12th ride of 2016 - 1/29/2016

Today's right was cool, at 25° (with a wind-chill of 15°). However, I reminded myself that I have ridden in significantly more extreme conditions.

The first part of the ride, the southward stretch along the trail on the east side of Lohr Road, was a challenge. Since I was riding directly into a blindingly brilliant sun, and the trail was quite wet from melted snow, I was soon soaked myself, and watched very carefully for pedestrians or other riders (of which I saw none). However, that same sunshine made the bulk of the ride very enjoyable, and allowed me to turn in my 10 miles (a round trip to Marsh Park plus the concluding loop in Heatherwood) in a respectable 1 hour and 1 minute.

Perhaps most significantly, today's ride pushed me over the 100-mile plateau ... the first of very many such milestones I hope to reach this year. It makes for a pretty weak month of January (especially when I compare it to my best month in 2015, October, when I rode 456.3 miles. But, considering the long stretch (two weeks) when I was laid up and couldn't ride at all this month because the trike was being repaired, I can't be overly disappointed.

11th ride of 2016 - 1/27/2016

I decided not to ride yesterday, as it was extremely raw and unpleasant—both cold and quite windy. I almost didn't go today, either; I was strongly planning on a trip to LA Fitness, and the flags I saw flying stiffly when I was out running errands this morning nearly sealed my decision. But in the end, I decided to ride, and I'm glad I did. It was 31°, with a snappy wind bringing the wind-chill down to 21°, and the air was unpleasantly humid ... but, I figured I've ridden in considerably worse conditions (just going from memory, I'm thinking the coldest day I've ridden so far was 18°), and I really didn't want to take off consecutive days.

I did my 10-mile route again (a round trip to Marsh Park, and a concluding loop in Heatherwood), in 1 hour and 7 minutes. And now I'm glad to be inside and warming up!

10th ride of 2016 - 1/25/2016

We have been unbelievably fortunate in terms weather this "winter." Today when I went out about 2:00 into the abundant sunshine to ride, I was almost tempted to try for two round trips to Marsh Park. However, then I remembered that yesterday I had decided that 40° would be my threshold for a longer ride, and it was 39° when I started my ride, so I held back.

It didn't take very long, though, riding into the southerly breeze that brought the wind-chill down below 35° to convince me that the shorter ride was a very wise decision for today. I did this 10-mile ride in an easy 1 hour and 9 minutes, trouble-free, and never pushing for speed except just a little bit in the last half-hour. And while I was riding, the clouds moved in, so that the "abundant sunshine" was only a pleasant memory by the time I finished.

9th ride of 2016 - 1/24/2016

When I got home from church today, I very briefly entertained the idea of riding two round trips to Marsh Park. But it didn't take too long of being out in 32° weather to disabuse me of that notion (even though I've done considerably colder rides). I think I decided to let 40° be my threshold for stepping it up to a longer ride.

I also had to contend with a dynamic which I've dealt with previously, but not in recent weeks. I came home after church today and began a praise song on one of the scripture texts we heard in worship, and made very good progress on it. The progress was so good, in fact, that I was tempted to skip riding in order to keep working on the song. But in the end, I felt that it was important to keep some balance in regard to this issue, so I should ride, and then come back home to compose.

Anyway, I was glad to be able to go, doing a single round trip to Marsh Park and the (now-obligatory) concluding loop in our complex, to give me 10 miles in 1 hour and 8 minutes.

8th ride of 2016 - 1/23/2016

I rode again this afternoon in cool conditions, though the 30° sunshine seemed almost balmy in light of some of the weather that has beset me recently! I was happy to ride once more a round trip to Marsh Park, with a concluding loop in our complex, giving me an even 10 miles in 1 hour and 6 minutes.

I hope I don't jinx myself by discussing this, but I was thinking while I rode about what improved success I have had with my tires since they both corrected the alignment and put on higher quality tires in late September. Prior to that, in the 5 months I had the trike, I had numerous flats and blowouts (4 or 5, I believe). But since that time, no problems (knock on wood) in about 970 miles.

