zAl7bfMtEtPiG9j94tZY5vAC-6go6OoJWcbBSRCPKR4K3zl6-R7Lqp04Ush9x1QEkGyvGlD74vzJz4IBvnPkjFp5fKCzGt03QkW3drzMVBhoKicYiuPHRsXPDuJXThtDBeTRxobSXYEO/s320/dave+on+the+drive.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Crowds were getting sparse</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">as we headed <span style="line-height: 1.38;">south, close</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; line-height: 1.38;">to the end of the event.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.bikethedrive.org/" style="line-height: 1.38; text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Bike the Drive</span></a><span style="line-height: 1.38; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> is pretty much a weather crapshoot every year. We’re about one-for-three: fog, rain, wind -- well, it’s early spring in Chicago and you pays your $45 and you takes your chances. Today it was drizzly, cool and overcast. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">But still, it’s beyond cool to ride a bicycle on one of the most iconic roads on the immediate planet, Chicago’s Lake Shore Drive. Once a year, the </span><a href="http://activetrans.org/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Active Transportation Alliance</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, in cooperation with the City of Chicago, closes this major highway to automobiles for a morning and opens it to bicycles only. Thousands of cyclists take advantage: it’s a hoot and a half.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqWzz90-y9dxK_ZuG78JtfTOzmEeu6ZA6ME6DZctNSojdNGPMFD2xZe2hULEc9oWVgxO4qeMjooQ_WcE6QfoB0x1F0aMVH_TKqknkX5kcs5PiorjADOxYIu0D4O_5xv4Qyup8-Nuerg_XB/s1600/FullSizeRender_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqWzz90-y9dxK_ZuG78JtfTOzmEeu6ZA6ME6DZctNSojdNGPMFD2xZe2hULEc9oWVgxO4qeMjooQ_WcE6QfoB0x1F0aMVH_TKqknkX5kcs5PiorjADOxYIu0D4O_5xv4Qyup8-Nuerg_XB/s320/FullSizeRender_2.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Nothin' but bikes.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">How cool is this?</span></td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mary was called away to a niece graduation in Ohio, so it was Steven and me. We left at about 7 a.m. The plan was to have lunch at Eataly, a two-story Italian market/mall on the near-north side, so we parked across the street and rode our bikes to the Bike the Drive start point at Jackson & LSD. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It drizzled on and off most of the morning; just enough to keep the numbers down a bit, but not enough to make the ride a drag. There was a south wind, so I suggested we start off going north, turn around at the north end point at Bryn Mawr Ave., head all the way back south to the Museum of Science and Industry at 57th Street, then head back to downtown. That way we’d have the wind at our backs for the final leg. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">What a treat. A four-lane highway populated only by bicycles -- from $5,000 carbon-fiber racers to </span><span style="line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">olde-fashioned penny farthings. Polite “on your lefts” instead of horn honking. Five-year-olds wobbling along on cartoon-themed beginner bikes with the training wheels freshly removed. Grey-haired geezers wobbling along on recumbents.Differently abled cyclists scooting along on hand-powered cycles. It really is a community that lasts for just a few hours.</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Shortly thereafter, Steven and I were at the day’s first customers at </span><a href="https://www.eataly.com/resources/eataly/files/Osteria%20di%20Eataly_05_07_15.pdf" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Osteria di Eataly</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, lunching on squid-ink pasta and agnolotti, and shopping for exotic pastas. A wonderful morning.</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XVTg_EdSHzc&feature=youtu.be" style="line-height: 27.6000003814697px; white-space: pre-wrap;" target="_blank">I made a video!</a></span><br />
