A squeaky clean ride to work

Figured it was too cool (55 degrees) to work up much of a sweat, so I showered before I left home.

This was my very first ride to work this year -- where did the damn summer go? -- and I was slightly surprised that I remembered all the turns in the forest preserve. The chug up the hill on 83^rd street, which used to intimidate me so much, was just slow and tedious.

The view on 79^th Street just before 7 a.m., with golden sunlight filtering through the trees.

Rode the 12.5 miles in 57 minutes, two minutes off my personal best, and I wasn’t even trying that hard. I had, however, worked up quite a sweat, so I needed another shower. Behind my desk at 8:10 a.m.

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Training ride

Put a few miles on the road bike today in preparation for the North Shore Century on Sept. 21.

I have no feet, or hands, yet I must bicycle.

Woke up early and unusually hungry. Target was a 30-mile ride. I checked the TV, which said 60 degrees outside -- might as well be snowing sideways. I put on a sweatshirt and headed for my usual breakfast place: Colonial Pancake House.

Maybe George Washington ate here! Sorry, history freaks,
this chain only dates back to the 1940s. 

Angie brought me my standard Egg Beaters (well done, very dry), wheat toast (no butter), bacon and fruit cup. I read the Chicago Tribune on my Kindle Fire and sucked down three Diet Cokes. 

Life is Good.

Thus fortified, I headed back south on Modaff Road and squirreled through the backstreets until I hit the most excellent east-west bike trail -- the "Ashbury Greenway" -- that starts at Book Road and continues with bicycle-friendly asphalt smoothness until 248th Street.

Bicycle heaven, for about 4 miles.

After that, it was high-traffic roadways for a while, until the CycleMeter voice said I'd gone 15 miles. I figured at that point, I should start heading back.

A lovely bike trail that turned out
to be a dead end. A life lesson.

Total for the day was 24.88 miles, average speed an uninspiring 13.08 mph. Seriously, there are people who can walk faster than that. I've got a long way to go.

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