7th ride of 2016 - 1/22/2016

Today was a very mild adventure day. To begin with, before setting out I wanted to tighten the seat clamp on my trike, as the seat has begun to just rock from side to side very slightly. But when I went to take the allen wrench out of the pocket on the seat in order to make this adjustment, the wrench wasn't there! (Ironic, given my name.) When I brought the trike home from the dealer early this week, I would have had to use the wrench to put it together, and I can't imagine where else it might be now. But anyway, since I cannot find one sufficiently big at Lowe's (I've looked in the past, to try to get a backup), I've emailed the manufacturer to ask them to send me one.

It is once more a chilly day (currently 28° at 3:45, with a wind-chill of 16°—if it were spring, I'd describe the breeze as "nice"), but I planned to ride my loop down around Saline High School (10.3 miles). However, I inadvertently took a wrong turn off Bicentennial Pkwy back in the subdivision between Textile Rd. and Saline, and when I discovered my error and turned around and retraced my route back home, it gave me a ride of 8.4 miles (a little below the 10-mile minimum I try to do) in an even hour. My toes, which are still warming, were grateful that I cut it short.

6th ride of 2016 - 1/21/2016

Though today was still plenty cold, it's 24° (with a 17° wind-chill) was perceptibly less bitter than yesterday's 18° with a 5° wind-chill. (Given the conditions, to say today is "warmer" wouldn't seem right, somehow.) I was happy to once more be able to ride a round-trip to Marsh Park, with the concluding loop in our complex, to give me 10 miles once again in a still-slow (but slightly faster than yesterday) time of 1 hour and 13 minutes.

Best of all, though, I am delighted to report that, since getting my trike back this week, I have had two consecutive "adventure-free" days (that is, absent of any mechanical problems). And I want to give a shout-out and a big thanks to the manufacturer, TerraTrike, and the dealer, Jack's Bicycle in Dearborn, for their patience and help with working through the various problems I've encountered.

5th ride of 2016 - 1/20/2016

Having been unable to ride for the last two weeks, with my trike out of commission, I am dismayed to find this is only my 5th ride of the year (20 days in!), and feel as if I have some ground to make up. But after picking up the trike from the dealer yesterday, and getting it reassembled upon returning home, I was happy to go out today and ride a round trip to Marsh Park, plus the concluding loop in our complex upon returning home, for a total of 10 miles in a slow ride of 1 hour and 18 minutes.

I will lay some of the fault for the slowness upon the conditions, however. When I went out, early this afternoon (having waited for the day's temperature to peak), it was 18°, and I was riding into the teeth of a (thankfully mild) breeze that brought the wind-chill down to 10°. (When I finished, however, it had climbed all the way to 19°.) There was also a light snow falling, in which it was very pretty to ride, but it also made me thankful to be riding on an asphalt trail with virtually no other traffic (I only saw two walkers the entire time I was out).

One of my friends likes to tease me about the 'adventures' I encounter all too frequently. Usually, but not exclusively, these are mechanical issues plaguing the trike ... sometimes something more significant in nature, and sometimes as pedestrian as a flat tire. But today, I was delighted that all such adventures were absent, and I had to deal with nothing other than the brisk cold, which stung both my toes and my cheeks, and left me thankful for my thick winter coat and heavy gloves.

January 19, 2016

Today was a momentous day for my riding. First the good — no, GREAT — news! After having had to take my trike back to Jack's in Dearborn on January 6 for repair, they finally called yesterday afternoon to say that it was ready for me to pick it up! The delay was because they needed my input. The frame was damaged (again, the second time this has happened), and they needed to know whether to send (under warranty) another Traveler frame, like the one I had, or a Rambler, which was the same except that it didn't fold. I took some time to think this issue over, but finally decided to stay with the Traveler. I had gotten it initially because of it being easier to transport, since it folds. However, the company had issued a Technical Bulletin (of which I was unaware) on YouTube, saying that the folding joints had to be handled properly or the frame could be damaged as mine had been (twice). However, now being aware of it, I intend to focus my attention on proper care of this.