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Dave Jacquehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17609959560089421718noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4018669289012710175.post-83976698617993866492015-05-06T18:40:00.001-07:002015-06-18T14:18:23.254-07:00Waterfall Glen run and ride<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZGVE9iTf3VXQVBuPAXylU9N76c6E3REAe9HD0r5RXLMWeHOLHcFlHn54hVcipLeYBP_3mtJaMPNdIzDvfnPDVxOV299mnk3dBtTzcbq2oJwyJv1uQ8XG-eZiieIzHj6nl9XKpcNjTYIyf/s1600/DSJ_0179002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZGVE9iTf3VXQVBuPAXylU9N76c6E3REAe9HD0r5RXLMWeHOLHcFlHn54hVcipLeYBP_3mtJaMPNdIzDvfnPDVxOV299mnk3dBtTzcbq2oJwyJv1uQ8XG-eZiieIzHj6nl9XKpcNjTYIyf/s1600/DSJ_0179002.jpg" width="213" /></span></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY960Xxu9ZFnmb7F8xua-PJSn4Ai0_ZsTPIYcP2ZSbG9D1i10bRlwZCr_FUR1P4_HdSzc0FkCLW-KXH9nAKvg3C0EdB1Levbjx1QnkXk7-OCRrHPN1XRDcLQMGhvYXJG63DU8uLNA_gvOR/s1600/DSJ_0178001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY960Xxu9ZFnmb7F8xua-PJSn4Ai0_ZsTPIYcP2ZSbG9D1i10bRlwZCr_FUR1P4_HdSzc0FkCLW-KXH9nAKvg3C0EdB1Levbjx1QnkXk7-OCRrHPN1XRDcLQMGhvYXJG63DU8uLNA_gvOR/s1600/DSJ_0178001.jpg" width="200" /></span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My son is training for a couple of runs in May. They're essentially half-marathons with obstacles thrown in, from huge mud puddles to throwing spears at hay bales. A couple of weekends ago, he said he wanted to run in Waterfall Glen Forest Preserve; I asked to tag along, since I'm in training to not be obese at some point in my life</span><br />
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</span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe8DReyHnp4sv9qJD5G-V2Q2CaPLEUD_UHrI3dT_-ByGW51YzfSMZybqpzeHB_stmNthAujbW2Sqfp41-wq2cRzHjVlIsq7Xg9G5IIVMxpC6GK-mlJP5xYZx-_fxXOQ6DfHxrFT72YM-8a/s1600/DSJ_0180003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe8DReyHnp4sv9qJD5G-V2Q2CaPLEUD_UHrI3dT_-ByGW51YzfSMZybqpzeHB_stmNthAujbW2Sqfp41-wq2cRzHjVlIsq7Xg9G5IIVMxpC6GK-mlJP5xYZx-_fxXOQ6DfHxrFT72YM-8a/s1600/DSJ_0180003.jpg" width="200" /></span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Steven doesn't get up early, so I rode over to the Colonial Cafe for breakfast. Josie brought me my Diet Cokes and standard breakfast order. Juanita, who was my Colonial server for many years and had my standard order memorized -- she didn't even bother bringing me a menu -- retired Dec. 31. Josie's not quite there yet but coming along nicely.</span><br />
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We arrived at Waterfall Glen at about 10:30 a.m. We figured that I'd probably do the 10-mile loop twice while he was doing it once. It worked out perfectly; I'd brought my camera to try a little nature photography, which added just enough stopping to even out the timing.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpuIy47SD0kq9udA1cGc81SpP4jroPKzTwK_SJcM3YC8e4JL7FXxfzvNpVKNHe4QYhxLYPEA_H6LhyphenhyphenPfWQABVhLV0wR3oZstqM4U4zeAWvVvj0By2BXZF35rSKLvgjRXOQH9PHF5mA8_uf/s1600/DSJ_0195007.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpuIy47SD0kq9udA1cGc81SpP4jroPKzTwK_SJcM3YC8e4JL7FXxfzvNpVKNHe4QYhxLYPEA_H6LhyphenhyphenPfWQABVhLV0wR3oZstqM4U4zeAWvVvj0By2BXZF35rSKLvgjRXOQH9PHF5mA8_uf/s1600/DSJ_0195007.jpg" width="640" /></span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm really proud of Steven and his determination and perseverance. Plus he's looking really pro out there.</span><br />
