The temperatures were warm enough two weeks ago to go outside for some great rides. I was able to hit my favorite spots close to home. Now the temps are below 50 degrees which has been my cut off point. I do have a bike ready to head out on any warm day with clear streets. The bike case straps on to the handle bars and holds my small tablet. I have found many videos on YouTube which riders share their POV. In the photo above, the riders were traveling from San Diego on the Pacific Coast Highway to go through LA. I am aware of the struggles biking in urban streets and stroads. This bike allows me to work on my spin cadence. The photo below is show the recumbent trainer which will give me more resistance during pedaling and I can get a more data about the ride. I have dreamed of riding in the scene above. A few years ago I was on the Avoca trail in Michigan and went across the longest trestle in Michigan. That view was super over the river and I went back and forth several times. You feel like a bird being so high or maybe it is a drone. Getting me out to Idaho for this scene is unlikely since I have many places to enjoy in Michigan. I continue to choose to watch videos of the Badlands race in Spain. I am starting to recognize some of the landmarks. This is another example of a race being too far from home. I do not see many riders in my age group and realize that the physical demands would be too severe. I also need a good night sleep and do not consider it fun to be sleep deprived. I also like a soft bed. I can enjoy the ride without discomfort. A criterium or crit is a bike race involving several laps around a closed course. Each lap may range from 400 m to up to 10,000 m. Such a race is something I would have enjoyed decades ago. This year I got rid of my fat tire bike. It was very fun to ride, but the cold air is too rough on my breathing. This was fun to ride along with the riders POV over the course. Some situations I cannot handle anymore, like pushing the bike up hills and technical trail riding. Both of the riders in the video described the difficulty of their route choice and decided they needed to backtrack to a better route. These segments help to keep me pedaling during the cold months and I can experience spots around the globe that I will never cycle or could not cycle.
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This jacket was one of the first purchases I made as I started cycling again in 2011. I later bought the pants following my first tour of Trace the Mitten when I realized the perils of cycling in a downpour. At that time REI was naming their gear Novarra. It was recommended to me by the store employees and I am glad that I trusted their advice. I do not know exactly how many times I wore this jacket on rides over the last twelve years, but I will say hundreds and maybe close to one thousand. I would say that durability might be the first thing that comes to mind. The water and wind resistance are still effective. The temps were in the mid forties and it was breezy with a light drizzle. After sitting and walking outside for hours I was still dry. I wore long johns on the legs. I do not like the fabric rubbing my bare skin. On the top I wore a fleece to help keep my core warm. I was pleased with my choice. On this tour we had a full day of rain. This was a September and my temperature was comfy while riding. My head gear is a motel shower cap. It always gets a laugh, but my skull cap stays dry. I used this coat on many winter rides. I used to ride in all temperatures. The coat kept me warm. The feet and hands are the hardest part to keep warm on winter rides. The wind rating is stated to 60 mph. I can believe it! I never felt the wind cutting through the fabric. Only at the coldest temperatures would I zip the pits shut. The pits were the only place to vent your heat build up and I found that comfortable. This photo shows my hydration on my back. This was a good way to get my hydration during the temperatures which would freeze my water bottle. The backpack against the fabric would stifle the air flow through the jacket and this would result in my back getting wet with perspiration. When I would stop for a little break, I would take the pack off and usually that would be enough to allow evaporation. You will need to manage that aspect and keep from chilling. This month had many days in the 50s and 60s and I decided to use this jacket. I liked it because it was very visible and I wanted to very obvious because not many riders were out. I also wanted extra wind protection. Whenever I felt things warming up, I would unzip the front a bit.. I never felt uncomfortable.
