Windy City Biker

Fracture

2008-07-08T13:22:00.000-05:00

Broke my ankle. I was glazing some windows on my house when a ladder I was standing on lost traction on the concrete. It suddenly skidded backward and I came crashing down impacting on my right foot. Ouch.

Back from the dead (sort of)

2008-04-28T23:12:00.003-05:00

I've lessened my bike commuting to Mondays to and Fridays from because I decided to broaden my fitness regimen to running and stationary rowing. On top of that my family, my body, and my work schedule just can't tolerate the mid week rides. The 25 mile trip home and the return trip back early the next morning was just too much.

Sadly I put the bike away last fall when it started getting darker. My first winter I biked to work was a personal challenge. I was proud of my ability to bike in almost any weather but it just wore me down. Especially the days when I biked home and had bike back early the next day (as mentioned above). I was just too tired and all I wanted to do when I got home was go to bed. I wasn't much good to my family then.

The logistics of winter riding was a major pain as well; long underwear, booties, Goretex jacket, head band, gloves or mittens, sheesh! Last fall I just wasn't looking forward to another winter grind. If my ride was a bit shorter I'd have had a different attitude. But with such a long distance it was more of a commitment than I was willing to make. Plus my bike was getting beat up and corroded. I could have gotten a junkier bike but then the ride would have been all the more of a hassle.

But the last straw was the darkness. Biking in the dark just got boring. I spent more time looking out for potholes than enjoying the ride. A few days last winter when it was sunny and really cold I was itching to ride again. But I wimped out.

Biking But Not Blogging

2007-08-28T20:21:00.000-05:00

Work and various family obligations prevented me from biking as much as I'd have liked in the last month. A half dozen projects around the house (repairing freezer, car window motor, busted dryer belt, cracked paint, wet basement) and a busy work schedule prevented me from blogging. Plus I just haven't been that inspired.

It was still dark at around 5:30 am when I had breakfast before my morning ride. Kind of depressing to think the winter and night biking approaches.

Goofus on EPO

2007-08-04T02:09:00.001-05:00

Another Lucas Brunelle alley cat race video. This time they terrorize the good people of London.

Righteous Indignation

2007-07-24T11:35:00.000-05:00

This morning I had another encounter with Alberto's Guy. He sped past me on the Green Bay Trail in a different Alberto's get up. He slowed after a while and I caught up to him in Wilmette. He came to a dead stop at a stop sign on Poplar and I zipped by him. I didn't bother greeting him this time because I doubted I'd get a friendly one in return. I continued south on Poplar to Lincoln in Evanston where Alberto's Guy probably turned at Isabella. Part of my pannier detached from my rack and I had to stop to reattach it.

Upon continuing along Lincoln I saw Alberto's Guy up ahead turning from Ashland. Further on the light was red at Ridge and he stopped again. Figuring "what the hell" I said "good morning" as I slowed and crossed Ridge. Nothing yet again. However about a quarter block later I thought I heard him yell something. After turning onto Sherman, Alberto's Guy passed me again but this time berated me for ignoring the red light and such behavior leading to hatred from motorists. So that's his beef; my casual disregard for the rules of the road. A red light at Foster provided a chance for us to discuss the matter further. I sputtered something in the neighborhood of admiring his stance but not willing to change mine all the while snaking through the red again. He shouted some other stuff at me while we biked on but the only things I could make out were "no justification!" and "stupid!" Thankfully another red light at Church Street blocked his path. Having no problem ignoring this one too, I was finally free of his proselytizing.

At first Alberto's Guy got me feeling guilty, thinking my lawlessness was contributing to mass bicyclist hatred. But then I thought, "does everyone hate jay walking pedestrian's too?" The only one I'm putting in danger is myself. And I don't make a habit of putting myself in danger in the first place since I'm not the type to thread myself through busy intersections. I actually do wait out reds if there is cross traffic. But once it clears, I'm gone. Illegal? Yup. Am I rationalizing? Possibly. But frankly who cares? Further, in my experience, Alberto's Guy is also in the minority. Not that it justifies running reds and stop signs. But it seemed he was militant on the issue strictly for my benefit. And If I remember correctly, he blew right through the four way stop intersection at Lincoln and Ashland after our paths diverged.

Biking on Clark in Chicago, Biking Mike once again caught up to me. It is very strange for me to encounter the same bicyclists so frequently. But I welcomed a friendly face. But Mike is much more casual with traffic laws than I am. So I can only imagine the dust up between him and Alberto's Guy. We came up to another bicyclist on a mountain bike wearing a jersey from a local bike racing team. The three of us biked together to Sheridan Road and I asked the guy if he'd raced in Evanston the past weekend. He said he hadn't but wished he had. Once on the Lakefront Trail I learned he was a Category 2 racer. I was feeling pretty good about myself being able to keep up with him. But around Diversey a roadie passed us and he shot off in pursuit. Biking Mike wryly remarked that it was nice of him to have taken it slow for our benefit.

Distance Traveled: 24.3 miles
Distance to date: 3423.4 miles
Price of gas: $3.46

Pace Line

2007-07-23T21:41:00.000-05:00

Ideal biking conditions for my commute home. The City of Chicago keeps tearing up parts of Roosevelt Road leaving sharp indentations in the pavement. They will likely be filled within the week but they are a bit of a surprise sometimes.

While crossing Grand Avenue I saw a bicyclist in racing attire from one of the local teams at the ENH Grand Prix over the past weekend. Once in normal bike traffic I came abreast and asked if he was participated. He said he was new to the team so he hadn't. I wasn't going to bother him further so I just slipped back and followed him for a while expecting he'd cruise off. Well he must have been taking a light day because I was in danger of running up his back wheel. After Oak Street Beach I cruised past him and some other roadies and went on my way.

The other roadies fell in behind me and I lead them in a pretty rapid pace line until around Addison. My GPS bike mount must have cracked because after a major bump the thing popped loose and dangled from my handlebars. I slowed to put it back in and one of the roadies offered to let me draft for a while. I gladly fell in behind two gentleman and one trailing me all the way up to Foster. After the crossing, the lead guy fell back and the number two man took the lead and sped off like a shot. He wasn't burdened with a pack or bags like the rest of us but I don't think I could have hanged with him anyway. Speed demon was waiting at the turnaround and I limply waved as I continued on my way to the city streets.

Distance Traveled: 24.3 miles
Distance to date: 3399.1 miles
Price of gas: $3.46

Bike Races

2007-07-23T13:47:00.000-05:00

Pleasant Monday morning ride. I biked down Sherman Avenue in Evanston which was along the same route as scores of ENH Grand Prix bike racers from the day before. I learned of the day's races from the Evanston Bike Club web group. I've never seen bike races in person so I couldn't resist taking my wife and kids and hoping on the Metra to watch them for a few hours. We got into town around 1:00 pm and as we walked east on Church Street blocks ahead we saw a pack of bicyclists whizzing by in a blur. It was quite exciting once we got track side to see the lead car and the pack approaching at nearly 30 mph. About every minute or so they sped past with a loud humming of gears and rush of wind. I don't think the spectacle excited my wife or young sons nearly as much as it did for me. A guy told us the racers were Category 3 (whatever that means) forty years and older. So my wife immediately responded that I should be out there. I don't know how far they raced but there was no way I could even sustain a lap with them.

The race ended about ten minutes later but shortly thereafter another started with younger riders biking forty five .9 mile laps. At first the group was a big mob but soon a few lagged behind and eventually dropped out. A couple racers were quite chunky and I wondered to myself what they were doing out there in the first place; on the other hand I was at the sidelines merely watching - more power to them. Our train back home was going to leave before the end of the second race so we had to miss a likely exciting finish. But I learned there will be more races in Glencoe next month; so we'll all likely make a day of it then.

My ride was pleasant but humbling when I compared my performance to the racers. I could barely break 20 mph. Granted I had a pretty heavy bag and wasn't atop a racing bike but I wasn't going for 30 to 45 miles either. Oh well. Maybe if I wore an $80 jersey, $60 shorts and had a peloton to draft in I'd go faster.

Biking through Lincoln Park, I decided to take a detour to check out the clock tower and structure near the Chicago Park District's lakefront public golf course. The Chicago Tribune just started a contest where you have to identify a Chicago landmark based on a photograph and some cryptic clues. This one showed a curved masonry wall and a shingled roof and said it was from a late 1930's field house in a location inspired by Daniel Burnham's 1909 plan for Chicago. I see this building everytime I bike by but I've never been to it up close. When I got there I determined this was not the right place. I figured the location had to be along the lakefront but I was out of ideas for now.

South of North Street Beach I caught up to a nicely tricked out roadie. I was reluctant to pass him because I didn't want him to zoom by me later and make me feel like a goof. But as we approached the Oak Street curve I got a bit tired of hugging his back wheel. Just before the surface gets all potted and chunky I glided by and deftly manuevered all the bumps and holes. Since I committed to going out in front I pedalled very hard determined not to be passed. Apparently my tactic worked because at Ohio Street Beach my roadie friend wasn't on my tail. I managed to make the light at Grand Avenue and kept to a liesurely pace for the rest of my trip.

Distance Traveled: 24.6 miles
Distance to date: 3374.8 miles
Price of gas: $3.51

Bushwacker USA - Top Notch!

2007-07-20T20:44:00.000-05:00

The good people at Bushwacker USA bike bags sent me a free replacement set of cords and hardware that attaches my pannier to the bike rack. They finally wore out after a number of years of hard service and I was using some small bungee cord instead. Terrific service in my opinion. Call them at 800-344-1256 and order a bike bag today!

Sunny and light winds. The usual routine except while biking in traffic up Clark Street I was passed by a big dude all tricked out in red Alberto's biking gear and Trek to match. Except for the beefy build, he was straight out of a bike catalog. I followed him for a few blocks until he was stopped at a red and I pulled up beside him. I said hello and was about to compliment him on his set up. But I got absolutely nothing in response. I looked over at him and he just looked straight ahead and totally ignored me. Oh kaaay. Unless he thought I was going to hit on him, I found his attitude very peculiar. Traffic let up so I pedaled ahead never to see him again.

Distance Traveled: 24.3 miles
Distance to date: 3350.2 miles
Price of gas: $3.51

More Biking With Mike

2007-07-19T16:28:00.000-05:00

I puttered around this morning and started about 10 minutes later than I like. It wasn't until I got to the Green Bay Trail that I realized I left my two water bottles in the refrigerator back home. That didn't totally throw me off since I could get a drink along the Lakefront Trail. But I obviously prefer the convenience of having hydration at my finger tips. So in an effort to avoid getting too thirsty, I eased my pace a bit.

I was trucking along just fine through the North Shore and into Chicago when who sidles up beside me but Mike from the day before. Oh great! I thought. I'm gonna have to go fast now. But I handled it ok. We stopped at a fountain at the start of the Lakefront Trail so I could get a drink. After that we made pretty good time all the way downtown. Mike lead most of the way enabling me to draft behind him. I learned he parks at the Millennium Park bike station and walks up to the vicinity of the Hancock Building where he is an architect. Mike turned off south of Wacker and I was left to fend for myself.

Distance Traveled: 24.3 miles
Distance to date: 3325.9 miles
Price of gas: $3.51

Biking With Mike

2007-07-18T23:47:00.000-05:00

Standard sunny day although a bit hotter than usual. Lakefront Trail was a bit crowded due to terrific weather. Between Ohio and Oak Streets I started a bit of a biking partnership with another commuter I later learned was named Mike. He was on a a road bike or hybrid with straight handlebars and packed his gear in a messenger bag. At first I passed him and said hello thinking that was the last I'd see of him. But as I continued on in my ride I noticed him behind me. So I guess he was going to keep up and enjoy biking in my slipstream.

I can see why my biking on people's tails is annoying. In my case when I pass people I like them to stay passed. When they catch up or stay with me and eventually pass me it means I'm not as big a bad ass as I thought I was. But it can also be a chance to spread the load. In this case, Mike eventually passed me after I began to get really tired. I said hello again and we talked a bit. He said he was headed up to Evanston and this provided further opportunity to engage him in conversation. Conversation also forces people to slow down to a pace I can manage when I'm close to exhaustion. It turns out we take almost the same route and we rode together for the rest of the ride.

Mike said he's been riding to and from work for three weeks. Even though I've been at it longer, he seemed to be in better shape. He was also a bit more aggressive when it came to biking through traffic; he was much more inclined to take chances on red lights than I was. I find a lot of people are more aggressive than I am when it comes to red lights. Biking in traffic is risky enough without pushing my luck too much. Plus if I got in an accident while running a red light I'd feel like a total ass.

Mike waved off on Chicago Avenue in Evanston. Shortly thereafter I stopped at a Shell gas station to buy a bottle of Pepsi as I was out of water. As I drank my soda it started to sprinkle a bit. I knew rain was in the forecast but I thought I could beat it home. About five minutes later it started to pour.

For the rest of my ride I hopscotched from shelter to shelter to avoid getting soaked. Normally I'd resign myself to getting drenched but I had time on my hands and it didn't look like it would rain constantly. My first stop was under an overhang at an apartment building at Chicago and Clark. I waited about five minutes and sped off after the rain let up. I made it to Sherman where another three apartment buildings provided shelter along my way. I got pretty wet when I headed out again until taking refuge at Ryan Field. I made two more stops at the Wilmette and Kenilworth train stations (where it really came down) until I finally made it home.

Distance Traveled: 24.5 miles
Distance to date: 3301.6 miles
Price of gas: $3.51

The Usual

2007-07-16T10:47:00.000-05:00

My ride into work this morning was uneventful. Ideal weather but my body was a bit abused over the weekend with a head cold, yellow jacket sting on my right wrist and some soreness from a lacrosse match. A slow leak in my rear tire also caused me some worry throughout the ride.

For some reason the streets and the trails seemed less populated this morning. Maybe a lot of people decided to take the day off. But it was nice to be back on my usual route and its familiarity (knowing all the potholes and other road hazards, traffic patterns, short cuts, etc). I don't think I'll be taking the North Branch Trail route anytime soon despite the scenery. It took a bit longer and Elston Avenue is too boring.

The only bad part about my ride was no hot water showers in the locker room. But to put it in perspective, a cold shower is better than no shower.

Distance Traveled: 24.3 miles
Distance to date: 3277.1 miles
Price of gas: $3.54

North Branch Trail

2007-07-13T22:40:00.000-05:00

Based on my ride with Howard earlier this week, I decided to try his route up Elston and the North Branch Trail. I left work a little early assuming the route might take a little longer than my usual ride.

The trip had an inauspicious beginning. As I headed north on Damen through the Medical District I negotiated around a bus stopped at Ogden. As I crossed the wide street I heard some tooting behind me as I made for the bike lane. More tooting followed and when I stopped at the red at Congress, a guy in his green Jaguar honked some more at me as he pulled along side in a right turn lane. This little encounter made me the most pissed off I've ever been on my rides; I had done absolutely nothing wrong but this jack ass in his pricey car was apparently upset because he had to wait a second or two as I headed for my lane. So I pulled infront of his car and flipped him the bird accompanied by a loud verbal equivalent. He was with someone I assumed to be his spouse but now he wouldn't even look me in the eye. He gave some sort of impotent wave no doubt hoping I wasn't some sort of psycho. Still pissed, I stormed off in a crunch of chain popping and gear grinding. Despite getting the last word and the satisfaction of putting an a-hole in his place, the encounter really put me in a sour mood.

The rest of my ride north on Damen was pleasant. Damen has a dedicated bike lane and took me through Ukranian Village, Wicker Park, and Bucktown; neighborhoods with generally bike friendly populations. After the dicey intersection at Fullerton, I turned northwest on Elston.

Elston Avenue is like a bike highway; bike lane, smooth surface, and not too many intersections. But since it primarily goes through industrial areas, it isn't very scenic. I don't imagine motorists enjoy it too much either. Vehicular traffic was backed up almost the entire seven mile stretch. At one point I noticed I kept passing the same black mega pickup truck hauling a trailer. He'd pass me once traffic got moving but soon he'd get bogged down and I'd glide past him again. Eventually I saw the guy get really aggressive far ahead. He cut into the bike and parking lane and passed a bunch of cars on the right. I hammered the pedals to catch up and annoy but I guess his recklessness paid off. I couldn't catch him anymore.