The unfortunate news (however, fairly minor) is that I had wanted to do a short ride this afternoon, and the sunshine seemed to make this feasible. However, when I got back from Dearborn, I was challenged in reassembling the trike, both by a bad back, and by recalcitrant parts, and ended up having to sit on the cement driveway (in 21° sunshine) for a good portion of the work, which ended up taking me nearly an hour in total. By the time I finally got it all done, I found that it had robbed me of my gumption (a word I learned from one of my favorite books, Robert M. Pirsig's Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, which means "shrewd or spirited initiative and resourcefulness"), and I was happy to throw in the towel and wait for tomorrow. This seemed more palatable because I had gone to LA Fitness this morning and done a full workout "just in case," and it also enabled me to come inside and host the furnace repairman from Koch and White. Our igniter burned out last night, and the weather we are experiencing right now does not, of course, go well with a dysfunctional furnace. Anyway, the trike is back, and fully assembled and ready to go tomorrow!

4th ride of 2016 - 1/5/2016

Today's ride ended with (mild) adventure. Riding on a 24° morning, at least I did not have to worry about heatstroke! It was made feasible by the near total absence of wind, and bright cheerful sunshine.

It brought to mind a piece I heard the St. Olaf Choir sing during my freshman year at the college (1975–76), and even though it was 40 years ago, I still remember the crisp bounce of its 5/8 rhythm, and the cheerful text (which I think begins, "Sing to the world, the Lord is now come, on this, a winter morning"). I have not my son John's gift of perfect pitch (which he inherits from his mother), or I could identify its key as well.

A little over a half mile from home, having ridden a round trip to Marsh Park, I was crossing a road and going back up onto the sidewalk, when I heard a CRACK, and the trike canted slightly to the right. I thought it was something in the fastening of the seat that had given way ... but this proved not to be the case. I got back to our complex OK, and was riding my concluding loop within it, when, about halfway around, the front wheel clamp (that holds the "outrigger" into position) gave way, and I collapsed to the ground. I was able to find the clamp with no trouble, and pull the trike back around to our garage, but it will mean a trip back to Jack's Bicycle in Dearborn tomorrow for repair. I am grateful to God, though, that this happened when I was so close to home.

So, at any rate, the slightly truncated ride meant that I did 9.8 miles, in a slow 1 hour and 8 minutes.

3rd ride of 2016 - 1/3/2016

Early this afternoon, I watched the Detroit Lions' final game of the season. After playing the first half of the season with a desultory 1-7 record, they finished much stronger, at 6-2 for the second half, but still, their disappointing 7-9 record (after last year's 11-5) leaves them out of the postseason.

Then, however, I went out in the 29° gray gloom of the late afternoon and rode a round trip to Marsh Park, with the concluding loop in Heatherwood to give me 10 miles for the day, in 1 hour and 6 minutes.

About three quarters of the way through the ride, I thought I passed my friend Carole Franklin. But her silent wave, coupled with my very poor distance vision, left me less than 100% certain that it was her.

2nd ride of 2016 - 1/2/2016

Fortunately for me, my need/desire for variety in my activities is exceptionally low. Thus, I am good with riding the trail to Marsh Park day after day. But today was one of those rare times when I wanted something different, and so I went out at 8:30 and rode (in 30° weather, 21° wind-chill) a running route I used to do frequently (except that today, riding, I stayed on sidewalks the entire way, honoring my vow to Michelle not to ride on the road).

I called this route the Church 10K, because it goes by my former church, Westminster Presbyterian, and I had measured it out at 10K (or 10 kilometers = 6.2 miles), a common distance for running road races. Today, though, I just rode it in a leisurely fashion, "enjoying" (?) the morning coolness and not pushing for time at any point, finishing the 6.2 miles in a sluggish 47 minutes.

1st ride of 2016 - 1/1/2016

I was glad to get 2016 off to a good start this morning with a healthy (though modest) ride, going 10 miles via a round trip to Marsh Park with a concluding loop in our complex. My time was slow, at 1 hour 11 minutes, but at least I got it done.

It was a brisk ride, at 26°, heading out into a WSW wind of 15 mph that brought the wind-chill down to 14°. There were also light flurries coming down, so that it felt somewhat like riding in a snow globe.