What jacket do you like to use in different conditions? The weather is bringing me inside on a daily basis now and I will continue posting segments to finish the on Atlantic Coast Route. My blog segment for this virtual trip began on March 12, 2023 and my last post was on June 13, 2023. The mileage log that I keep tells me that 1,508.2 miles have been detailed through route maps and photos. Once I got outside for longer periods during the warmer months I get away from the blogs. Getting out a major metropolitan area is rough on the bike. You will need to allow for time because you will spend time waiting at lights, pedestrians, and traffic. You will need to be extra vigilant. Philadelphia has over 1.5 million and that does not include the suburbs. The bike infrastructure is improving, but you must be careful. This segment is very exhausting. Delaware and Raritan Canal State Park Trail or the D & R Canal. This is a 77 mile trail comprised of three segments. It is part if the East Coast Greenway. The surface is crushed stone. This river is the border for Pennsylvania and New Jersey. This is the Delaware River which is a major river in the Eastern US. In fact, it is the longest free flowing river in the East at 282 miles long. The indigenous people in this region were the Lenape and commonly referred to by the Europeans as the Delaware. Lambertville has long been a ferry spot and the name kept changing when the proprietors of the ferry changed. In 1810 the town was named after John Lambert, a resident who served as senator and later acting governor. A town now of 3400 and a good place to spend the night. My wife made a good point as I was ready to post this when she said, "You did not continue with your post on Cycling the Erie Canal?" She explained that it would be confusing to my readers. I apologize. She is right!
On July 22nd soon after I got back from the tour I did my first post. On July 25th I did my last post. Now I will continue and finish recording about the Erie Canal eight day tour. Once I complete those I will move on from Lambertville going North. Yesterday, I participated in the local walk to support food insecurity needs. Money raised by this event will be used to support local and world efforts. I did the two mile loop and that was long enough for me. There was also a 5 mile option. The Fed Up Ministry travels to several places around the Ann Arbor or Ypsilanti area to offer free meals. I tried their wild rice and mushroom soup. It was very good. My glass was used for the lemonade the had a hint of lavender. It was very tasty. I look forward to doing it next year.
At this time of year I never know how many days I will get to ride outside. Several conditions will cause me not to ride during this season. Some days I am too busy and the daylight is less. I can always find some time each day to exercise inside, Sunset is at 7:00 P.M. today and we have a couple of minutes less sunlight each day. The temperatures are the biggest determining factor for me. I have set 50 degrees fahrenheit as my low temperature to stay inside to ride. We have been having rain and I would rather not ride in the rain. I rode this in July and only got part of the way before I was stopped by a train across the path. Another rider with me said that this usually takes a long time and there is no quick way around to pick up the trail. I turned around and explored the Lower Huron Metro Park to fill my ride time. This time I was hoping to get all the way through all three and then do the section to the city of Flat Rock. On the drive to the park I was stopped by a train on the access road. Luckily my mapping app gave me a suggest for driving around and I made it into the park. These parks require a day or yearly pass. They are open year round to residents and non-residents. I get the senior rate. A yearly pass pays for itself after only 3 visits. Most activities are during the summer with the outdoor pool being a big draw. During my three hours along the trail I saw cyclists, runners and walkers. Most of the time I was by myself. This park was as quiet as the first park. I will try to come back when the leaves turn color. At this point the path changed to a path through the city and many stop lights. I decided to save this for another day since I needed to allow time to retrace my path to get to my car. Going on from here will be a good summer ride because it leads to the water and to neighboring cities through the green way. In the park I also found this bear statue and next to it was a plaque that explained the significance. I appreciate the tribute to the indigenous people who once inhabited this part of Michigan.
I was ready for a change. All summer I have enjoyed the same dirt road going through the farmland just outside my town. I looked at the detailed roads map. This map has allowed me to determine a route and I make an old fashion small paper map to remind me where to turn. Of course, I can look at my phone. Old habits die hard. This road had more up and downs than my regular route. I did fine and I will do this loop again. I got nervous taking this photo because the dog started barking. I get uneasy when the dog barks. I was in the public road so I felt a little safer. The properties were well taken care of along the way. I saw several equestrian farms. The weather was beautiful: clear sky with a few clouds and very calm. You never know what these dirt roads will be like. Our weather has been dry and that helps. The gravel quickly mixes into the dirt. I felt that the condition were plenty fast. The tires are knobby and 2.1" wide. The front shock smooths the bumps. I have a suspension seat post and that takes some of the bouncing. I added the rack this year and it is good to hold the jacket after it warms up.
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