I finally made it to the North Branch Bike Trail but I was a bit disapointed. It goes through some very beautiful areas of the Cook County Forest Preserve but I found the surface a bit rough for my liking and the path winds all over the place. However I realize the path isn't meant for speed and efficiency. It is for people who want a relaxing ride or hike through some terrific country. If I wasn't trying to compare the speed of this commuting route, I would have slowed down and really taken in the scenery. The path goes through arches of trees and skirts the North Branch of the Chicago River. Sometimes the river gives off a stale washing detergent smell though.

After a while the placid forest began to grow tiresome. The rough asphalt was jarring and I was looking forward to getting off it. The constant bumping caused my bike to start rattling again and I suspected I had a loose spoke. When I reached Willow Road I opted off the trail and took a more direct route home. It was nice to get on some smooth streets again. When I arrived home I saw the ride took about fifteen minutes longer but covered the exact same mileage as my usual ride. I doubt I'll take that route again though. Elston was too boring.

Distance Traveled: 24.3 miles
Distance to date: 3252.8 miles
Price of gas: $3.54

Update: The Cook County Forest Preserve is planning to resurface the North Branch Trail per this announcement. I might take another crack at it this fall.

Blah, Blah, Blah

2007-07-12T16:53:00.000-05:00

Low 60s, mostly sunny, moderate cross winds. Biked from home blah, blah, blah.

Biked through traffic, blah, blah, blah.

Biked the Lakefront Trail, blah, blah, blah.

Got into work, blah, blah, blah, blah.

Boss saw me walking from the parking lot and learned for the first time that I bike into work, blah, blah, blah.

Distance Traveled: 24.3 miles
Distance to date: 3228.5 miles
Price of gas: $3.45

Blue Wednesday

2007-07-11T22:49:00.000-05:00

Terrific weather again this afternoon but I was feeling a little low. Personal and financial issues got me down today and I wasn't in as great a mood as I normally am when I hit the road. So I just toddled along Roosevelt slower than my normal pace. Luckily it was a nice day.

After a few miles I managed to emerge from my funk. Maybe the increased blood flow pushed mood enhancers through my body. I wasn't exactly euphoric but I wasn't quite as gloomy anymore. The wind at my back also may have helped.

No biking buddies today. Everyone was either too slow or too fast. A guy was tailing me pretty close through pedestrian and slow bike traffic in Lincoln Park but he seemed to fade away after we passed Irving Park Road. Around Bryn Mawr I passed a guy on one of those tiny fold up bikes. I said hello but he seemed to ignore me. I once read some folding bike sales info stating that because of different gearing, folding bikes go just as fast as regular wheeled bikes. This guy I passed was moving pretty good but I think it would take a greater effort to match a regular bike's speed.

In Evanston I decided to try an alternate route that took me on Lincoln and Ashland. Lincoln is bike heaven; wide, scenic and smooth. Ashland is the pits; uneven and cracked concrete making for a bone and bike shaking ride. I might try an alternate route from Lincoln though as the route also avoids a moderate hill.

As I approached Isabella, a guy on a road bike zoomed across my path on what appeared to be a training ride. He was sporting a Northwestern bike jersey. I couldn't tell if he was young enough for their team or was an alumni. Either way he was very fast and pedaled way, way up ahead. After we both turned north on Poplar, I saw he slowed a bit. I eventually caught up to him in Wilmette. He didn't seem to manuever through traffic as well as me so maybe it was a new route for him. He was probably doing interval training. I was on his tail well into Kenilworth. He wasn't very friendly and I suspect my presence might have annoyed him. He detoured around Sears School whereas I cut through on a direct route to the Green Bay Trail. I was alone about a mile into Winnetka until, as I expected, he zoomed by me at a high rate of speed. He made quite a bit of distance between us until I saw he slowed again. By this time I made my exit at Tower and headed home to sulk.

Distance Traveled: 24.3 miles
Distance to date: 3204.2 miles
Price of gas: $3.45

Biking With Howard

2007-07-09T11:27:00.000-05:00

This morning as I sped down a ramp onto the Green Bay Trail from Tower Road I thought I saw another bicyclist in my peripheral vision. I didn't think much of it until about a half mile later the trail was blocked by a tree limb. As I negotiated the obstacle the bicyclist caught up to me and we remarked about the tree. I continued on at a slower pace expecting him to catch up but he hung back. So I continued on my way thinking he had other plans. I was waiting to cross Lake Avenue in Wilmette when there he was again. I continued on and realized he was following me at a polite distance. Finally after a few blocks I slowed, greeted him, and asked where he was headed. He replied he was headed to Chicago and figured he'd just follow me. I guess with my bag he assumed I was headed into the city.

He introduced himself as Howard and he was from Buffalo Grove. His usual route into work was via the North Branch Trail and Elston Avenue eventally biking to Belmont. A friend of his suggested a route but I guess he found it easier to tail someone actgually going there. So we biked together for a good portion of my ride in.

His friend's route had some benefits and some drawbacks compared to mine. His Evanston leg suggested taking Isabella to Ashland to Lincoln to Sherman whereas I take Isabella to Ridge to Central to Sherman. My route takes me through my old neighborhood but also on some busy streets and up a moderate hill. His route is flatter and goes by some quieter and smoother streets. I think I'll try his friends route.

The next deviation from my route was turning from Clark in Chicago on to Jarvis and working south on Greenveiw and Glenwood to Granville. There is less motor traffic but there were too many streets where we faced cross traffic. Clark Street is busier but it is easier to cruise without stopping. His route probably took him south on Winthrop but I've pledged to never bike that street unless absolutely neccessary.

Once on the Lakefront Trail Howard and I yakked some more. Howard's usual bike ride is about 35 miles. He doesn't do it every day though. He also has to shower and change at a health club about two blocks from work. He is planning to move into the city so I guess he won't have any long relaxing bike rides into work anymore.

I expected him to exit at Belmont but he said he made such good time this morning he was going to extend his ride. So he continued south with me. Around Diversey a regular guy (regular clothes, shoes, helmet-less, squeaky bike) breezed by us. I was fine at our relaxed pace but Howard jokingly said, "Are we going to stand for that?" So we set off in pursuit and I quickly caught up to the young man. I was content to settle into his slipstream because I was a bit winded from the short chase. Howard came abreast and said something to the effect of being careful what he wished for. I guess he was a bit winded too. South of Fullerton a serious bicyclist eased by our group of three. I guess my adrenaline level was still pretty high so I chased after him hoping to catch a draft. It was a foolish attempt. I gained on him but was in no condition to hang. We were approaching North Avenue and he chose to bike by the beach house where I bike closer to Lake Shore Drive. Good thing too as I was about to black out.

I maintained a decent pace but after a while I slowed and looked to see if Howard was still back there. Only the younger bicyclist was there and he glided past. Oh well. I caught up to the young man again and we stuck together until around the Ohio Street Beach. While stopped at the light at Grand Avenue neither Howard or the young man were to be seen and it was back to the usual grind.

Distance Traveled: 24.4 miles
Distance to date: 3179.9 miles
Price of gas: $3.45

Minor Mechanical Problems

2007-07-06T21:06:00.000-05:00

Great weather for biking except it was a bit hot for my liking. The breeze was generally at my back so I made pretty good time.

Just north of Fullerton I noticed my bike was making more than the usual amount of noise. It turns out an elastic cord on my Bushwacker garment bag pannier snapped again. The cord secures the bag to the side of my rack and snapped a while back. The first time it broke I jerry rigged it back into place but when it busted again I lost a critical piece of hardware. So now I have to figure out how I'm going to secure the bag to my rack. Perhaps some mini-bungee will do the trick. In the meantime, my bag occasionally flopped against my bike.

Around Belmont I came upon a guy wearing a Campagnolo cap riding a fixed gear Bianchi. He had a very good pace but was slowed considerably by the crowds on the path. I was right behind him for a while and we came upon a lady biking in the middle of the lane listening to her iPod. I rang my bell in an unsuccessful attempt to get her attention. Apparently the guy on the Bianchi thought I was ringing at him because he shouted at me, "We'll get there!" I shouted back that I was ringing at the girl and not him. Not sure if he heard me though. Either way our encounter seemed to energize him because he really picked up the pace. Like a mindless dog chasing a car, I sped up in pursuit. For the most part I stuck to him pretty well. However he had an advantage at intersections since he was much better at accelerating. At one point I came up beside him and complemented him on this fact.

There were quite a few cars at the intersections forcing us to slow down. The guy braked his fixed gear bike quite well. But the slowing and speeding up wore me out and I could barely keep up with him. Mercifully he turned off at the underpass leading to Berwyn and interrupted the Pavlovian cycle.

I noticed my bike was really making a lot of noise now. I figured it was my flopping pannier. It wasn't until I was in Evanston that it drove me crazy enough to stop and try to minimize the clatter. I found my front bottle cage was cracked and was the source of the rattling that had been bothering me for weeks. Thinking it would be a quick fix, I dug out my Topeak Alien multi-tool to remove the cage and swap it with the one on the seat tube and end the racket once and for all. Unfortunately one of the braze on bolts holding the seat tube cage wouldn't come out. It seemed the female end was spinning with the bolt. But for almost half an hour I stubbornly attempted to get it out.

During this time I noticed plenty of bicyclists riding by and paying me no mind. I was in no need of assistance but I found it a breach of bike etiquette. But I also thought of all the times I didn't offer help either. If I see a guy at the side of the road and he looks like he knows what he's doing I leave him alone. So maybe I looked like I knew what I was doing.

I guess I was there long enough that either it was a statistical certainty someone would offer an assist or I began to look like I needed it. A young man named Zephyr (phonetic) stopped and asked if I could use some help. I said I was fine but explained the problem. I managed to get the bolt out a little bit by wedging the cage against the lip of the nut side of the braze on. But I still had a ways to go. Zephyr, a member of the Northwestern Bicycling Team, suggested the bolt may be stripped or I could dremel the cage away in order to get a better grip on it. But his best suggestion was to just leave it alone. I was kind of getting tired so I took his advice and got back on the road. Who knows how long I'd have kept at it if he hadn't stopped by? On the plus side, my bike was now considerably quieter.

Distance Traveled: 24.3 miles
Distance to date: 3155.5 miles
Price of gas: $3.45

Crack Up

2007-07-06T16:15:00.000-05:00

Another terrific morning to bike to work. Sunny, clear and the wind was mostly at my back. Not too many people on the streets or the Lakefront Trail. Probably becasue of the 4th of July breaking up the week. I did come across another commuter on Clark Street though; a rare occurrence. We biked together until Devon where I continued south to Granville and he headed east, presumably to Winthrop. Never saw him again. I was lucky that I didn't have to stop at the red light at Ardmore and Sheridan; another rare occurrence.

The rest of the ride was the usual until I was back in traffic. I had a ringside seat for a head on collision while waiting out the light at Canal and Roosevelt. A black Charger(?) in cross traffic tried to squeeze out a left turn and smashed into an oncoming greenish Mustang(?) that just got the green. The Mustang honked but I guess Charger figured he'd stop and let him through. Big mistake that resulted in an ugly scene. Both drivers leaned from their cars and started pointing and yelling at each other. Feeling a bit giddy at being neither, I pointed at both of them. The traffic aide manning the intersection told the Charger driver he didn't have the signal. This didn't stop him from arguing but I could tell it greatly tempered his zeal. The other driver, now firmly atop the moral high ground, obnoxiously suggested they get their cars out of the chaotic intersection. Traffic was stopped in all directions and I initially couldn't do anything except enjoy the show.

Having recently gone through the hassles of a driver backing into my wife's car, I empathized with both of them. However I had less sympathy for the Charger driver. I'm very familiar with his type; the a-hole that pushes the limit in order to avoid waiting in traffic. They assume the rest of us will display normal caution so they can zoom about with abandon... Hmmm. That sounds like me sometimes. Off my soap box. Eventually I slunk through the intersection and continued on, albeit at a slightly slower and more cautious pace.

Distance Traveled: 24.3 miles
Distance to date: 3131.2 miles
Price of gas: $3.45

Monday Evening Ride Home

2007-07-02T22:00:00.000-05:00

Since I'm taking the next three days off from work, I decided to bike back home tonight. I don't usually bike a round trip in one day but since I can sleep in tomorrow I thought I'd take advantage of the weather.

During the day I took my car out to charge the battery. I find if I let it sit more than four days the battery dies. So I drove to a nearby White Castle for a pair of double cheeseburgers, fries and a coke. I don't normally eat such food for lunch but it really seemed to power my ride home. The last time I had a burger for lunch and biked home, it had a similar effect. I was supercharged.

But I had to idle the engines between Roosevelt and Monroe again. The Taste of Chicago crowds spilled over on the Lakeshore Path. Just as I crested a hill north of the Field Museum, there was an ambulance, a fire truck, a bunch of bikes, and bicyclists standing around on the path. I guess there must have been a major crack up. I slowed but couldn't determine exactly what happened. I biked with more than more my normal vigilance. Good thing too. Lots of people on the path oblivious to bicyclists. I'm not knocking them though. I'd probably be oblivious too if I didn't make it down here that much. After Monroe the pedestrians eased up a bit.

The winds were at my back this time. That and my slider enhanced diet enabled me to speed up to almost 25 mph. In less crowded parts of the path, I was zooming by people like they were stuck in cement. I even coasted by a really tricked out roadie on a training ride.

My wife and sons met me on the Green Bay Trail at Tower. We walked the rest of the way home. It was a nice way to cool down.

Distance Traveled: 24.0 miles
Distance to date: 3106.9 miles
Price of gas: $3.45

Summer Monday

2007-07-02T13:30:00.000-05:00

Initially ideal biking conditions this morning. Then the stiff headwinds from the south kicked in. Nothing I wasn't use to but annoying nonetheless.

It was the usual biking routine until around Belmont where I caught up to Troy, a gentleman I've frequently encountered on my morning commutes. He was taking it easy this morning as he had done some pretty strenuous biking over the weekend. So it was a good opportunity to slow down and enjoy the ride instead of making it into a death race. Our kids know each other from preschool and swim classes so we talked about lessons, camps, and 4th of July plans until he broke off at North Avenue.

The winds really kicked in right after that. Since I sped up a little bit, my wind resistance also increased a little I suppose. It was kind of an ass kicker until Grand Avenue where the buildings broke up the breeze. As soon as I headed west on Roosevelt, it was a completely different story. Biking was almost effortless. The lights were in my favor and now the wind was at my back. Except for a motorist behind me who was quick on her horn, the rest of the ride was commuting bliss.

Distance Traveled: 24.3 miles
Distance to date: 3082.9 miles
Price of gas: $3.51

Friday

2007-06-29T23:26:00.000-05:00

Beautiful weather and good company today. (I meant to bike home on Wednesday but the threat of storms scared me off. There was a little bit of rain on my drive home but it dissipated after a while. I saw bicyclists while driving up Lakeshore Drive and thought I should have toughed it out . Oh well.) Grant Park was getting pretty crowded with The Taste Of Chicago. It made biking from Roosevelt to Monroe a bit trickier but I always welcome a diversion.

A beefy guy on a Cannondale passed me during this stretch. He struck me as Lakefront Trail novice because he didn't seem to negotiate the crowds as well as most bicyclists I see along here. I ended up passing him at the light at Wacker Drive. I've gotten to know that most cross traffic there turns left as opposed to continuing west to Navy Pier. It wasn't until after Oak Street Beach that he passed me again. I tried to keep up but could only keep him in sight as he widened his lead. At some points he'd slow down and fool me into thinking I could catch him again. But then he'd pick up the pace and I'd get a bit demoralized. He finally turned off at Belmont leaving me to bike in peace.

Around Wilson or Lawrence a taller guy on a squeaky road bike huffed past me and I fell into his slipstream. His large stature provided a really good draft. At some point he slowed a bit and came abreast, said hello and offered to let him take a break. He accepted quite eagerly and I took the lead. The difference was dramatic. I was really chugging to maintain the same pace. Not too long after he took over again. Prematurely, in my opinion. We continued for a short while at a really good pace but then he waved off. I took the lead again but he didn't keep up. I even slowed a bit but he too far back. While waiting at the long light at Sheridan and Ardmore, he caught up and I asked where he'd gone. I can't remember exactly what he said but he appeared a bit dejected. I said I really appreciated being able to draft off him for so long and was disappointed I couldn't return the favor. I said it was like a having a 20 mph tail wind. This appeared to buck him up a little; good thing too. He rode like a machine. He didn't know I was behind him I guess. He said he bikes from downtown to Farwell. I broke off and headed to Broadway and he headed north on Kenmore.