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It was just about the perfect early spring day. The trees were still bare, but wildflowers were just beginning to poke up through the leaf litter of last year.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbcsV84x47KSH1fxbl2fn8nJsKyxOlMB2ocmPu2VmvlIiibp-ZGqPN33k0IeYKhfX-WkLGJvjp-3Rm5tlcepFNbIpEYLocHkgBHzxRjL9nj4sDolZP3qGiWdXbZLTBp-yPeQLhyphenhyphenfNfU6Y7/s1600/DSJ_0201011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbcsV84x47KSH1fxbl2fn8nJsKyxOlMB2ocmPu2VmvlIiibp-ZGqPN33k0IeYKhfX-WkLGJvjp-3Rm5tlcepFNbIpEYLocHkgBHzxRjL9nj4sDolZP3qGiWdXbZLTBp-yPeQLhyphenhyphenfNfU6Y7/s1600/DSJ_0201011.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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Sawmill Creek runs through the preserve on its way to the Des Plaines River. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPpKGg3k6tEoKAzPvDQPv_OihlHCaSfEoXW80zAtylJbnQ9fBQpeamWNkGLqZd21ZZkY7aKnyHioVc6o2ZglqcQo5OOmWKqLttssqpunoA24wQr7aEsAGuPtJIc0xP95ZozgGgbMQ4vhbh/s1600/DSJ_0204014.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPpKGg3k6tEoKAzPvDQPv_OihlHCaSfEoXW80zAtylJbnQ9fBQpeamWNkGLqZd21ZZkY7aKnyHioVc6o2ZglqcQo5OOmWKqLttssqpunoA24wQr7aEsAGuPtJIc0xP95ZozgGgbMQ4vhbh/s1600/DSJ_0204014.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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Along the way it forms this little waterfall that the preserve is NOT named after. The forest preserve is named after Seymour "Bud" Waterfall, an early president of the DuPage County Forest Preserve District. <a href="http://dupageforest.com/Conservation/Forest_Preserves/Waterfall_Glen.aspx" target="_blank">Really, no kidding.</a></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1WFCMIZj2DnOSrJFW373cHzQ9uUPTlXQXL4kzOKCeptckOX3lNPxzGYQ_lydZ7_yzC9OvbDuBrU7PugwUVt-AIkdw2KPYcRAGw_vcF6_ykjf_M-KjmzP4dORRmXy6lCjotO2ih4HKgVyf/s1600/DSJ_0207016.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1WFCMIZj2DnOSrJFW373cHzQ9uUPTlXQXL4kzOKCeptckOX3lNPxzGYQ_lydZ7_yzC9OvbDuBrU7PugwUVt-AIkdw2KPYcRAGw_vcF6_ykjf_M-KjmzP4dORRmXy6lCjotO2ih4HKgVyf/s1600/DSJ_0207016.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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It's a great trail, with lots of curves and some fairly intense hills. The scenery includes forest, prairie and wetlands, and you get a few glimpses of <a href="http://www.anl.gov/" target="_blank">Argonne National Laboratory</a>, where I work.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNpCroEXLLqHFrXqer3vgAYptDH6uwKyYM-QZFgrY5kx8H5WEBaNqwwdjvVUAiY0xObLI2RdT2R1oC60y2sGVESqphEsoCyOR0-MxoWXG_1gQHEY6QyjP_TUTwE3CE3w-ntK4kryJuoHGG/s1600/DSJ_0212020.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNpCroEXLLqHFrXqer3vgAYptDH6uwKyYM-QZFgrY5kx8H5WEBaNqwwdjvVUAiY0xObLI2RdT2R1oC60y2sGVESqphEsoCyOR0-MxoWXG_1gQHEY6QyjP_TUTwE3CE3w-ntK4kryJuoHGG/s1600/DSJ_0212020.jpg" width="213" /></span></a></div>
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I used my Trek Crossrip for this ride. The limestone's in pretty good shape for the most part; there are some soft patches on the hills that made me glad for the wider 32mm tires on the Crossrip. The Gatorskin tires are holding up nicely so far.</span><br />
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<span style="clear: left; float: left; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: start;">After some post-run stretches, we headed out for lunch. A great day.</span></div>
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<br />Dave Jacquehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17609959560089421718noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4018669289012710175.post-90530626023147199542015-04-19T16:57:00.002-07:002015-06-18T14:18:42.792-07:00Sunday sojourn / DuPage River Trail<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A pleasant ride this morning.</span><br />
