To a 'T'

Date: Nov 22
Weather: 25F
Mileage: 42
November mileage: 423
Year to date: 2896



I loaded the map b/c it's a nice 'T' ride, out east, out west, down south, up north and back out east. The regular Saturday morning LBC ride leaves from the riverfront and does this route. Many riders will do this in the morning and then do the afternoon ride that tends to have more mileage. I was going to ride the Crosscheck today, but forgot about my broken spoke. I jumped on the TrekSS with designs of doing my longest, albeit super-flat, SS ride. I took my camera but taking pics on club rides just isn't something done. Highlights:

• frozen fountain in St. James Ct. That'll be worth a return for a pic.
• 4 or 5 truck fire on Southern Pkwy. I didn't want to "rubberneck" but there was fire and there was black smoke damage. I truly hope everyone is alright from that.
• climbing Iroquois Pk hill on SS. The first pitch is especially deceptively slow-going, but I did the entire thing.
• milling around the UL football game crowd in the 3rd Street/Central Ave. area.
• talking to Phil (?). He's a retired fella who- and this is what he told me- has done 5,200 miles since the start of May. To me, that is very, very impressive. I know. He doesn't work. He's retired, etc. etc. But I hopefully will do 3,000 and I know the Dougs and the ReflectorCollectors of the world do 6,000+. Those number of miles in 7 months strikes me as very impressive.
• I finished today's ride with 35 excellent miles and 6 of very dubious quality. The first 35m were done with an average in excess of 15.5mph, and maybe above 16mph. That's brisk for me, but very comfy in the end. And, hey, that includes Iroquois Hill, so I'd call that spirited. The downfall at mile 35, very near school, was that I felt the left pedal/crankarm wobble that I did on Wednesday. I obviously have a coming serious mechanical malfunction at some point. I tried to screw it down by hand as best I could and limp home- stopping, walking, riding with only my right leg, hoping for the best. That last 6m took me an hour. ick! And I have to come up with a solution that doesn't cost $$. I don't want to put more $$ in this bike although I really love the ride.

Well, that was today. I'm making plans for some nice mileage rides next turkey weekend. I'll be off Wednesday, which may bring a LBC ride. Friday we're goin' to the country, so that may mean more yummy hilly country miles. And the temps supposedly will be tending up as well.

Hope everyone had the chance to get out, and those that can't, I hope you had a good, calming day as well. peace.