Biking north at an easy pace on Chicago in Evanston, I was passed by a guy wearing a RAGBRAI XXXIV jersey. I stuck with him and at a red light I said hello and asked about the shirt. It was from the annual ride across Iowa (I knew I had seen that acronym somewhere). I know a good number of people who have done the ride. The gentleman said his name was Matt or Mark or something like that (I have an awful memory for names) and was biking to the Northbrook Velodrome. We biked together a bit longer until I turned west at Clark. Then I raced to see if I could keep pace with him where our paths would cross at Sheridan and Isabella. I think my route might be a little less direct than his route on Sheridan. I was delayed by a red light at Sherman and Noyes but otherwise made good time in my opinion. But I didn't see him either way up ahead or down back on Sheridan when I got to Isabella. So either he was waaay up ahead or waaay far behind. I didn't ponder the issue and headed home.

Distance Traveled: 24.3 miles
Distance to date: 3058.6 miles
Price of gas: $3.51

Biking With Gary

2007-06-25T09:32:00.000-05:00

Met another commuter named Gary this morning. He is a frequent commuter who was headed in from Northwest Evanston. Our paths crossed at Granville and Clark. He told me he tries to bike in almost everyday to a school in Lincoln Park. He bikes down McCormick; a route I've often contemplated.

It is always nice to share the ride. Even though we slowed to talk, I still manage to get a good workout. We discussed the usual bike commuting topics, bikes, bike security, route selection, etc. He was riding one of those interesting road bikes where the seat is mounted on a carbon cantelever of sorts. Gary said it absorbs road impacts for a smoother ride. Speaking of road impact, I hit a few bumps that were so jarring I thought I'd bent my front rim. I definitely need to put more air in my tires. I was lucky I didn't get two pinch flats this morning.

My left wrist is still not 100% recovered from the injury last March. It doesn't hurt but it is still weaker than normal and does not have the same range of motion as my right wrist. But considering I never had a professional check it out, it is doing pretty good.

Distance Traveled: 24.3 miles
Distance to date: 3034.3 miles
Price of gas: $3.59

3000 Miles

2007-06-21T23:22:00.000-05:00

Despite ideal weather, I was unable to bike again until my commute home Friday afternoon. Rain was predicted in the area but I was determined to risk it. Luckily I only encountered a few sprinkles during my ride.

There were slight winds in my face but nothing to hinder my progress. My bike has developed a few annoying rattles but I think they are from my front fender. I'm sure if I ever get around to investigating them they'll be easy to fix.

Not many speedy cyclists on the Lakefront Trail but around Oak Street Beach I spotted a young lady with a pretty good pace. It took until Fullerton to catch up to her but not until after the Theater On The Lake was it safe to overtake her. I said hi as I passed and she greeted me back. I figured that would be the last I'd see of her and I'd extend my lead. Apparently she wasn't going to take my breezing by her lightly and stayed right on my tail. No matter how fast I went she was still right there behind me. At this point I wasn't concerned about her in my slipstream but of the awful notion of her passing me since I erroneously assumed she wouldn't even be able to keep up in the first place.

I resigned myself to not shaking her and got into the spirit of our mutual effort. The bike path was crowded in spots and I was mindful to ring my bell and signal for turns and slowing in traffic (I especially didn't want to repeat the near crack up I had the previous Monday). So we whizzed up the Lakefront Trail until she came abreast south of Montrose where she said she was turning off. She also said something like I was one of the most conscientious bikers she'd ever seen. If I wasn't so flushed with exertion I would have blushed. I thanked her for the compliment and introduced myself. She said her name was Beth.

The rest of the ride was the usual.

Distance Traveled: 24.3 miles
Distance to date: 3010.0 miles
Price of gas: $3.59

More Taking It Easy

2007-06-18T11:39:00.000-05:00

I took my time again this morning because I knew I was going to have a busy and tiring day. Ideal biking conditions. Sunny and cool with minimal winds.

I'm begining to enjoy taking a more relaxed ride to work. My usual practice is to beat myself to death riding as fast as possible and ending up just getting stressed out in the process. On the other hand, it is a really, really good exercise and keeps my belly in check. But I'll have to remind myself to slow it down and enjoy the ride every once in a while.

I encountered another commuter at Sheridan and Ardmore. We said hello and after getting the kinks out along the Lakefront Trail ended up leading him for most of the ride. I nearly caused a collision weaving in and out of slower bicyclists and roller bladers through the more congested areas of Lincoln Park. In that case I heard the screech of brakes behind me when I balked at passing a skater due to oncoming traffic. Oh well, another lesson learned.

South of Belmont Harbor, a pretty well outfitted roadie glided by us and my collegue decided to give chase. Despite my intention of a taking it easy, I joined the pursuit but enjoyed drafting for a change. We kept pace with him but never ran him down. Not that we couldn't probably. But I wasn't going to push it. The roadie turned off at North Avenue and I followed my unknown commuting colleague until he turned off at Michigan.

South of Oak Street it seemed a bit of a head wind kicked in and I had to exert myself yet some more. The remainder of the ride was delightfully uneventful.

Distance Traveled: 24.3 miles
Distance to date: 2985.7 miles
Price of gas: $3.72

Relaxing Friday

2007-06-16T10:29:00.000-05:00

This morning, while eating my Cheerios, Paul Conrad from Channel 9 News was making fun of guys in bike shorts at the Chicago Bike to Work Rally at Daley Plaza downtown. My bike was parked at work so I would not have the pleasure of being ridiculed on TV. But I left work early and made it to the rally around lunch time. No free fruit and drinks left from the morning but still lots of tents promoting biking to work. I didn't stay long.

I biked home at a more leisurely pace. No one was home waiting for me so I wasn't in a hurry. Lots of people enjoying the beaches and the terrific weather. North of Diversey I came upon a guy wearing a coolie had on a three wheeled recumbent toting a two drawer filing cabinet. The driver of this outfit was named Peter. He said the bike was his primary mode of transportation and the day before he biked from around Sox park to a destination way up on the north side that escapes me right now. Unlike a lot of other recumbents I've seen, this one would be tough to miss in traffic.

I continued to enjoy the easy pace all the way to my brother's house in Rogers Park. My brother wasn't home but he said I should stop by anyway to check out his silkworm project. My brother's place has a few mulberry trees and he hatched the idea to take advantage of the tree's bounty to feed silkworms (a few years ago he made a bunch of inedible mulberry pies and jams). His roommate let me in and led me to the attic where the silkworms were kept. Picture about 20 shallow boxes of various sizes crammed with pinky sized white caterpillars slowly wriggling around. The sound of their collective munching was like a soft rain. Some had already climbed out of the boxes and spun cocoons. My brother wanted his roommate to feed them while he was at work but he would have none of it (he wasn't keen on the whole goofy plan and had no intention of contributing to it). But I didn't have a problem pitching in. Fresh mulberry leaves were in a box and just waiting to be spread among the boxes. So I got busy and served the silkworms lunch. They must have been hungry because they dug in immediately. The attic was getting kind of hot, so I got back on the bike and headed home.

Distance Traveled: 24.9 miles
Distance to date: 2961.4 miles
Price of gas: $3.72

Bike Commuting; Like MySpace on Two Wheels

2007-06-13T11:47:00.000-05:00

Another picture perfect day. My bike hums along and my muscles aren't too bad either. On Poplar in Wilmette, I glided by another rider and we exchanged pleasantries only to meet up again at the start of the Lakeshore Trail. Randy, my new friend, said he followed me for a little while but I turned out of sight along the way. He takes the Sheriden route into Chicago. I explained my preference for Clark Street due to the smoother surface and slower vehicular traffic even though it makes for a slightly longer ride. We rode together for a good portion of the trip kibbitzing when possible. Randy had a very quick pace and at times I found it a challenge to keep up. At Michigan he broke off to head into work where he is a futures trader.

At Roosevelt Road and Jefferson, I was nearly hit again by a lady motorist turning left from oncoming traffic. Again I screamed and she eventually stopped. And again I was cheered by two young men nearby apparently impressed by my lungs. This time I was probably obscured due to glare from the morning sun. I've always been wary of this when I bike Roosevelt in the morning but I guess I let my guard down a bit this morning.

I arrived at work feeling pretty fresh. These rides have done wonders in flushing the lactic acids from my muscles.

Distance Traveled: 24.3 miles
Distance to date: 2936.5 miles
Price of gas: $3.72 (Gas prices dropping. Time to get back in the car!)

Ideal Day To Ride

2007-06-12T23:42:00.000-05:00

Another fantastic day to bike home. After the months of grimey snow and ice, I still haven't gotten use to riding in such ideal weather. Which is why I still pack my jacket, pants, and booties. My body is still a little creaky from my weekend's lacrosse misadventure so I contemplated staying off the bike. But once I got going I was back to my old self.

My experiment with White Lightning wax lubricant is over. I ran out and decided to go back to regular chain lube. The wet conditions and extra effort to lubricate my chain just wasn't worth any dirt shedding advantages. Plus other areas I normally would have coated in oil were getting neglected. I bought a bottle of ProLink at Performance and liberally oiled my chain, crank, and pedals. Voila! The creaking from my crank is now gone. All this time I thought it was a faulty chain ring.

The Lakefront Trail was quite populated today with fellow bicyclists, runners, and walkers. It makes riding a bit of a challenge but I'm sure I'm not an entirely welcome presence either. I do my best to be vigilant and courteous. South of Oak Street I sensed a rider drafting. It is always kind of an ego boost when someone else is relying on me for a pull.

I was trying to catch up to a shirtless roadie I saw way up ahead. I didn't catch up until around North Avenue Beach. He was a rather big guy and I thought it would be no problem keeping up with him. Naturally I was wrong. I volunteered to take the lead around Belmont but that didn't last as long as I was following him. As the ride continued I found myself straining more and more to keep up. As the bike path got less congested, the gentleman on my tail volunteered to take the lead. He rode a fixed gear bike and wasn't comfortable leading while among crowds. At the interesection of either Wilson or Lawrence we slowed for pedestrian and motor traffic and I just couldn't recover the pace. So I let up and just tried to keep from fainting. At the turn around the roadie was relaxing so I got a chance to thank him for leading. At the red light at Ardmore I caught up to the other rider.

His name is Sean and we happened to ride together last fall. He accompanied me along my route and I asked him about fixed gear riding and he generously offered to let me try his bike on a quiet side street. I found the fixed gear bike really light but quite a challenge after decades of conventional riding. The geometry of his bike was a little tighter compared to my touring bike. But I was only on it for a few minutes. Not really enough time to appreciate the advantages of fixed gearing. We continued on until Sean broke off at Howared and Clark.

At Greenleaf and Chicago, I had a close call with a lady motorist turning left into me from oncoming trafffic. I hollered at her and she stopped in time. I managed to smile and wave in order to show I harbored no ill will. Two guys outside the Nissan dealership cheered my assertiveness and I responded with beer commercial-esque thumbs up.

Some of my rear wheel's spokes have started whining again. Unfortunately they affect the side of the wheel that if tightened will take it even more out of true. Nonetheless, at Foster and Sherman, I took out my multitool and tightened three spokes. Fortunately the wheel wasn't noticeably altered and now it is much quieter.

After getting home I realized my body was nicely warmed up with absolutely no evidence of muscle aches. I should go for a nice ride before I hit the lacrosse field this weekend.

Distance Traveled: 25.1 miles
Distance to date: 2912.2 miles
Price of gas: $3.72

Summer Bike To Work Day

2007-06-11T13:55:00.000-05:00

Yesterday I wore myself out playing in a men's lacrosse league. My division consists of guys who just want to hack around without all the checking and competition. It was more like a pickup game than anything really organized. Nonetheless it was quite grueling. 80 minutes of running around with little idea of what I was doing. I hyperextended my elbow a bit and worried the majority of all my non injured parts would also be extremely achey the following day. In my attempts to delay old age, I seem to actually be hastening the process. But luckily I felt ok this morning and avoided a shameful train ride to work.

I meant to take it easy this morning but as usual I sensed bicyclists on my tail (most likely imaginary) and hammered the pedals to avoid getting passed. Luckily for me the Chicago Bike Federation put up a tent along the Lakefront Trail at North Avenue in honor of Bike To Work Day. This enabled me to get a breather and still maintain my ego. I figured the CBF was going to do something like that this week but I completely forgot about it. I saw a few other fellow bike commuters I know from my rides and got some free stuff from REI (some beefy tire levers and a water bottle). I'd hoped Performance was going to be on hand for discount tune up coupons but I guess they took a pass on this event.

After continuing on my ride, a fixie glided by me north of Oak Street. Incensed I picked up my pace and kept with him until Ohio Street. As we headed to Grand Avenue he slowed considerably. I guess he had to slow down for the hill or a turn or something. I've never ridden a fixed gear bike so I don't know how they handle potential hazards.

Approaching Monroe I noticed from my shadow that I had someone on my tail. Oh great. I hoped he'd turn off at Monroe but he continued to follow. I looked back and signaled my turns in a way to let him know I didn't mind him being back there. At around Adams he came abreast and efusively offered to pull me for a while. Not sure what model of road bike he rode but it might have been a Bianchi judging from the creamy green paint job. I told him I was getting off at Roosevelt but I was more than happy to take him up on his offer. Obviously soon there after we parted.

The ride was actually quite good for me. It seemed to clear out all the kinks in my muscles and bones I developed the day before.

Distance Traveled: 24.3 miles
Distance to date: 2887.1miles
Price of gas: $3.79

Hate and Discontent

2007-06-08T23:49:00.000-05:00

East bound Roosevelt was jammed. For motorists anyway. I get a bit of a thrill zooming by cars continuously backed up for blocks. I'm not smug about it though. I know all too well that right up the road is payback as the congestion clears.

There seemed to be a bit of bad blood on the road this afternoon. At State and Roosevelt, a City of Chicago Traffic Aide prevented a woman from turning left despite a left turn signal. As an unbiased observer I was puzzled as to the Traffic Aide's motives and sympathized with the motorist. The young woman at the wheel went bat shit with rage.

Later as I approached North Avenue on the Lakefront Trail, I saw a bicyclist getting into it with a man holding a clip board. I slowed a bit in order to eavesdrop on the confilict. The guy with the clipboard responded to an unheard remark that the bicyclist was not a cop. The bicyclist retorted with something to the effect of his blocking the way. Since fisticuffs did not seem imminent I biked on.

Great day but more slight headwinds. Again my pannier was like a parachute and seeimingly slowing me down. Around Wilson, a roadie passed me and I said hi and got nothing in response. The guy was tricked out in road racing gear but didn't strike me as an expert as his cadence was knee achingly slow. I'm no biking genius either but I've learned from others that I'll last longer, both in the short and long term, if I gear down (up?) and quicken my pedaling. I leached off his slipstream all the way to the end of the Lakefront Trail. He picked up his pace toward the end but he wasn't going to shake me that easily. At the light I didn't bother to engage him again. Once we got the green, he headed north and I continued west to Broadway and on home.

Distance Traveled: 24.3 miles
Distance to date: 2862.8 miles
Price of gas: $3.79

Making Yet Another Friend

2007-06-06T11:48:00.000-05:00

This morning I expected a nice tailwind as payback for the winds I faced yesterday. Instead the winds shifted and I biked into the wind yet again. It didn't make for a miserable ride but it diminishes my sense of speed and makes me feel feeble. I was enjoying the humming of my gears. Despite my earlier complaints, the bike performs quite well.

At the Lakefront Trail I slowly caught up to a gentleman I later learned is named Drew and rides in from Evanston. He kept a very good pace and I was able to draft off him for a good while. We talked about our various commutes. He has to park his bike on the street and doesn't have a place to shower at work. Poor guy. He also said his bike had been stolen. After Oak Street the wind was really strong and I just couldn't keep up. He and a few others passed me by on that stretch. At Grand Avenue Drew peeled off.

Because of traffic I was able to catch up to two faster bicyclists. I drafted all the way to Roosevelt Road until I turned off the Lakefront Trail. At Roosevelt and Clark I waited out the light while a young lady glided through. There was very little cross traffic but I was just tired. I figured I'd catch up to her. That wasn't the case though. She was pretty quick but also had traffic lights on her side.

