Memorial Day

I finished my 50 mile ride just in time for the parade.

Unfaired

I have never been quite sure about the fairing on my Greenway.  I never really felt any aerodynamic effects. After all there is nothing aerodynamic about the Greenway. The fairing was too far forward to give me any weather protection and seemed to hinder my forward field of vision,. It did offer wind protection for my hands but not enough reason to keep it. The Greenway can spin on it's axis but the pedals would hit the fairing. Outside of the aesthetic cool factor it offered no real benefit like I get on my ICE T and Stratus fairings. It is for those reasons that I finally decided to sell it. It is going on a Tour Easy which is the one bike this fairing was made for.
What better way to say goodbye than to carry the fairing on my Greenway to the post office. The weather was ugly but I thought I could get another 15 miles in before the heavy rains started. After all I wanted to see how the trike felt without the fairing. I stopped along the way to make some minor adjustments to the handlebars. The winds picked up, the temperature dropped and it rained on and off. I was smart enough to bring my Frogg Togg rain jacket. Riding a trike in bad weather is much safer and easier than a 2 wheeler. It's massive road presence and newly found field of vision made it seem less cumbersome. Maneuvering around pedestrians at the shopping centers much easier. All seems right.

Before the Storm

I have had a good run of riding days this week. Hazy hot, and humid. I was fortunate to get a 35 miler in before the tornado generating storm moves in. My last few rides have been with my ICE T. I am trying to get re-acquainted as I might be taking it on GOBA. It's a great ride when you don't want to concern yourself with cars. It was my favorite ride for many years. I am fortunate to have a few different rides to console myself. Weather looks bad the next 2 days. I hope it breaks so I can ride to work on Sunday.

Sunny and Hot

Shorts, tank top and sandals. LOVE IT!!!

Old Favorite 50

I was thinking of one of my old cycling buddies and our favorite 50 miler popped into my head.  Warm, hazy, humid and chance of thunderstorms made it finally feel like Summer. Seemed like a perfect day for the ride.

I headed out through Monroe, Cranbury and into Plainsboro. Things were as I remembered except for a few new housing developments.

I was quite pleased riding through West Windsor with it's bike friendly ways and abundant Share the Road signs.

I reached the half-way point at Mercer County Park and decided to detour through the park which added another 8 miles to the ride.

I took the 3 1/2 mile scenic paved MUP which rides past the boathouse and along the lake.

The weather continued to improve and it was smooth sailing for the rest of the trip home. Adding the fact it didn't rain made for one awesome day.

Cherish the Moment

You couldn't ask for better weather than today's Bike to Work Day.  Biking on your day off is far better than biking to work. Today's ride was nothing special in fact quite ordinary and that is what made it so extraordinary. Everything just fell into place on this 52 mile day. I felt so good when I got home I hoped on my Greenway for another 8 miles to the market. I brought back 70 lbs of groceries and I still feel great. I love it when it all comes together.

Biked to Work

I biked to work today. I couldn't pass up an 80 degree day. Tomorrow is bike to work day. I am not working but I plan on doing a lot of fun miles.

Another Trike Day

With winds up to 18 mph I thought it would be another good day for the trike.  I jumped on my bike early for a scheduled haircut. After that I was off to enjoy the ride. The first 20 miles was into the wind and slow going. I was not sure how many miles I wanted to do so I took the wait and see approach. The next 10 miles seemed like I was in the eye of the storm. Bright, clear, sunshiny skies and the wind was gone. I was feeling good and adding the miles. The last 10 miles light showers followed me home. A good 45 mile day.

I Got Published Again

http://bikeovernights.org/post/pine-creek-trail-pennsylvania

2 or 3 Wheels

My favorite ride of late is my Stratus. I have neglected both the Greenway and ICE T. GOBA is coming up next month and I am undecided whether to take 2 or 3 wheels. With that in mind it seemed like a good day to get reacquainted with my ICE T. Whenever I get back on an old ride it immediately feels strange, but after 5-10 miles all things are right again. Today's 40 mile ride on this 50 degree blustery day felt more like Fall than Spring but that is another story. The fairing on this bike is perfect for such weather. It helps with head winds, is not affected by cross winds and offers superior protection from cold and rain. A good thing when you consider Ohio's weather. They say, If you don't like it just wait 5 minutes. Another great benefit is having a comfortable chair to sit in after the ride at tent city or at the towns events. It also provides a stable platform for taking pictures while riding. The Stratus is faster and extremely comfortable on long tours. GOBA is a pretty laid back tour with only 50 mile days and relatively flat. You can't help but get up early as the tent zippers start flying at 4 am. You get back early enough so why rush. I don't mind the longer shower lines. I meet some of the nicest people there. I have taken the Stratus and ICE T on GOBA in years past. Both are great rides. Whatever I decide, it will surely be a great trip.

Work Gets In The Way

Yesterday I had a couple of major Spring projects to complete which require a nice day, so cycling was out. My plan was to hire some help but, it seems that Day Laborers now have a minimum of $80/day.  I only needed someone for 4 hrs and $20/hr was not going to happen. On top of that, hand washing a vehicle is not in their job description. I guess landscaping or nothing at all. Fortunately my son came over to help with the heavy stuff. I finished my projects just before dinner and I was tired. As sore as I was this morning, I was not to sore to ride. Knowing that the next few days call for rain I was determined to get a good day's ride in. I managed a wonderful 50 miles on this beautiful day.

Day's Past

Today was reminiscent of what I use to call my "Bike Weekend". The first weekend in May was set aside for 2 cycling events. Saturday I would do a century ride with my old cycling buddies on Central Jersey Bike Club's Farmlands Event. It is the club's big annual ride that draws in 500-1,000 riders from the tri-state are. Then Sunday I would do the NYC 5 Boro Bicycle Tour. This is a must do and draws in 35,000 cyclists from all over the country. I know longer ride the Farmlands. My cycling buddies have since moved on, I no longer ride centuries and I see no reason to spend money to ride on roads I ride every day for free Gatorade and granola.  Since 911 heightened security and added restraints has made the NYC 5 Boro Tour more hassle than it's worth. I have done the 5 Boro more than a dozen times. I am fortunate to have shared a few of those rides with my children. An experience we will always remember. I will forego tomorrows ride in favor of celebrating the 5th birthday of my grandson Jesse.  I did not ride my century or metric but I am pleased with my 58 mile ride on this spectacular day. I am very happy for the people enjoying these 2 great events on such beautiful days.

Commute

Today was my first commute of the season. I left my home at 5:30 am. Sunrise was 5:54. Temps were in the mid 40's and it was cold. I managed fine in my short sleeve shirt, windbreaker and knickers, but my hands were quite cold. Full fingered gloves would have been better. Even my face felt a bit frostbitten. All things considered it was a nice ride but the 70 degree ride home was even better. Looking forward to more.

Dawn

5 miles on the Henry Hudson Trail

Parked for 8 hours.