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First to Colonial for my standard breakfast. After the retirement of my longtime steady waitress Juanita, I'm breaking in a new server, Josie. She's already bringing me two glasses of Diet Coke as soon as I sit down. Juanita would do that AND put in my standard order without even asking (Egg Beaters very dry; wheat toast, no butter; bacon, fruit). Josie hasn't quite gotten there yet, but I have complete confidence in her.</span><br />
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I brought my new Nikon camera along for the ride today. It's a much more sophisticated camera than my old film Olympus. I feel like a bonobo trying to land a 747.</span><br />
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But the Nikon has a pretty forgiving idiot mode, so I got a few good snapshots (I won't call them photos) out of the thing. Here's the DuPage River that the trail is named for. This is looking east from the bridge at Knoch Knolls park.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE__l8wW0wvbbQEkXoR4gJvg0Ty34bUw38GL_k3R159IhWLxMF4_5hkylViirTBIV6c9x_aZdS01rgSHxp3Zo1F6WxYwbD8viYkNKXJBI-fsTYZPArX4-2e_jgz6i_CGIZpm9rED32rQ6y/s1600/cricket+throw.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="460" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE__l8wW0wvbbQEkXoR4gJvg0Ty34bUw38GL_k3R159IhWLxMF4_5hkylViirTBIV6c9x_aZdS01rgSHxp3Zo1F6WxYwbD8viYkNKXJBI-fsTYZPArX4-2e_jgz6i_CGIZpm9rED32rQ6y/s1600/cricket+throw.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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Flowers are starting to bloom along the trail side.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifaR92-CXw3ADXI0ehyphenhyphen_i-71FjLEWbnSi5h1WzQNp0wRtNbslWUV7-hTaj1xEknonGndxJuczrn0dcao6B9oMW16XLnElSkpdVJkaqkQtcdNlvvz87kQykNuBv9GUmk33-71PEmksKcfmN/s1600/forest+floor+flowers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifaR92-CXw3ADXI0ehyphenhyphen_i-71FjLEWbnSi5h1WzQNp0wRtNbslWUV7-hTaj1xEknonGndxJuczrn0dcao6B9oMW16XLnElSkpdVJkaqkQtcdNlvvz87kQykNuBv9GUmk33-71PEmksKcfmN/s1600/forest+floor+flowers.jpg" width="426" /></span></a></div>
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Some gentlemen were playing cricket in the DuPage River Sports complex. I watched for a while, mystified. Looked like fun, though.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8fRSGh9grsXWVPo4vKEE-6ezNnw4dNAN4M3ydbkeTVxg4uxEggJ3REhtxOJcYMlx-Iot7JkkBmWEASAehlci2GfaEjfQg7jjyocrY_JYtDTe8YZZG4dK2O083-23Rui38Wihs8l39obp7/s1600/cricket2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="494" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8fRSGh9grsXWVPo4vKEE-6ezNnw4dNAN4M3ydbkeTVxg4uxEggJ3REhtxOJcYMlx-Iot7JkkBmWEASAehlci2GfaEjfQg7jjyocrY_JYtDTe8YZZG4dK2O083-23Rui38Wihs8l39obp7/s1600/cricket2.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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Some trees are blossoming, others are sprouting leaves. It's a deciduous riot up there.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJGEwWlS9-BUwHpCqHCn-c428vvdD0H5MV1Qg9uxlotgEz0qyWz_yKjuosc1SnZEJToc45WGPlsqiiRNa_o_EXmRy1H1Hciwo75NZUHd8BPDhZiSbLcWbWGPdc178gGC4A06OnJJApbioj/s1600/trees+in+bloom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJGEwWlS9-BUwHpCqHCn-c428vvdD0H5MV1Qg9uxlotgEz0qyWz_yKjuosc1SnZEJToc45WGPlsqiiRNa_o_EXmRy1H1Hciwo75NZUHd8BPDhZiSbLcWbWGPdc178gGC4A06OnJJApbioj/s1600/trees+in+bloom.jpg" width="426" /></span></a></div>
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Grilled up some slider hamburgers for the family when I got home. Spent an hour or two putting a second coat of stain on Mary's vertical herb garden while listening to the Cubs lose. All in all a good way to spend a Sunday.</span><br />