I wasn't bothered by being humbled by at least four other bicyclists this morning. I was really glad to be back on my bike after too many days behind the wheel.

Distance Traveled: 24.3 miles
Distance to date: 2838.5 miles
Price of gas: $3.79

Bicycle Back Up

2007-06-05T23:45:00.000-05:00

Last week I got the bike fixed and rode it home from Turin. On the ride my shifting was much smoother with the new cables and chain but it still jumped the cogs on occaision. I also heard some twanging coming from the spokes from my rear wheel symptomatic of a wheel badly in need of adjusting. So instead of having a smooth riding machine I now had a bike with different problems.

Work tasks in areas beyod biking distance kept me from riding until this afternoon. The weather was a bit chillier than I expected , approximately 50, and strong winds from the north, i.e. headwinds. The ride home was very pleasant though. My bike didn't seem to act up once I loaded it down. I guess the rear wheel is happier with a full pannier.

Since I'm still waiting for the middle chain ring to arrive at the bike shop, I've been riding on my largest chain ring. I'm not too keen on this because I can't find a gearing combination I like. One is too easy and the next gear up is a touch too difficult for the cadence I prefer. Oh well.

On the Green Bay Trail I had a nice surprise with my wife and sons meeting me about a mile from home. They were on foot so I dismounted and had a pleasant walk home with the family.

Distance Traveled: 23.7 miles
Distance to date: 2814.2 miles
Price of gas: $3.79

Bike Getting Repaired

2007-05-25T08:53:00.000-05:00

I took my ride to Turin in Evanston yesterday after work. The mechanic (I believe his name is Jason) just put a little oil in my rear hub and that seemed to fix the problem. I initially asked him to repack the hubs but he said the wheels were so old that I should just consider getting new ones. The rims are really, really worn (I think not replacing my brake pads in a timely manner are primarily to blame). Jason did suggest I replace my cables and chain. I also asked for a new middle chain ring (he'd have to order that). Normally I'm the type to shop online for my parts and install them myself. But being able to leave the bike in the capable hands of a pro was more than worth the time and effort I'd expend looking for a bargain and doing it myself. My bike should have a new chain and cables later today and I'll bring it back next week to have the chain ring replaced.

Bicycle Down

2007-05-23T13:20:00.000-05:00

This morning, as I lubed my chain, I noticed a sickening grinding sound coming from my rear hub. I knew I should have at least repacked my hubs over the winter however I'm not sure that would have prevented the current problem. Either way, I wasn't about to bike a block until I got it looked at. I had to take the train to work and will try to get the bike to a shop by tomorrow. Crud. I guess I can get all the other matters ailing my ride taken care of then.

Geocaching

2007-05-19T21:10:00.000-05:00

On my bike ride home I decided to find a Geocache I heard about on NBC news. Geocaching is a moderately nerdy pastime in which you find a container with a GPS using coordinates posted on Geocaching.com. I use to seek Geocaches a lot before I had kids. Back in 2001 there weren't many of them around and most were in forest preserves and in generally interesting and out of the way places. Now most areas are lousy with them. So much so that it is hard to determine if most are even worth looking for. But this one was located off the Lakefront Path south of Montrose and since it was on TV I thought I'd bag it. It wasn't too difficult to find.

Off the Lakefront Trail I joined some bicyclists for a short while up Broadway. They were headed to Wilmette. I broke off at Devon and they continued north on Sheridan. I suppose Sheridan can be quicker than my route but the vehicular traffic gets a little fast and there are a lot of pot holes. Other than that my ride was uneventful.

I have to go to Miami next week so I wont be able to bike until at least Wednesday.

Distance Traveled: 24.5 miles
Distance to date: 2790.5 miles
Price of gas: $3.67

More Biking Into Headwinds

2007-05-14T13:26:00.000-05:00

The morning news reported strong southerly winds for my trip into work today. With the stiff winds in my face on Friday, I felt I was owed a nice tailwind today. I just can't buy a break. But high winds are a hell of a lot better than sub freezing temperatures. I'm finding the strong winds don't bother me as much as they use to. I spent the weekend de-wallpapering, scraping, sanding, patching, priming and painting my boys' bedroom. So I was looking forward to going back to work and getting some rest.

This moring my bike developed an annoying click on almost every pedal rotation. Even a fresh dose of lube failed to remedy it. I think it is my ailing chain ring. My shifting is also for crap but otherwise my drive train hums quite nicely.

Biking through south Evanston were a lot of bike commuters headed in the opposite direction into town. I guess the warming weather has prompted more people to bike to work.

On Granville, a few blocks west of Broadway, I spied a yellow jerseyed bicyclist with a side pannier likely headed to the Lakefront Trail. I turned down Broadway hoping to head him off. Heavy traffic on Broadway prevented me from crossing over at Ardmore. I had to wait until the light turned red to ease across. As I biked west I saw a pack of bicyclists, including yellow jersey, crossing Sheridan. I hammered the pedals hoping to make the light. The light flips back to red pretty quickly and I ended up having to wait it out.

The headwinds weren't as bad as they were on Friday but were still a bit of a pain. Most bicyclists on the path seemed to be bothered by them more than I was though. I think my biking through winter really made a difference in my conditioning. Either the really fast bicyclists weren't out yet or I'm cruising much quicker than I was last fall.

As I biked by Belmont Harbor I think I spotted the yellow jerseyed guy again. Either his pannier was on the other side of his bike (and he obviously wasn't the same guy) or I remembered him differently. Both were equally likely. As I gained on him, a guy on a mountain bike entered the path from around Belmont and passed him. Yellow jersey wasn't about to allow that and he pedaled quicker to catch up. He seemed to share my aversion to being one-upped. Eventually he retook the lead but was moving much quicker now, much to my chagrin.

In the meantime, I encountered another pack of bicyclists south of Fullerton that had to be dealt with. From there until Oak Street, I glided by them, in and out of the line, and greeted all who would seem receptive. Most greeted me back.

South of Oak Street the wind seemed to let up and I poured it on. I was really moving now and cruised by yellow jersey like he was a street lamp. From his distinctive pannier he might have been the same guy who rejected my drafting last year (much to his credit; no one likes a parasite). I said hi as I passed though. I was able to make the light at Grand Avenue and zoomed by a bunch of other people on seemingly lighter bike/pack set ups. What an ego stroking morning. It's too bad all of my life can't be so nice.

Distance Traveled: 24.3 miles
Distance to date: 2766.0 miles
Price of gas: $3.55

Friends In Need

2007-05-11T22:02:00.000-05:00

I was determined ride home today despite the 25 mph northerly winds. The weather was still mild otherwise so I figured if I paced myself it really wouldn't be a problem. I wish I could ditch my pannier though. In windy conditions the forward edges bow out and it has all the aerodynamics of a parachute.

I got a taste of what awaited me biking east on Roosevelt Road. The gusts from my left kept blowing me toward the curb. Automobile traffic was grid locked from Racine to Canal. It provided somewhat of a wind barrier though.

Heading north was initially a great challenge. From Roosevelt to Monroe I had a maximum speed of 11 mph. But as my ride progressed I guess I got a bit more efficient. By the time I got to North Avenue I was biking at around 16 mph. About that time I caught up to a roadie on a new bike. I passed him and was able to check out his carbon bodied ride. About a half mile later he passed me and I asked if he minded my drafting. He said he didn't mind and I leached off him for a while. When he asked if we go straight at Fullerton I realized he was from out of town. So I pulled along side and we chatted a bit. He was in from the Detroit area for some fitness expo at McCormick place and trying out his new bike. As we talked a bunch of bicyclists passed us and I suggested we catch up. So he took the lead again and really poured it on. Around Belmont Harbor we caught up and I took the lead and offered to cut the wind for a while. Another bicyclist took me up on the offer but after a while my roadie friend was gone. I never even got to thank him.

I was cooking pretty good considering we were still riding into a gale. Around Wilson there were only two of us until we caught up to a guy on a road bike. He joined us and he and I switched off the lead when we weren't talking. He was from Rogers park and was biking from around Midway. Now there's a ride. He said he took Archer Avenue much of the way from the Lakefront. Sounded helacious. Fortunately there was a long red light at the end of the bike path for a well needed breather.

When the light turned green I headed off on my own home. The winds didn't really bother me once I got away from the lake. They were still annoying and slowing me down though.

When I got home my wife was a bit peeved I was so late. The breeze probably added about 30 minutes to my commute.

Distance Traveled: 24.3 miles
Distance to date: 2721.7 miles
Price of gas: $3.47

Unlucky Day

2007-05-09T19:43:00.000-05:00

The morning started well enough; low 60s and misty. But it turned out to be a morning of multiple mishaps. The streets were a little wet from a passing shower. Not a problem until collecting water hid the real depth of a pothole on Isabella. I was crossing over the sanitary canal and heard a car on my tail. In an effort to avoid getting rear ended I kept to the right and risked the uneven pavement. As soon as I conked through the pothole I heard my front tire hissing. I limped over to a bench near a tee off on the golf course and got busy repairing the pinch flat. About 10 minutes later I was back on the road.

Soon thereafter as I passed Evanston Hospital on Ridge Avenue, an approaching car turned left and cut me off. I swerved but managed to give the car a nice punitive rap on the trunk lid. I looked back and gave him or her a quick "What's your problem?!" type of gesture. When I turned forward again I saw I was heading into the curb. I managed a controlled crash into a young tree and did a header into some soft loamy mulch. I felt the visor of my helmet crinkle in the light impact. I was too pissed at the time to think how hilarious the whole event must have looked. I'm not sure if the driver saw my spill. I hope not; he'd probably crash too from laughing so hard.

A block after turning on Granville from Clark I heard a sharp crunch behind me. It looked like a car struck the rear of another in the intersection. Hells bells.

After cresting the hump at the intersection of Clark and Roosevelt, about 30 minutes later, a messenger on a Cannondale R400 zoomed by me. I said hi as he passed but got nothin'. I imagine bike messengers look down on us civillians. I caught up to him in traffic and at lights but figuring he didn't wish to be bothered, I kept my own counsel. He cruised on ahead but seemed to disappear from sight just short of the intersection of Halsted and Roosevelt. Then I saw him down in the middle of traffic. I slowed and asked if he was ok but he was occupied with getting his bike out of the way of approaching cars. By now the light was red and I saw he was fine. At the green we continued on and at the next red I broke the ice by remarking that such spills must be part of the job. He was a bit bubblier now and explained some woman slowed in the middle of the road and he wiped out in avoiding her. I suppose after zipping by me like big stuff his ego might have been a bit bruised. If so, I knew exactly how he felt.

Distance Traveled: 24.3 miles
Distance to date: 2697.4 miles
Price of gas: $3.43

Like A Man Possessed

2007-05-08T19:41:00.000-05:00

I biked like I was on fire this afternoon. I don't think there was a tailwind but then again maybe there was. Either way I was burning up the Lakefront Trail. Maybe it was the big cheese burger and fries I had for lunch at Leona's on Taylor Street. I usually eat bird food during the day (for budget reasons mainly) and perhaps my body isn't use to all that protein and carbohydrates in my system. I was averaging around 20 mph (fully loaded mind you) and zipping by guys training on racing bikes.

On Clark Street I think I managed to piss off some hillbilly driving a pickup truck. I passed him a number of times because he kept getting caught up in traffic. Finally at Howard he zoomed by me and passed two cars on the right using the parking lane just to make a statement. The guy must have been the most reckless driver I've seen in a while.

Distance Traveled: 24.3 miles
Distance to date: 2473.1 miles
Price of gas: $3.43

I'm back

2007-05-07T21:54:00.000-05:00

Despite biking pretty regularly I have not been very inspired to write. With the improvement in the weather I’ve found myself preferring to go out in the yard with my kids or go on long walks with my family rather than pecking out my usual blather at the computer. But from memory I’ve hit the road with the following results:

April 20, 2007: Biked home from work. Apparently I made it safely. I vaguely remember tailing a chilly guy for a good while.

Distance Traveled: 24.3 miles
Distance to date: 2529.8 miles
Price of gas: $3.16

April 21, 2007: Biked to Sears School in Kenilworth via the Green Bay Trail with my sons; #1 son on his 2nd hand Huffy sans training wheels and #2 son still hanging out in the Co-Pilot carrier.

Distance Traveled: 5.4 miles
Distance to date: 2535.2 miles
Price of gas: $3.16

April 22, 2007: Biked to the Chicago Botanical Gardens with my wife and sons via the North Branch Trail.

Distance Traveled: 9.7 miles
Distance to date: 2544.9 miles
Price of gas: $3.16

April 23, 2007: With southerly winds at over 20 mph this morning I decided to take the train to work. I would have biked home in headwinds of this magnitude. Having a very busy work day ahead of me I opted to bail on the bike ride in since I didn’t want to be dragging all morning.

Distance Traveled: 0.0 miles
Distance to date: 2544.9 miles
Price of gas: $3.16

April 30, 2007: A work week primarily away from the office kept me off my bike. Hauled the bike back to work and had a nice bike ride home.

Distance Traveled: 24.3 miles
Distance to date: 2569.2 miles
Price of gas: $3.23

May 1, 2007: Came upon a couple on their Co-Motion tandem. I might have seen them on the Lakefront Trail before. They kept a killer pace and we switched taking the lead a couple of times. They were great to draft off of until I guess the cross streets and slight inclines wore them down. At about Fullerton they faded. Lots of fast bicyclists this morning.

Distance Traveled: 24.3 miles
Distance to date: 2593.5 miles
Price of gas: $3.23

May 4, 2007: Light breezes and sunny. I spied a road bicyclist ahead of me just north of Ohio Street Beach. It took me until Diversey to finally catch up to the young lady as she biked quite quickly. I said hi as I passed but either she wasn’t feeling very friendly or I didn’t hear her reply.

Distance Traveled: 24.3 miles
Distance to date: 2617.8 miles
Price of gas: $3.43

May 6, 2007: Biked with sons to Hill Road along the North Branch Trail.

Distance Traveled: 6.7 miles
Distance to date: 2624.5 miles
Price of gas: $3.43

May 7, 2007: Clear and in the 50s with 8 mph winds right in my face. The winds were beginning to really bother me until around Belmont Harbor when I guess I just started to get use to them. My wrist is finally starting to get back to normal. It is still a little stiff but I no longer find myself babying it much.

Distance Traveled: 24.3 miles
Distance to date: 2648.8 miles
Price of gas: $3.43

Tail Wind

2007-04-18T21:29:00.000-05:00

Today's ride was a sheer joy. A bit chilly but nothing I wasn't already use to. The morning news reported northerly winds of 13 mph. Not as strong as yesterday but I welcomed the added push.

Sunrise was now before or nearly at the start of my ride. So I put my Jetlite headlamp and heavy battery in storage. I noticed my middle chain ring is now missing a tooth and another is worn wafer thin. This condition caused my chain to misalign and was the source of my clunky shifting. Manually putting the chain back on track is a short term solution to the problem. This and additional lube has remedied my drive train issues for now.

Heading east on Ardmore I saw a bicyclist way up ahead of me in motion as opposed to waiting for the long light at Sheridan. I hammered the pedals in an unsuccessful attempt to make the light. When I finally crossed I saw some road bikers making the turn around and heading south. I passed two older gentlemen and asked them how their ride up had been. One guy croaked that it was brutal. Up ahead I caught up to two younger and well outfitted bicyclists. I was reluctant to pass them because I didn't want to show them up in any way. But they were practically crawling and I had work to do. I said hello as I passed and anticipated them blowing by me down the road. But they never showed. Either they were too worn out from the ride north or they turned off somewhere nearby.

I was really moving this morning. In some stretches I got up to 25 mph. Around Belmont I caught sight of the bicyclist that I believed preceded me through Sheridan. Feeling pretty fresh I picked up the pace to reel him in. It took me until after the Oak Street curve to finally catch up. I said hello as I eased abreast and received an enthusiastic greeting in return. We then discussed how much we enjoyed the following winds compared to the day before. I found that Hugh is the president of his company and he tries to bike to work about as much as me. We shared the ride all the way to Roosevelt and Indiana where he headed south.

Continuing west with the sunshine at my back I almost felt like Curly on his horse in the opening scenes of Oklahoma!

Distance Traveled: 24.3 miles
Distance to date: 2505.5 miles
Price of gas: $3.16

Head Wind

2007-04-17T22:50:00.000-05:00

I hadn't read the weather report before I set out this afternoon so I was taken by surprise when I walked outside and felt the 20 mph winds from the north. So I knew it was going to be a tough ride home today. But unlike a few weeks ago when I tried to hammer through it, I resolved to pace myself and get home without giving myself a stroke.

While biking east I was continually whipped from side to side but at least I kept a respectable speed. Once I headed north on the Lakeshore Trail I could only bike about 11 mph at a sustained rate. I passed casual bicyclists that were really struggling.

Just south of the river a commuter on a road bike got on the path in front of me and we both maneuvered through the tricky area between Wacker Drive and Navy Pier. Once we got north of Ohio Street Beach I eased by him and grunted a greeting. I trudged through the wind and picked up a bit more speed but the going was tough. At North Avenue Beach the same commuter passed me and I suggested we team up to get us through this gale. He agreed and I got a bit of a breather in his slipstream. Just south of Fullerton he pulled over so I could take my turn. I really labored through the wind to do my part. I found I was able to get up to 16 mph. My objective was to make it to Belmont and let him take the lead again. By this time the winds seemed to be tempered by the buildings and the biking wasn't so bad anymore. I eased up at Belmont but my partner wasn't there. Odd.

Up ahead I saw a mountain biker with a pretty good pace and figured I could leach off of him. The ride is pretty bumpy along this way and trying to catch up with him started to wear me out. I never did catch him and he eventually turned off just north of Montrose. So I had to finish this trip on my own.

Distance Traveled: 24.3 miles
Distance to date: 2481.2 miles
Price of gas: $3.11

Angela Jaynes Gage

2007-04-17T20:36:00.000-05:00

Angela is a City of Chicago Traffic Aide and mother of two who was killed on Monday morning when a 17 year old unlicensed and uninsured driver ran a red light and struck her at the intersection of Archer and Ashland Avenue. Reading about her death really saddened me because in the last six months I've really come to appreciate how valuable Chicago's Traffic Aides are and how they are probably under appreciated. In a previous post I noted how chaotic traffic is during the hours when they aren't on duty. I think most people (including myself) frequently take them for granted and even get irritated on the occasions they hold us up at an intersection or a turn. But what really burns me up is the punk who carelessly took her life was only cited for disobeying a red light, failure to reduce speed and not having insurance or a driver's license. WHAT THE FUCK!?

Monday!

2007-04-16T21:10:00.000-05:00

Over the weekend I was able to fix my damaged GPS with a glob of epoxy and cotton flox (powdered cotton fibers to give the goo some structure). It isn't showroom new but at least it'll mount on my bike again and wont let the rain in. I also had to put on new brake pads. I found it odd that they had worn down so much since late January. Maybe the salt and cold did something to the rubber to make the pads quickly degrade. But I did put about 700 hard miles on the bike since they were last replaced.

This morning was partly sunny but around 30°. So I donned all my winter riding gear once again. The ride was the usual routine. Just a few bicyclists, runners and walkers on the Lakefront Trail.

Riding along the bike path I contemplated Chicago hosting the Olympics in 2016. The path would probably be a crowded mess but it would be quite exciting. A Chicago Olympics reminded me of The Devil In The White City, a book I read a few years ago about a murderer during the Chicago Worlds Fair in 1893. The book also describes how Daniel Burnham designed the fair grounds despite massive challenges. It's a good read.

My wrist isn't bothering me as much anymore. Just last week it was really sore though. Hmmm.

Distance Traveled: 24.3 miles
Distance to date: 2456.9 miles
Price of gas: $3.11

More Train Racing

2007-04-13T21:35:00.000-05:00

Another light biking week. It was a cool afternoon with negligible winds. A light crowd was on the Lakefront Trail.

My drive train is really beginning to act up. Whenever I down shift my chain starts to skip in my rear derailleur and my front derailleur is all but useless. The cold and wet city driving has really taken a toll on my bike. It is getting to the point that I might as well just convert my bike to a fixed gear. I don't think my knees would tolerate the small drive sprockets I see fixed gear bikes sporting though. I usually bike on the third gear and have a quick cadence.

Clark Street had more than the usual turning cars and other related hazards. It seemed I had to bob and weave all over the place to avoid getting smooshed.

Just as I turned from Isabella to Poplar in Wilmette I was passed by my nemesis, the Metra #355 from Chicago. I was just going to let it go but when I got to the Wilmette station it had just pulled away. So I thought I might be able to at least catch it in Kenilworth. With all the signals still blocking cross traffic I was able to scream northbound. But just as I came in view of the Kenilworth station I saw it pull away. Since the train was still within my grasp I decided to continue chasing to the next stop at Indian Hill. But the route takes me about a block away from the tracks so I had more mileage to cover this time. As I hammered slightly uphill to the next station I just barely missed catching it. The distance between stops now increases so I knew my last chance was to catch the train at the Winnetka station. But I was getting really tired now and my form was getting ragged. When I saw the train's taillights through the trees at the station I figured I still had a chance. A southbound local blocked my view until I passed under Oak Street. I saw I was too late. The train was moving now and I know that once it gets rolling it accelerates much quicker than a fatigued middle aged guy on a bike. So I eased up and decided the enjoy the rest of my ride.

Distance Traveled: 24.3 miles
Distance to date: 2432.6 miles
Price of gas: $3.11

Another Crack Up

2007-04-10T21:50:00.000-05:00

This morning it was in the mid 20s but clear. The winds were in my face this time so I didn't move at quite as brisk a pace as yesterday.

On the Green Bay Trail in Wilmette I spied a guy on a mountain bike a few blocks ahead. I figured him to be the same person I passed along this way a week or two ago. But he surprised me then by being right on my tail about a mile afterward on Isabella. But then I saw he was gone as I passed Ryan Field. He wore a Northwestern warm up suit so I figured him to be a coach or something. On this morning's ride he had a very quick pace and I came nowhere near catching him. Sure enough he turned off Isabella at Ashland and slowed as if he was heading into the arena.

As I approached Sheridan from Ardmore I saw a commuter on a road bike starting along the Lakefront Trail. His pace didn't seem to fast so I thought I'd try to catch up in case he was someone I knew. But just as I headed south the moderate winds slowed me some. The guy seemed to handle the wind much better than me and I realized there was no way I was going to catch up. So I just did my best to keep him in sight. The effort really wore me out. He increased the distance between us and it wasn't until he headed south from Ohio Street Beach that I eventually lost him.

I took it easy from then on in. But I had a major mishap just as I got into work. They have security barriers at our parking that require drivers to enter a code number to make it drop. The guards at the gate usually just wave me through because they recognize me and then I bike around the barrier. But today I waited as a car went through and for some reason I followed it over the barrier. Just as my wheel got to the barrier it started up and I ended up tumbling over it bike and all. I must have looked like a jockey and horse muffing a jump at a steeple chase. Other than coming down on my gimp wrist I didn't think I or my bike suffered any damage. The security guard came up and asked if I was ok. I said I was fine but my ego was a bit bruised. When I got to the bike rack I saw that my GPS now had a hole in it where part of it was broken off. The thing certainly has suffered a lot of abuse. Hopefully I can fix it somehow.

When I get to my work area my colleagues sometimes ask how my ride went. I didn't tell them about another crack up because they will think I'm a total klutz. But I especially didn't want them knowing the details of this one because some of them are the type that would get the security video and put it on YouTube.

Distance Traveled: 24.3 miles
Distance to date: 2408.3 miles
Price of gas: $3.07

Another Freaking Cold Ride

2007-04-09T21:40:00.000-05:00

I couldn't bike home last week but I did haul my ride home for the weekend. I had hoped to adjust the rear dérailleur and generally clean up the bike but all I did was swap my Panaracer Urban Max "snow" tires for some 700 x 28 summer tires I bought at Performance last week.

While at Performance I was considering buying another bottle of White Lightning wax chain lube but the guy at the counter talked me out of it. He said I should just go back to a regular lube such as Prolink. But after looking at my drive chain over the weekend I saw that there were only a few waxy lumps on one of my smaller cogs. Overall there is not a lot of gunk, my chain runs smooth, and the whole drive chain is considerably less grimey. However there is a bit of rust in places that the wax just doesn't protect. I still have about a months worth of lube left so I'll just see how it goes before I decide to stick with it or go back to traditional lube.

With a tail wind this afternoon and the narrower tires I really zipped home. I had a bit bumpier ride and my GPS was jarred from its housing three times. I learned my lesson from the last time my GPS went flying and now use the unit's lanyard to attach it to my handlebars.

It was pretty cold out so not many bicyclists out but more than there were about a month ago. When I arrived home I was greeted with the news that my three year old son finally pooped in the toilet instead of his toddler diaper. Great success!

Distance Traveled: 24.3 miles
Distance to date: 2384.0 miles
Price of gas: $3.07 (Holy crap!)

More Winter Riding

2007-04-05T22:19:00.000-05:00

After yesterday's beating I planned on taking it easy on today's ride. However with the sun coming up I was pretty energized. I started a little later this morning and as a result it was almost daylight when I headed out. Being able to look around was a nice change. My legs were still a little fatigued from biking into the wind yesterday. But the breeze was primarily at my back so I enjoyed a bit of a push. The temperature was in the high 20s but it wasn't anything I hadn't experienced before.

The Lakefront Trail was pretty much devoid of bike traffic this morning. The water was pretty choppy and sent waves crashing on the Lakefront Trail just south of Fullerton. At the Oak Street curve the water was washing all the way up to the Lakeshore Drive wall.

Biking along the future DuSable Park reminded me of the recent proposal by developers hoping to build the nearby spire/sky scraper. The developers hope to add a ramp off of lower Lakeshore Drive that would cut into the existing bike path which would kind of suck. But they also have plans for pedestrian bridges to the east that I guess would reroute bike traffic. A writer at the Chicago Tribune doubts the project will ever get off the ground so it might be a moot point.

At the intersection of Roosevelt and Paulina I had two near misses. A car turning left from oncoming traffic headed right toward me. I swerved away only to be nearly crunched by a car turning from the right. I felt like a character in a video game. I had the right of way in both cases so I think the drivers just didn't see me in the glare of the morning sun. The driver of the second vehicle was a lady that works on my floor in my building. When I got to work she got off the parking garage elevator just as I walked into the lobby. She didn't see me though; that would have been really awkward.

Distance Traveled: 24.3 miles
Distance to date: 2359.7 miles
Price of gas: $2.81

30°, Gusting Winds; Typical Chicago Biking Weather

2007-04-04T21:59:00.000-05:00

Luckily I still carry my winter biking clothes; although I forgot to pack my long johns. My wrist still bothers me from my crack up over a month ago. I recently bought a Futuro neoprene wrist support that works pretty well though.

Holy crap did this ride kick my ass! 22 mph westerly winds bitch slapped me almost the entire trip. By the time I finally got off the Lakefront Trail I was ready for a nap. This was the most grueling bike commute yet. But I didn't realize this until I got home. After I showered and changed I was just so dog tired. All I wanted to do was eat and go to sleep. My thighs felt like lead. Boo hoo. Beats driving though.

I detoured through downtown Winnetka to drop off my electric and water payment.

Distance Traveled: 25.3 miles
Distance to date: 2335.4 miles
Price of gas: $2.81

Beating A Software Pirate

2007-04-03T21:32:00.000-05:00

Ride this morning was great. Avoided the rain and didn't get killed.

I recently purchased an older version of Garmin street map software on eBay (since I use my GPS for biking this is tangentially relevant). But when I received it in the mail I saw that it was clearly a copy and not a used version of the original. It was a very, very good copy and worked as advertised but I didn't appreciate the seller getting one over on me. So I sent him a pointed email clearly stating he was a software pirate and demanding my money back. He promptly responded and offered a refund in addition to return shipping. I was still peeved and didn't want him to sell the bogus software to anyone else. I said I'd throw it in the garbage instead but still insisted I get my money. The guy wasn't game and at this point I realized he still didn't admit to anything illegal.

Then I really analyzed his racket. I saw he was no longer offering Garmin software but was still selling other types of inexpensive software and had been doing so for months. One can look at the items a person has purchased in the recent past by looking at the feedback left for the transaction. I noticed that for some transactions the buyer's identity was kept private which ultimately hid what was actually sold. This was obviously some way of covering his tracks.

I reported this guy's operation to eBay but I didn't have much hope they would do anything. EBay is very forgiving with their sellers since that is where they get their money. So I contacted the publishers of all the other software he currently had for sale. I told them the titles he was offering and of my strong suspicion's that they were pirated. I also provided them with the crook's name and address.

I checked the guy's auctions for a few days but was disappointed he was still in operation. When I checked again this morning I saw that all his auctions were pulled and ALL his feedback was now private. I would prefer that his account be cancelled but at least I've cut off his immediate source of funding. I'll keep an eye on him.

Distance Traveled: 24.3 miles
Distance to date: 2310.1 miles
Price of gas: $2.81

Train Racing

2007-04-02T20:54:00.000-05:00

It has been more than a week since I've been able to bike to or from work. Today was a terrific day to bike home; mid 60s, dry and minimal wind.

Just north of Ohio Street a commuter on a road bike glided past me. I did my best to keep up with him but he was soon passed by another roadie out for a training ride. So he began to hammer the pedals to keep up with the roadie. There was no way I was going to try and catch these guys because they now were both on a mission. But I kept them in sight. Eventually the training roadie must have turned off; he wasn't so fast that he was going to completely disappear. Along Belmont Harbor a guy on a mountain bike appeared and I tried to keep up with him. He had a killer pace and passed the road commuter and again the chase was on between the two. They blazed very far ahead. I began to feel really old and in sorry shape. I consoled myself with the fact that I was definitely hauling the biggest load since my pannier still had my winter gear in addition to all the other junk I usually pack to and from work. At Montrose the mountain biker turned around. I guess he was only into short sprints. Eventually I caught up to the commuter who was stopped at the turn around at Hollywood. So I declared myself the winner. Big stuff!

In Wilmette I was able to glide through cross traffic waiting out a northbound Metra train stopping at the station. The train's horn let out a haunting wail. Growing up here people were killed every few years along these tracks and that horn still gives me the shivers. While biking along the Green Bay Trail the train caught up to me but had to stop again in Kenilworth. I passed it at the station and started to hammer the pedals so I could beat it to Indian Hill. My legs were still pretty fatigued from trying to keep up with the commuter on the Lakefront Trail so I figured I could slow down once the train passed me again. Much to my surprise I beat the train to Indian Hill. So now I had to race it to Winnetka. I pressed on but was also aided by a slight downhill. Amazingly I beat the train to Winnetka and raced it to my finish line at Hubbard Woods. I was only going about 19 to 20 mph but the wind in my ears made me think the train was right behind me. I looked back and saw the train's headlight through the trees along the tracks. I couldn't tell how far back it was so I kept up my pace. I finally made it to the trail's off ramp at Tower road and raced up to the bridge so I could watch the train pass under me. It took a while for the train to pass so I assumed it must have been delayed at a station in order for me to have beaten it.

Distance Traveled: 24.3 miles
Distance to date: 2285.8 miles
Price of gas: $2.81

More Summer In March

2007-03-26T13:12:00.000-05:00

Summer-like conditions have made biking to work a breeze (even with some steady headwinds). It was in the mid 60s this morning with partly cloudy skies. I use to prefer biking down Green Bay Road instead of the Green Bay Trail in the morning but all the pot holes have changed my mind. It is still dark when I leave but the mornings are gradually getting brighter.

I recently received some 2-for-1 coupons at Cereality Cereal Bar and Cafe in Evanston. So one of these mornings I might make a pit stop and check the place out. Then again I may not. Once I get rolling I don’t like to stop.

Upon reaching the Lakefront Trail I was just behind a biker on one of those light green Bianchi road bikes. He kept a pretty good pace and it wasn’t until around Lawrence that I glided up to him and said hello. I pulled in front thinking he’d draft for a while but when I later glanced back I couldn’t see him in my peripheral vision.

I spotted a guy way off in the distance on what could have been a fixed gear bike. His white socks were pulled up high and he obviously wasn’t a slave to biking fashion. I don’t think he had a helmet either. Nonetheless his pace was tougher than mine and I lost him.