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<i>dsj 150419</i></span>Dave Jacquehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17609959560089421718noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4018669289012710175.post-68100763571702002642015-04-11T22:21:00.002-07:002015-06-18T14:19:14.928-07:00Muffaletta run to Plainfield<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A 30-mile ride today, from home to Plainfield and back. Mary drove out to Moe Joe’s restaurant to meet me for some Cajun food. Now, we’ve been to ’Nawlins a few times, so we know Cajun from a hole in the ground. This was some good Cajun food, y’all. Plus they have Abita Turbodog on tap!</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqPCsqNLaCEORa-6VzeI-XhJtG3chLCJJXdT2D94wV9TX1T_tLcwy-5-GwCjFuXBnx1HhJ1z6QFlHiDwpiOX9yeHdOapL5RWxKue1Q-EbUGWDNTizJm6RJASWrEvF3CHduynOzahxpIsAL/s1600/moe+joes+turbodog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqPCsqNLaCEORa-6VzeI-XhJtG3chLCJJXdT2D94wV9TX1T_tLcwy-5-GwCjFuXBnx1HhJ1z6QFlHiDwpiOX9yeHdOapL5RWxKue1Q-EbUGWDNTizJm6RJASWrEvF3CHduynOzahxpIsAL/s1600/moe+joes+turbodog.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Turbodog on tap!</span></td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The muffaletta had just the right amount of olive dressing to set off the deep pile of lunchmeat nestled in the foccacia bun. The hush puppies had jalapenos in the mix (although Mary thought they were overcooked). Mary’s oyster po’boy had healthy pile of deep-fried oysters on a (we’re guessing) Toscano roll which was almost -- but not quite -- as good as our favorite place in the Big Easy. Very nicely done. Portions were generous: we both took half our sandwiches home.
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">By the way: the gumbo is the best I’ve had this side of the French Quarter. Maybe better. Damn, it was good gumbo. I’m going back for a full bowl, which will be a meal for about a week.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>Dave Jacquehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17609959560089421718noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4018669289012710175.post-90519195902738901892015-03-23T17:43:00.002-07:002015-04-19T17:12:50.709-07:00Bicycle commuting<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2tXX5j3-uPg&feature=em-upload_owner" target="_blank">Here's a very short video of my first successful ride home from work this year.</a> (An earlier attempt resulted in a flat, which led to a broken derailleur arm and a call to the SAG wagon)(Mary). Note that it's not a continuous video of the entire one-hour ride, and it's at 8X speed, so the whole thing takes about a minute.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">At the time, it was still too cold to ride in the morning, so I asked Steven to drop me off at work with the bike, so I could ride home in the relative warmth of the afternoon.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/proxy/AVvXsEhqQeiOsoZHr-Z8k6wmH3f3bGuwKKyo3GpjE0QkAcpFRlr5M5BcNAlHQMmlIK29EVAfNPGiuYxYaqEPpmGxMOReFWfQxslSjAsNkFIFY_LQbK_ZgBv0EBmiwdV3dD9dze44UTkROFFkvZqQWqMOAluiBLOvcc3H2qwiM_r5CvSCAiK7AvRUKCPdZi6mz6iJphWEgqG7M_p_mCuc8w7SyvueYfoVW2jOrOA-gfGUOATY25_yyS8=s0-d-e1-ft&h=270&feature=em-upload_owner&sigh=RHx6gRB8upP603QTjAbp-LXiDjY" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I hate this hill.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Since this video, I've managed the full commute, inbound and outbound. Now of course Mother Nature's turned on me like a snake, so it may be another week before I can do it again. But once the weather stabilizes a bit, I'm hoping to bike-commute at least one day every week.</span>Dave Jacquehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17609959560089421718noreply@blogger.com0