Around Addison I saw another bicyclist to run down. He was a tough nut to crack. It took me until just north of Ohio Street to finally catch up to him (he probably didn’t know he was being chased though). I kept a polite distance and trailed him until he broke off at Randolph. Good thing too; I was beat.

I feel a lot stronger than I did when I started biking regularly last summer. However my commute time isn’t quite as quick as I thought it would be by now. But I’m enjoying myself more.

Distance Traveled: 24.3 miles
Distance to date: 2261.5 miles
Price of gas: $2.64

Biker In The Mist

2007-03-23T19:25:00.000-05:00

Work responsibilities prevented me from biking home until today. It was in the high 40s, drizzling, and light winds. I started work at 5:00 am so I left around 2:30 pm.

Biking through mid afternoon traffic on Roosevelt Road made me realize the importance of City of Chicago's Traffic Control Aides. During rush hour there are Traffic Control Aides at every major intersection from Ashland to Columbus keeping people honest and moving traffic along. But Roosevelt Road is still busy off peak and it was a gridlocked mess for motorists. Fortunately it was absolutely no problem for me. In fact it greatly improved my ride through the area. I often have to wait out the lights at Halsted and Union. But a big construction rig was turning and blocking all traffic. So I just zipped around everyone and had eastbound Roosevelt all to myself. There was much of the same from Des Plaines to Canal.

Since family and dinner weren't waiting for me, I took it easier on my ride home. I passed an older gentleman with a plastic bag hanging from his handlebar. He reminded me of a co-worker who did the same thing with his groceries. The guy was biking home and caught one of his bags in his front wheel. He flipped his bike, broke his collarbone and was off work for a week and off his bike for months. He probably lost his groceries too. So let that be a lesson to you little leaguers out there.

Sherman Avenue in Evanston use to be a pleasure to bike on. But now it is a pothole and gravel mess from University Place to Gaffield. It is amazing what a wet winter can do to asphalt and concrete (some people at work pronounce it "ash-fault"; kind of annoying after a while).

Distance Traveled: 24.3 miles
Distance to date: 2237.2 miles
Price of gas: $2.64

Good Deed For The Day

2007-03-20T10:31:00.000-05:00

Last night I figured out how to operate the road phone. I looked in the phone’s contact list for Mom but came up empty; sad. So I telephoned the last number called and explained the situation. I learned the phone belonged to a gentleman named Clyde and he was really upset he lost it. So I gave this person my telephone number and asked he pass it to Clyde. Later that night Clyde called and we arranged to meet this morning at a gas station on Clark and Touhy.

I got off at 6:00 am. I was a little sluggish and had a lot of things on my mind (mostly problems that’ll cost me a lot of money or be a pain in the ass). So I wasn’t in the best of moods. 17 mph winds were reported from the northeast so I hoped I’d get a little push this morning.

I hammered through the darkness in near freezing weather. I had to search through a pile of dirty laundry for my headband; I thought I wouldn’t need it again until next fall. But it was pretty cold. My fingers were also a bit cold since I was only wearing one pair of glove liners.

At around 6:30 am I arrived at the Mobil station as arranged. While I waited for Clyde, a road biker turned from Touhy to Clark looking like he was headed to the Lakefront Trail. At least I wouldn’t be passed by him this morning. Clyde arrived shortly thereafter in a nice gold Cadillac. He really appreciated getting his phone back and even offered a reward. I declined but was very gratified I was able to brighten his day. It also improved my mood so I did get something out of my minimal efforts.

The winds gave me a nice boost once I got on the Lakefront Trail. I was going to be early to work so I took it easy and enjoyed the sunrise.

Distance Traveled: 24.3 miles
Distance to date: 2212.9 miles
Price of gas: $2.64

Free Cellphone!

2007-03-19T22:28:00.000-05:00

Beautiful afternoon for biking. My left wrist still aches and I’ve concluded it’ll probably be a problem for a while. So I might as well learn to live with it. Steady winds from the west both hindered and helped my progress. The Lakefront Trail was moderately populated.

Just past Navy Pier I started to tail a roadie wearing a backpack. He had a much quicker pace but since I could still see him I made an effort to keep up. Near Fullerton my knees were really burning though. Most of the time it is my thighs that give out on me. So I backed off and decided to just enjoy the ride. As I passed a few bicyclists I said hi but again got nothing in return. Oh well.

I’ve been pretty generous with the White Lightning chain lubricant and it has paid off. My drive train is pretty quiet and the chain doesn’t jump from cog to cog anymore. I still need to adjust my derailleur but it is livable.

I really like riding in daylight again. I enjoy the ride and I’ve shaved about 10 minutes off my commute.

On Clark Street just north of Devon I passed a cell phone lying in the street. At first I figured it was a busted piece of junk but I stopped and turned around to make sure. Once I picked it up I realized someone accidentally dropped it there. Since it wasn’t a model I was familiar with I couldn’t figure out how to operate it in hopes of determining its owner. Then it powered off and I couldn’t turn it back on. So I threw it in my bag with the intent of taking another look at it when I got home.

On the Green Bay Trail at the border of Winnetka and Kenilworth I passed a couple on their bikes. Unlike the others they responded enthusiastically to my greeting. Joy of joys.

Distance Traveled: 24.3 miles
Distance to date: 2188.6 miles
Price of gas: $2.64

Wimped Out Yet Again

2007-03-16T23:31:00.000-05:00

I gave blood late today, my wrist and back are still killing me, it is in the 30s and is really windy; so I decided not to bike home today.

I wanted to figure out what is wrong with my middle chainring and adjust my rear derailleur over the weekend though. Since I don't have a bike rack on my car I would have to wrestle it into my back seat. I decided to just work late and leave that for another weekend. Oh well.

Humid Hump Day

2007-03-14T17:34:00.000-05:00

I got on the road at 6:00 am. The news said the temps were in the high 50s but it felt even warmer since it was pretty humid. My glasses were a little foggy and prevented me from seeing potholes and other hazards. So I just threw them in my shirt's back pocket.

My bike is still kind of screwed up. Despite giving it a good cleaning the night before, my chain still gets caught up. I think either my middle chainring is warped or it has a bad tooth. It was really, really annoying.

Other than that it was a very nice ride in. Since I didn't have to look out for puddles, ice, and snow I was able to really able to hammer down the Lakefront Trail despite a headwind. I managed to bike to work about 15 minutes faster than I did throughout the winter.

Once I got in I gave my chain another coat of White Lightning chain lube. It isn't as convenient to use as regular chain lube and doesn't do too well against rust but I really like that it is pretty clean. I'll keep using it for the time being and see how well it does through spring.

Distance Traveled: 24.3 miles
Distance to date: 2164.3 miles
Price of gas: $2.64

Summer in March

2007-03-13T21:05:00.000-05:00

Despite my gimpy wrist and sore back it was just too warm out to stay off my bike. I wrapped my wrist real well and figured my back would be fine as it never bothers me while riding. I thought it was going to be in the 60s when I left work today but I guess it was at least 70°. It was nice not having to wear all my winter gear for a change.

My bike wasn't in good shape. The last time I'd touched it, it was encrusted in snow, salt and street grime. Since I hadn't originally planned on biking home I didn't pack any chain lube. At first it wasn't too bad but upon reaching the Lakefront Trail I began to really hear my chain squeal. Then my already marginal shifting got even worse. My chain was jumping all over the place.

The Lakefront Trail was jam packed but I didn't mind the congestion. It was really nice to see some life on my commute home for a change. At Grand Avenue I started to follow a guy on a road bike who wore a big back pack. I kept a bit of a distance and just wanted to see if I could keep up. Just south of Fullerton I gave up. He had a pretty fast pace and it was especially challenging with my crunchy drive train. I managed to keep him in sight all the way up to Ardmore though and caught him just as the light was changing. He and a pack of other bicyclists turned up Kenmore while I continued west to venture up Broadway.

By this time my wrist was beginning to ache and my gearing was just awful. Both were really spoiling what would have been a fantastic day. At least I had a nice tailwind. At the stop light at Isabella and Sheridan I came upon a group of bicyclists out for a training ride. I said hi but was really glad I was turning. All the racket from my bike would have been embarassing.

Once I got home I gave my bike a good cleaning and lubed the chain. I noticed my rear brake pads were really worn down. This was especially surprising since I just changed them a few months ago. My rear wheel is also a little out of true. I figure it must have been from the potholes last week.

Distance Traveled: 24.3 miles
Distance to date: 2140.0 miles
Price of gas: $2.64

Injured

2007-03-10T17:54:00.000-06:00

Not biking much. My back and my wrist are still killing me and riding around probably aggravates the problem. I'm just hoping the time off the road will heal what ails me. I was consoled about missing a ride since it rained so much on Friday afternoon I would have been pretty miserable.

I mangaged to fix my GPS after taking it apart and putting it back together about a zillion times. For some reason I couldn't consistenly turn it on and off. I never figured out what was wrong with it but I guess enough fiddling around with it cured the problem. Unscrewing the back and taking it apart isn't the rocket science most would think it is since these things are designed so illiterate 12 year olds can assemble them in foreign sweatshops.

Distance Traveled: 0.0 miles
Distance to date: 2115.7 miles
Price of gas: $2.64

Where Did All Of This Damn Snow Come From?

2007-03-07T14:03:00.000-06:00

I forgot to set my alarm this morning and had to rush in order to get on the road in a timely manner. I knew there was going to be light snow the night before but there must have been two inches on the ground. This winter seems like it is going to last until May!

The roads were wet and slushy but not too hazardous. All the moisture created unseen hazards though. What look like mere puddles can end up being deep potholes. I managed to avoid many of these traps until just north of Howard I plonked right through one and jarred my GPS from its housing. I saw it skid along the pavement and feared I’d damaged my front wheel as well. After retrieving the GPS and continuing on I figured neither it nor the wheel sustained noticeable damage.

The surface of the north end of the Lakefront Trail was like gooey donut icing. The Chicago Park District did a pretty good job of clearing away all the new snow but the biking path was still soft, slushy, and slippery. I kept to a slower than normal pace and managed through it without much trouble. Just past the Totem Pole at Addison the path wasn’t clear at all. I guess the crew that clears the section from here to Navy Pier must not have set their alarm clocks either. But this wasn’t a major problem; the path was snowy and also bumpy in some spots but still passable.

I decided to detour away from what I’ll call the Fullerton Ice Shelf. I took the high path in an effort to avoid cracking up on what might be hidden sheets of ice. But I ran into an unseen ditch crossing the path and was really jarred. Again my GPS went flying and I also jettisoned my water bottle. I couldn’t get my GPS back on and I fear it sustained permanent damage.

The snow provided more traction over all the icy chunks along the Oak Street curve and I managed to gingerly bike almost all the way through to clearer surface. But at the end I fishtailed on a really smooth section and had to walk the rest of the way out. I stayed high on the banked path as I biked through the slippery snow. There were tracks on the level portion closer to the water but I figured I’d have a better chance of avoiding a swim if I stayed where I was.

Just south of Wacker I passed another bike commuter traveling north. I’ve seen him quite frequently in the past month and I grunt out a greeting or smile. I always get nothing in return though. Oh well. Maybe my approach is too subtle.

Roosevelt Road was a blast. Traffic snarls created a virtual bike lane through stopped cars. Tailwinds and traffic lights were in my favor and I figured I made this last leg of my commute in record time. Too bad my GPS was busted. Otherwise I would have been able to verify this.

Distance Traveled: 24.3 miles
Distance to date: 2115.7 miles
Price of gas: $2.64

Dry Tuesday

2007-03-06T22:01:00.000-06:00

Blasting south easterly winds provided an unwelcome surprise this afternoon. I had been expecting relatively mild conditions and instead I get bone shaking wind chill. But after about 10 minutes of hard riding it wasn’t an issue.

The Lakefront Trail was pretty dry and clear. The winds actually proved to be an ally giving me a boost of 1-3 mph. Winds from the lake created an obstacle course of rocky ice at the Oak Street curve. I chose to push my bike through a meandering path rather than chance crashing again. But soon it was clear again and I was on my way. Encountered another bicyclist headed north and we greeted each other as I passed by. Just south of Fullerton I encountered a long patch of ice where the winds off the lake coat the path. I wiped out earlier this year along this same stretch. I eased my way through it but will be mindful of it when I bike this way tomorrow.

The rest of my ride was the usual routine.

Distance Traveled: 24.3 miles
Distance to date: 2091.4 miles
Price of gas: $2.64

Clear Monday

2007-03-05T09:10:00.000-06:00

The only unusual aspect of my morning bike ride to work was it was light out when I rolled out at 6:00 am. The sun hadn’t risen yet but the clear predawn skies provided a hint of daylight. This was fortunate since my replacement helmet mount for my tail light was still enroute from Planet Bike. Strong winds from the northwest gave me a bit of a push and the roads were dry. Even with temperatures in the mid 20s, it was ideal biking conditions.

Before my ride I was concerned because my left wrist still ached from my mishap last week and now my back was acting up. Because of my bum wrist I had been lifting things (groceries, firewood, children) in an abnormal manner and it think it caused me to pull a muscle in my lower back. Once on the road neither malady bothered me. I guess holding on to the handlebars took the weight off my back.

The conditions on the Lakefront Trail were generally pretty good. There were quite a few icy patches on the north end of the trail but by Wilson the path was mostly clear all the way to Roosevelt Road.

As I was waiting out a red light at Roosevelt and Columbus, I saw a gentleman on a low, low recumbent head down Roosevelt as well. I figured it was the same guy I saw months ago further west. Once I got the green I hoped to catch up to get a better look at him. Upon cresting the hill over the South Shore tracks I saw the recumbent was way ahead of me at Wabash or State Street. I was further delayed at red lights and last saw him cresting the hill past Clark Street. I think I got a glimpse of him through the congestion between Canal and the Dan Ryan Expressway but he was so low I couldn’t be sure. I hammered the pedals thinking I’d catch up but I never saw him again. I feel really vulnerable on a regular bike on this part of Roosevelt. So I can’t imagine risking my neck on a recumbent against the crazy drivers in this neighborhood. But then again people think I’m nuts.

Distance Traveled: 24.3 miles
Distance to date: 2067.1 miles
Price of gas: $2.64

Wimp Out Averted

2007-03-02T20:47:00.000-06:00

I was walking around downtown this afternoon and the wind was whipping and light snow not only limited visibility but made the sidewalks quite slippery. Add to that my ailing wrist and broken tail light, I was talking myself out of biking home. The weather improved by the time I got back to work and I knew if I bagged today's ride then it would cancel out biking back on Monday. By quitting time the skies brightened a bit so I did a gut check and got my gear ready for biking.

In this weather I find myself being more uncomfortable walking a few blocks than I do biking 24 miles. Once I got on the road I wondered why I had so much trouble talking myself into biking anyway. Many of my co-workers either think I'm crazy or admire my spunk. I don't dissuade them from these opinions but if they tried biking themselves they'd realize it isn't a pain at all (most of the time anyway).

My wrist still ached from my crack up but if I kept my hand positioned over the hood of my shifter it didn't bother me at all. The surface of the Lakefront Trail varied from just wet to a slight layer of snow. Some areas had shallow drifts. Steady winds from the southeast but wind gusted significantly from all directions. Along Grant Park I was literally blown about a foot sideways. It made for a little bit of excitement. Ohio to Oak Street, the bugaboo of my winter route, was crisscrossed with snow and puddles but was easily navigated.

Through Lincoln Park I was mesmerized by five bike tracks in the snow. A set of fat tires frequently crisscrossed the path and a thinner set kept a straighter line. One set was lighter than the rest indicating the rider preceded the others. Further north where the path was clearer of ice and puddles, the thin tired straight track was on the other side of the path indicating a southbound course. I realized this could be the track of a sharply attired roadie I passed long ago in Grant Park. After the underpass at Buena Avenue the path became of tangle of tracks but the meandering fat tires were still prominent. Within a quarter mile I caught up to them and they belonged to a young lady who might have been the same person I startled when passing her on the path in January. I said hello as I passed but much quieter than the last time. She was bundled up so I didn't notice any reaction.

Crossing Lake Avenue in Wilmette was like opening the door into a snow storm. The ride suddenly went from wet and clear to snow crusting flurries. It was more peculiar than bothersome. Although the 100 yard track in south Kenilworth was a series of slushy and frozen ruts that nearly caused me to wipe out again.

The Green Bay Trail in Winnetka had a generally uniform layer of rime snow. The snowflakes lit up in my headlamp and the crunching surface gave me the illusion of biking at great speed but my GPS clocked me at only 12-13 mph.

Distance Traveled: 24.3 miles
Distance to date: 2042.8 miles
Price of gas: $2.59

2000 Mile Crack Up

2007-03-01T22:00:00.000-06:00

About 25° and cloudy when I headed out at 6:00 am. I was extra careful knowing that puddles from last night were now patches of ice this morning. My pounding the pedals yesterday caused me to feel a little sluggish today as I biked into a slight wind.

Trudging up Isabella, way up ahead I saw a bicyclist cross my path where Sheridan turns into Ridge. As I continued on my route I saw he preceded me. I dialed it up a bit and finally closed in on him in downtown Evanston. From the rear I saw it was Troy, a gentleman I've known for a few years through activities with my sons. I greeted him and we shared the ride. I knew he was a tandem owner so I asked about it as my wife and I also hope to own one some day. I don’t normally like talking and biking in traffic but it was still pretty early and not many cars were out yet.

Once we got on the Lakefront Trail we were joined by a mountain bike rider. The mountie kept a pretty quick pace and eventually passed us. I had no desire to keep up with him as the path was really icy. Eventually we did catch up and stayed with him in his slipstream. I passed him and offered to let him draft for a while. Soon I had to slow for some ice and Troy took the lead. The mountain biker came up beside me and we talked a bit. He told me he bikes to work every day. I guess the mountain biker preferred to ride in front because he took over the lead again and allowed Troy and I to draft. We continued in a pace line all the way to North Avenue.

Just south of the North Avenue pedestrian bridge the path branches off. I opt for the route closer to Lake Shore Drive but I guess the mountain biker prefers the route passing the beach house. I followed along and found the route sloppy with deep puddles and ice. Troy and the mountain biker were going to break off and head for the underpass while I was to continue south. As I was about to say good bye I lost control on an icy patch and wiped out. All morning I'd been extremely wary of the path conditions and the one time I let my guard down I bite it.

It was my worst spill yet. I felt myself tumble along the pavement knocking my shoulder, knee, and hand. When I eventually came to rest my left wrist was sore and various pieces of bike gear were strewn about. Troy retrieved my helmet tail light and I picked my GPS out of some slush. I waved the mountain biker off and told Troy I was ok but he didn't seem convinced. I was a bit shaken up but only my wrist bothered me. I again assured Troy I was fine and we went our separate ways. My bike survived the fall with only minor tearing of the handlebar tape. But I was a bit worried how well I'd manage the rest of the ride with an aching left wrist. At least nothing was broken.

I continued at a slower pace until I cleared my head of the crash. My wrist didn't bother me too much as long as I didn't move it. Fortunately the Oak Street Curve was generally clear. The frozen slush and puddles on the path after the curve presented the most challenging biking I've ever encountered on my commute. The surface was a combination of rough chunky snow and ice. Had my wrist not been injured it might have been a little fun. South of Chicago Avenue the path cleared some and the route was less treacherous.

South of Illinois I stopped to adjust my helmet, take a drink, and continue to get my head back together. I saw the mount for my Planet Bike helmet blinky was busted. Bummer. I continued the rest of my ride slower than my usual pace. Getting banged up in one way or another tends to drain me. My rear derailleur was also acting up again.

I got to work without any more drama and assessed the damage. I skinned my left knee and shoulder, probably sprained my left wrist, scuffed up my jacket, put a hole in my already holey long underwear, and put a crack in the plastic cover of my helmet. The funny thing is that I really don't remember hitting my head.

That morning I called Planet Bike about my light mount. They directed me to their website where I later purchased a replacement for only $5 shipped. Nice!

Distance Traveled: 24.3 miles
Distance to date: 2018.5 miles
Price of gas: $2.59

Bus Racing

2007-02-27T21:47:00.000-06:00

About freezing, overcast and minimal wind this afternoon. It was a terrific day to bike home. The roads were relatively dry and I seemed to get all green lights down Roosevelt Road.

The Lakefront Path was pretty clear but frequently wet. From around Chicago Avenue to Oak Street there was about an inch of slushy snow that made biking kind of treacherous. I initially fishtailed and took this as a strong suggestion I slow it down a bit. Once I got to the Oak Street Curve the snow cleared and I just had wet pavement again. When I bike back to work tomorrow morning I'll have a tougher time as I'm sure most of the puddles will be frozen. I moved at a good clip today; between 16 and 19 mph. After leaving the Lakefront Trail I seemed to get mostly green lights again.

On Clark Street just north of Devon I was passed by a shuttle bus operated by the Robinson Bus Company. It was kind of a tight squeeze between the bus and parked cars. But soon thereafter I passed him when he was caught at a light and there began our see-saw battle through traffic. The lead must have changed four or five times all the way to Evanston. On two occasions when we both waited out the light I did my best to swing out wide so he could pass me without worry. But eventually the congestion enabled me to catch up again and zip by. Just north of Howard he passed me with a warning toot. There he gained a huge advantage because there are no traffic lights for the half mile stretch to South Boulevard. I saw he was delayed by a red light but not long enough for me to catch up. I kept him in sight and hoped to reach him at Main Street but I ended up the one delayed at a red light. Once I got going again I saw that traffic continued to slow his progress and I was able to reel him in eventually retaking the lead at Dempster. The lights were now all green but he must have gotten bogged down. Traffic began to lighten up so I really hammered in order to stay out front. Just as I was approaching my left turn on Clark I saw he was on my tail. I signaled my intentions and he graciously allowed me to take the lane leading up to my victory turn. He must have been glad to see me go.

Distance Traveled: 24.3 miles
Distance to date: 1994.2 miles
Price of gas: $2.59

Wimped Out Again

2007-02-26T20:55:00.000-06:00

I was planning to ride in to work today but the snow and rain over the weekend left the roads really slushy and nasty. I wasn't going to gamble that the Chicago Park District cleared the Lakefront Trail; although they have been pretty good about it. So I took the train in to work instead. While waiting for the Metra at Hubbard Woods I noticed the Green Bay Trail had a good three inches of snow and slush. The Village of Winnetka is usually pretty good about clearing it away but I guess they didn't get to it yet.

My hubs probably need repacking. If I had the proper sized cone wrenches I would have done it over the weekend. Maybe I'll just have some pros do it and save me the time. Kozy's has a pretty good turn around on service so I'll probably give them a call.

Cat Hunting

2007-02-23T22:50:00.000-06:00

Rico, my 14 year old cat, died last week. He'd been ailing a while and naturally I was really sad to see him go. I adopted him as a kitten when I was single and living in San Diego. I don't know much about animal to human bonding but he probably saw me as his mom. We have another cat and were afraid of her suffering from loneliness so we're looking to adopt another.

I clicked the banner ad for Felines, Inc. from Corehouse.blogspot.com and saw they were at Devon and Paulina, about a block off my route home. So I decided to pay them a visit this afternoon. They close at 6:00 pm but said they usually don't take new visitors after 5:00 pm. So I wanted to make sure I left myself plenty of time to bike the fifteen or so miles there.

I left work early to make it there by 5:00 pm but the stiff east northeasterly winds had other plans for me. On top of that it was much colder than I thought it would be so I didn't layer as much as I normally would have.

I set the cat shelter as the destination in my GPS so I'd be able to track my estimated time of arrival. Early in my ride it seemed I'd get there right at 5:00pm. But as I headed into the stiff winds my ETA kept getting later and later. So I pounded the pedals more. I think my eardrums were getting frost bite. Weird.

I started to hear my chain start to squeak. I guess the White Lightning chain lubricant was starting to wear off after three salty and wet rides. Not bad considering I usually lube my chain about that much anyway.

By the time I got to the Lakefront Trail my ETA was now 5:33pm; not good. Fortunately the path was completely clear for bike riding. Even the Oak Street curve was passable. Once I reached North Avenue Beach I saw I made up a little time. My ETA was now 5:18pm; a little late but not screamingly rude. I already filled out an application, had a list of cats I liked and ones my wife might tolerate so I could save even more time. I was still really pushing myself hard to get there by 5:00pm though. I was in such a hurry to leave work that I didn't refill my water bottle. So I was going to be very thirsty when I got home.

Once off the trail and on the city streets I biked a little more aggressively (but not rudely) than usual to make up more time. When I finally arrived I was bushed. I didn't make the 5:00 pm cut off but they let me take a look around anyway. One of two young ladies there even allowed me to stash my bike in their basement away from avaricious eyes (what a saint!). I looked around, took about a dozen photos for my wife and then I was off again to return at a later date.

It is my brother's birthday so I called him and asked if I could stop by. He lives about a mile up my route. I was glad to sit a while and visit with my brother and his roommate. In fact I really didn't feel like hitting the road again. It was below freezing and I just wanted to continue relaxing. But my wife was expecting me and I hit the road again.

The short siesta did me a bit of good. I biked with a new found energy and made it home without really thinking about it.

Distance Traveled: 24.4 miles
Distance to date: 1969.9 miles
Price of gas: $2.53

Biking Season Is Here!

2007-02-20T16:10:00.000-06:00

It is above freezing so time to start biking in earnest. This morning it was a bit frosty but nothing compared to the chills of the past few weeks. The ride was the most treacherous I've faced however. The combination of thaw and freeze left a lot of black ice on the roads and paths. But it was nice not having to don so much gear before I headed out to bike to work today.

My first of two spills occurred just as I got on the Lakeshore Path off Ardmore. I was speeding to beat the light across Sheriden and just didn't slow down enough for conditions. So I slid and laid the bike down skinning my right knee once again. Fortunately my long johns already had a hole in that area so I wasn't concerned about new damage. My wipe out no doubt broke the morning routine for a truck full of Chicago Park District workers on the path. But no other damage to me or the bike.

The section of the path between Ardmore and Lawrence was plenty wet and icy. There is a lot of snow runoff creating many slippery patches. Further south there were fewer icy spots.

From Oak to Ohio was by far the most challenging. The Oak Street Curve wasn't a problem. I didn't even have to dismount to bike on the ice and snow. But once on the straight-away it was very dicey. There was a path cleared of snow on this stretch but melting snow ran down the slope to the lake creating scores of icy patches. I biked quite slowly fearing a wipe out would send me close to or even into the Lake Michigan. I was glad to be out of there and back on more predictable surfaces.

My second spill was on the curve in the path between Randolph and Monroe. The park slopes and there is a lot of snow run off crossing the path. I fishtailed on some ice and part of my pannier caught the spoke and created the clothespin/baseball card effect. It wasn't much of a spill and was actually a blessing in disguise. Had I maintained the same speed I would have likely cracked up just up ahead where there was all sorts of water and ice.

My bike's shifting suffered the effects of the cold weather and is pretty ineffective. I need to readjust the cable on my rear derailleur because I screwed it all up trying to force it in the cold. So much for my recent tune up.

A block away from the office I noticed my bike had a subtle bounce to it as if it now had full suspension. I was starting to freak thinking I must have busted my frame somewhere but it all looked ok. Then with ironic relief I saw my front tire was going flat. I risked my front rim and limped the rest of the way. I didn't want any of my co-workers spotting me walking my bike or at the side of the road changing the tube. I'd bring the wheel home tonight and change it in the comfort of my basement since I'm not biking home again until Friday.

Distance Traveled: 24.3 miles
Distance to date: 1945.5 miles
Price of gas: $2.43

Back In The Saddle

2007-02-16T19:43:00.000-06:00

It was 12° and clear so I had no excuse not to bike home today. Work, family, heavy snows and a lack of resolve prevented me from biking for almost two weeks. So I was quite happy to get out there again this evening. Strong south southwesterly winds also helped. I practically coasted home.

The Lakefront Trail had the usual assortment of frozen slush, brackish puddles, hard crusted snow, and chunky salt. For the most part it was passable. The only area that I had to occasionally walk the bike was between Ohio Street Beach and the Oak Street curve. At the ramp adjacent to the Ohio Street Beach there were 2-3' snow drifts blocking the way. So I had to carry the bike and post hole through it. I saw another bicyclist walk his bike all the way down the ramp. I chose to climb aboard as soon as the surface was flat. From the tracks on the ramp I saw a number of bikers preceded me. But it was rough going. What was once slush was now like rippling rock and concrete. Once I got off the ramp and along the flats the bumps lessened a bit. It was smoother going higher up the bank.

Approaching the curve the snow got deeper and I was forced to dismount. The bicyclist in front of me opted to walk his bike near the water where it was pretty flat. Along the wall the snow was blown away forming a slight path. Other bicyclists and pedestrians packed down this path but it was too rough to bike until the path cleared completely.

Naturally the bike path was nearly deserted except for the aforementioned bicyclist and about a dozen runners. But it was a really pleasant ride up the shore; the strong tailwind certainly helped.

The city streets were slightly more hectic than I was used to. I nearly ran into a goof in his beater turning left from oncoming traffic into my path. I fishtailed while avoiding a broadside collision. I angrily slapped at the rear of his car but my heavy mitten rendered the blow to that of a declawed cat. Another pinhead nearly ran into me as she zoomed out of a parking lot. I slowed and flashed my headlamp in her face in yet another impotent gesture.

Wilmette's portion of the Green Bay Trail was impassable. They make absolutely no effort to clear the path of snow. Fortunately they clear their sidewalks because biking on the brick streets really blows. The Kenilworth and Winnetka stretches of the Green Bay Trail were cleared quite nicely however.

Distance Traveled: 24.3 miles
Distance to date: 1921.2 miles
Price of gas: $2.39

Whimp Out

2007-02-07T22:07:00.000-06:00

5° and clear but it is just too damn cold for me tonight. I'd planned to ride home but after a trying day at work I just couldn't face the logistics of gearing up for the bike ride home. I knew once I got on the road I'd be fine but I just didn't feel like it for some reason. All the other times I've wanted to just grab the car keys I've overcome the temptation. But not tonight. I also rationalized that I didn't feel like subjecting my bike to the abuse. It is a pretty rugged bike by I'm not sure Cannondale designed it for such extremes. So I'm whimping out. Friday it is going to be in the teens so maybe I'll develop some guts by then.

Distance Traveled: 0.0
Distance to date: 1896.9 miles
Price of gas: $2.35

Really Really Cold Bike Ride

2007-02-05T11:12:00.000-06:00

I ventured out this morning with great trepidation. The morning news reported temperatures at -9° and 10 mph westerly winds. I didn’t even want to look at the thermometer outside as it has always read about 5° lower. But venture out I did and it wasn’t that bad. My $9 mittens kept my hands quite warm and the only part of my body that bothered me were my toes.

The subzero temperatures were tougher on my bicycle however. Shifting was initially non-existent but eventually it was just sluggish. My cassette was also acting up. Early in the ride after every time I coasted, I’d pedal but the cassette just spun. Eventually it would catch but I worried I had ruined my hub. After a while it became more reliable but was never 100% on. I was extra careful at intersections because I was never sure I’d be able to accelerate out of trouble.

My glasses frequently fogged up and my balaclava formed a chunk of ice from my freezing breath. I actually had a 1” icicle dangling from my chin; it looked pretty disgusting. I developed a brain before my ride and decided to keep my water bottle in the rear pocket of my jersey instead of the cage. It was obviously tougher to get to but at least it wasn’t frozen. I downed about half of it once I got to Roosevelt Road.

The cold was also tough on my electronics. My Planet Bike blinking lights on the front of my bike and the back of my helmet both gave up. The batteries in my front light are pretty fresh but I think the helmet light is due for a change. The fresh rechargeable batteries in my GPS also ran low much too early. My rear flashing blinker was pretty strong though; which is most important.

The cold is taxing my bicycle’s drive train. From time to time I’ll hear a sickening and chilling snap as the chain pops out from a tooth on my front chain ring. Mostly it is when I’m maneuvering or accelerating. So far I haven’t seen any missing teeth or broken the chain but it is really unsettling.

I was glad to arrive at work but this was actually an enjoyable bike ride. In fact the worst part of the trip was the three minutes or so it took to lock up my bike, detach my pannier, and stow my mittens and helmet. That was when I really felt the cold.

Distance Traveled: 24.3 freaking cold miles
Distance to date: 1896.9 miles
Price of gas: $2.35

White Lightning

2007-02-03T21:14:00.000-06:00

I was in Kozy’s looking to buy some chain lubricant and I decided to try a 4 ounce bottle of White Lightning (about $5). White Lightning is a wax based lubricant that claims to keep the chain and drive train much cleaner than oil based lubricants. I’d read about this product online and figured I’d give it a try. The only downside is the entire chain and gearing has to be degreased before White Lightning can be applied. But since I was planning to remove the chain in order to put on a SRAM power link and my cassette and crank were already pretty clean, degreasing everything wouldn’t be a major problem.

My bike needed a good cleaning from the last few weeks of accumulated grime and salt. Since the near zero temperatures froze the valve to my outdoor faucet, I had to dowse my bike with buckets of water in my garage. Once that was done, I brought the bike into my basement to give it a more thorough cleaning.

I spend about an hour really cleaning the chain, cassette, derailleurs, and chain rings. Goo Gone and a toothbrush got ride of the stubborn grease and grime. But then I had to clean everything again with a detergent to make sure there was no Goo Gone residue that would dissolve the White Lightning.

I was really pleased once I dribbled the White Lightning on the chain and the cassette. The drive train ran and shifted smoothly and I can handle the chain, gears and derailleurs without getting my hands grimey. The true test will be how it works and looks in a month or two.

Drudgery

2007-02-02T21:13:00.000-06:00

Got ready to leave work at around 4:45 pm but all the preparation for the cold weather delayed my departure until well after 5:00 pm. Putting on all the layers, gloves, booties, headgear, etc., seemed to take forever. The inside of my mittens were still clammy from perspiration despite over 24 hours to dry. What a bummer. Once I got on the road I saw steam and chimney smoke indicating winds from the southwest. So I thought I'd have a boost on my way home.

I was dressed well and the frigid temperatures didn't bother me for the first part of my ride. After about 15 minutes I thought I might be a bit overdressed as I was beginning to feel a little hot. On the Lakefront Trail near Balbo I took a few pictures of the Chicago skyline. At the Oak Street curve I encountered an intrepid young lady also navigating her way through the piles of ice along the bike path. After that I figure I saw less than six people for the rest of my time on the bike path. It was a pretty lonely ride.

At around Lawrence I was getting pretty dogged ready to be done but still 12 miles from home. Stiff winds were from the west and all the salt on the path was like driving on gravel; I was getting beat down. The areas of my body heading into the wind were chilled while the rest was comfortable or verging on hot. The exposure seemed to be sapping me more than usual. Pedaling alone in the cold darkness gave me nothing to think about except how much I didn't want to be there anymore. I took a drink of my Accelerade figuring I'd better get something in me before it froze.

At Sheridan and Ardmore I ran into another young lady on a bike. I said hello but wasn't in the mood to chat. I wanted to just get on with it. But driving through traffic took my mind off the wind and my growing fatigue. Once I got to the heavier traffic on Clark Street, I'd forgotten my troubles. But the ride from Howard, past Calvary Cemetery, and up Chicago Avenue can be kind of dull. It doesn't seem to get much better/interesting until Main Street.

The cold and accumulating salt and street crime was taxing my drive train. My chain and right pedal developed a steady and annoying squeak. I would have lubed it before I left today but I still hadn't replaced my busted bottle of chain lube.

The rest of the ride was the same old crap. Cold, dark, tired. When I finally arrived home I saw the temperature was only 2°.

Distance Traveled: 24.3 miles
Distance to date: 1872.6 miles
Price of gas: $2.28

Nearly Shorts Weather

2007-02-01T20:10:00.000-06:00

It was above 20° this morning with southwesterly winds so I opted to strip down to only one pair of long underwear today. I found my left mitten was still clammy from perspiration the day before. Nothing like putting on wet gear for a cold ride. I guess that's what glove liners are for.

There was light snow the night before but for some reason I didn't wear the usual plastic bags on my feet. Early in the ride I realized the error of my ways. The roads were wet from the snow and salt but not enough to soak my feet; yet my toes got really cold. Despite that I still took a more leisurely pace to work. I was comfortable, the weather was clear, not too windy, so I might as well enjoy myself.

No bicyclists on the Lakefront Trail until around North Avenue I was passed by a guy on a Giant roadbike out for a training ride. He might have been the same guy that passed me last week on my ride home but he didn't have a bag, helmet or intensely bright tail light this time. I greeted him as he glided by and he returned the favor. Just north of the Oak Street curve, he slowed and turned around. I continued on the Lakefront Trail. Except for the light dusting of snow, the curve was passable to myself (and others judging from the tracks). South to Ohio Street was slick and somewhat exciting.

The westbound ride on Roosevelt was hellacious and the winds buffeted me as soon as I got off the bike path. While waiting out a red light on Michigan Avenue, I smiled at a young lady on a fixie turning south and got a smile in return. Splendid. On the uphill section west of Clark I cranked out a measly 8 mph in the bike lane as cars zoomed by me on both sides. Once past Halsted the winds seemed to settle down and it was a routine ride the rest of the way.

Distance Traveled: 24.3 miles
Distance to date: 1848.3 miles
Price of gas: $2.28

In Chicago winter, hardy cyclists keep riding

2007-02-01T20:03:00.000-06:00

This Reuters article was posted on a number of bicycling sites. I figured I might as well post it as well.

By Michael Hirtzer Tue Jan 30, 6:48 AM ET

CHICAGO, Jan 30 (Reuters Life!) - Four pairs of socks, and Jackson Potter's feet were still icy blocks.

Riding his bicycle to work one Chicago winter morning, high school teacher Potter was too cold to go on. He stopped at a laundromat and asked if the owner could spare any socks.

"He gave me about 10 pairs. I put on four pairs, and my feet were still numb when I got to school," Potter said.

Such is winter in Chicago, dubbed the "Windy City" -- but even subzero temperatures and harsh windy gusts are not enough to deter a growing group of bike riders who cycle year-round...

Click here for the entire article

No Frost Bite

2007-01-31T19:40:00.000-06:00

It was in the high teens when I headed out today. The pad of my left ring finger was still a bit numb from my last ride so I bought a pair of Thinsulate mittens at a Menards on my drive to work. They should do a decent job protecting my hands. After the intense cold I faced on Monday, I expected it to be nearly as cold. So I doubled up on the long underwear again and ended up being over dressed for most of the ride. My new mittens took a little getting use to. At first I put them over my gloves but that was really unworkable. I ended up wearing just the mitten on the left hand and my usual glove combination on the right.

The ride was pretty routine. A nice tailwind gave me a boost and except for being a little warm, it was a comfortable ride. The Lakefront Trail was mostly deserted. I chanced the Oak Street curve again and found it was still icy but easy to walk on. The slippery slope south of Fullerton was heavily salted and clear. Once off the trail, I managed to get a lot of green lights and maintained my momentum. I found this ride was very pleasurable compared to the arduous trek I had a few days ago.

I was actually glad I was dressed so warm once I headed into the wind on Isabella in Evanston. I think the temperature dropped a bit from when I started and I really felt the windchill. The Wilmette portion of the Green Bay was never plowed and it made for some exciting turns. But generally life was good.

Distance Traveled: 24.3 miles
Distance to date: 1824.0 miles
Price of gas: $2.28

Amsterdam: The Bicycling Capitol of Europe

2007-01-30T18:55:00.000-06:00

I saw this four minute video posted on CICLE.ORG.

Frost Bite

2007-01-29T17:59:00.000-06:00

Around 6:00 am the morning news reported 11° and 10 mph winds from the southwest at O’Hare. A thermometer outside my back door read about 5°. I wasn’t too concerned about the cold with the exception of how my fingers and toes were going to handle it. For my hands I wore two pairs of glove liners and another pair of light fleece gloves I kept in my pocket. For my feet I wore socks, bike shoes, old wool socks over the shoes, plastic bags and all of the above protected by neoprene booties. I was relatively confident my feet would be ok. Not so sure about the fingers.

The roads were empty and really dry. I biked down Green Bay Road as opposed to the Green Bay Trail. In Wilmette a well lit bicyclist was headed in the opposite direction and I rang my bell in greeting. Nothing. He didn’t even look in my direction. Oh well. I think I’ve passed him on the Green Bay Trail on other occasions and gotten nothing then as well. Maybe next time I’ll throw a water bottle at him.

My left hand was getting really cold and the steady headwind seemed to aggravate the problem. It must have poor circulation. On Poplar in Wilmette I donned the other pair of gloves but I think it was too little too late. For the next forty minutes I was kind of preoccupied with my hands to the extent that I wasn’t enjoying the ride very much. At times I’d pick up the pace to increase my blood flow but the stiff winds started to wear me out.

At around Montrose my left hand wasn’t bothering me anymore and my right hand felt pretty normal. At first I thought my hand had warmed up until I realized I just couldn’t feel it anymore. My hand was like a stiff claw. Terrific. So I started flexing it until it started to sting a bit. That was a good sign. The winds continued to be stiff, my Accelerade was near frozen, and I was just ready to be done. Unfortunately I still had about 10 miles to go.

The downhill section just south of Fullerton was plainly covered in ice. The Chicago Park District had the foresight to make a nice detour uphill from the lakeside path well beyond where the lake can cover it in ice.

There were few people on the Lakefront Trail and not one bicyclist until I was just south of North Avenue I saw a blinking tail light far ahead. I was hoping to see it continue past the Oak Street curve but it disappeared from view before that. I really didn’t want to extend this ride more than I had to with a detour if the curve was impassable. Once I got to the curve I saw it was covered in smooth and brick sized chunks of ice. It definitely wasn’t passable by bike but I walked it without much trouble. This added a slight bit of adventure to my morning routine. The path south to Ohio Street Beach was slick from the weekend’s snow which made it fun to bike on. By then my left hand finally thawed and I began to enjoy the ride.

On Roosevelt at Damen I was stopped at the red light. I smiled to a well bundled commuter on a road bike heading north who actually nodded in response. Oh joy.

The frigid temps made a plastic bottle of chain lube so fragile that it busted in my bag. Luckily it was near empty and I've gotten in the habit of putting everything else in plastic bags; so the mess was minimal.

My hand still feels the effects of exposure. I'll have to do a better job protecting them.

Distance Traveled: 24.3 miles
Distance to date: 1799.7 miles
Price of gas: $2.28

Bike Safety Tips

2007-01-26T22:15:00.000-06:00

This March 23, 2001 Onion article was posted a few days ago on Bicycle Diaries, another Chicago based biking blog:

Warm weather is just around the corner, and soon it will be time to dust off those bicycles. Here are some tips for safe riding:

* Always use hand signals when turning at intersections. There's nothing motorists pay more attention to than hand signals from bicyclists.

* Leaving your bike out in the ice and cold all winter may cause serious damage. But it makes a nice subject for the cover illustration of a short-fiction quarterly.

* Always wear a helmet. If this makes you uncomfortable, think of the helmet as a crown and yourself as King Dorko.

* Placing your feet firmly on the pedals of the bike will help reduce the "Wheee" sound emitted from your mouth while going downhill.

* Insist on a bicycle made of solid matter. Liquid and vapor bikes are a passing fancy; argon frames are particularly shoddy.

* Taking your bike in for a professional tune-up is a great way to waste $25.

* Be sure to wear your seatbelt, even if just biking down to the corner store.

* Fat-bottomed girls may be riding today, so look out for those beauties, oh, yeah.

* Visibility is crucial when biking. Ride with a lit highway flare in each hand.

* Every three to four weeks, lightly oil the chain. Then dip it in flour and fry it for a real taste treat.

* As soon as you buy a bike, talk to your friends about how great Shimano crank sets and STX hubs are.

* Does your city have adequate bike paths? If not, consider bitching about it to your local government for the next 40 years.

* If rich, spoiled Francis Buxton steals your bike, go on a hilarious and heartwarming journey through the American Southwest to get it back.

* Bike safety can never be stressed enough. If you doubt this, try stressing it as much as you possibly can. It won't be enough–guaranteed.

Like Riding a New Bike

2007-01-26T20:51:00.000-06:00

The guys at Performance Northbrook did a great job tuning my bike (or perhaps it was in worse shape than I thought). Either way it was a pleasure to ride. The shifting was very quick and crisp and my braking is the best it has ever been. I guess I should have gotten it tuned up as soon as I got it (I bought it used). But it was in decent riding condition for the most part so I figured the heck with it.

This afternoon it was in the high 30s and I was dressed for the 20s. But this morning it was really cold so I assumed it wouldn't have warmed up dramatically. Oh well. So I cooked a little bit.

I'm enjoying the lengthening days. Even though it still gets dark early in my ride I see the light at the end of the tunnel, so to speak, where I wont have to bike in the dark.

At the Oak Street curve I passed a bunch of guys on their Freakbikes riding in the opposite direction. This was the second time I've seen these guys on the Lakefront Trail. I figured they must have been at Chicago's Critical Mass. My brother and sister ride at Critical Mass every once in a while and I've been tempted to join them. But by Friday afternoon I just want to go home. I'm also not really into bunching up in traffic and pissing off drivers. I should also not knock it until I've tried it. In the summer it is probably pretty fun.

At Addison a guy on a Giant road bike zipped by me like I was going in reverse. He had a super bright rear blinker. It was quite impressive but I didn't like its weird cadence; it blinked on and off a bit slow for my liking. He seemed to have slowed once he was through humiliating me so I picked up my pace to at least maintain the same distance. He had about a block on me and I could still see his blinding blinker. At Sheridan Road he was caught at the light and I just hung back behind him. I'd had enough of the consequences of pushing myself on other bikers so I figured I'd just give him his space. Once the light turned green he headed up Ardmore while I headed to Broadway. At the intersection of Broadway and Granville he was waiting to cross at the interminably long light while I zoomed a quick left turn. I poured it on all the way home hoping I wouldn't get passed again.

Distance Traveled: 24.3 miles
Distance to date: 1775.4 miles
Price of gas: $2.31

Getting the Bike Tuned Up

2007-01-25T12:20:00.000-06:00

Due to a change in my work schedule, I'm not biking until my ride home this Friday. In the meantime I took advantage of the time off the road for a long over due tune-up (the Performance Chicago tune up discount coupon I received at the Chicago Bike to Work Day was all the incentive I needed). My wheels were wobbly, the gearing was acting up again, my brake pads were so worn that I was near metal on metal, and also I figured it was high time a pro gave my bike a good once over. Fortunately Performance Northbrook agreed to honor the coupon.

While checking in the bike, I spoke to an employee about SRAM chains. I really like SRAM chains because they are easy on and easy off with the SRAM Power Link. I installed a SRAM chain on my 2003 Cannondale Scalpel 3000 and really liked the convenience. This made the chain and the rear derailleur much easier to clean. Contrary to what manufacturers advise, the employee told me my current Shimano chain could also be fitted with the SRAM Power Link. So I could enjoy the benefits of a SRAM chain without waiting for my current chain to wear out. Fortunately I already have a SRAM Power Link at home. So all I have to do is pop out two pins and put in the new link.

Snow Riding

2007-01-22T23:02:00.000-06:00

About 20 minutes before I headed out this morning I noticed my front tire was flat again. I'd recently repaired the tube and never noticed a problem during my last ride. So I figured it was just another slow leak and reinflated the tire. Just as I was about to hit the road I saw it was flat again. I considered myself lucky that I hadn't ridden on it only to face fixing a flat on a soggy roadside.

Since my "snow tires" are fatter than my summer tires, I take a bit of a risk using the same tubes. Most of my tubes are sized for 18-25mm tires whereas the tire I'm riding on is 32cc. My rear tube is a thick puncture resistant tube so I think I'm pretty safe on that one. The front is another story.

After a delay of 10 minutes I began my morning journey. Temps were in the mid 20s, winds were light from the northwest, and the roads were slightly slushy. With little traffic on Green Bay, I had no problem riding in the lanes that had been better plowed. Biking through Wilmette I noticed it was getting lighter due to the combination of the late start and the lengthening days. The late start made more of an impact the further I biked because there were more cars on the roads than I was normally accustomed to on my morning commute. I was delayed turning from Broadway to Ardmore because I couldn't ease over to make a left turn and had to wait for a light. This caused me to just miss the long light on the crossing at Sheriden Road.

There was no effort to clear the Lakefront Trail of snow over the weekend unlike the Monday morning a few weeks ago. The Chicago Park District must have taken the night off after the Bears' championship victory to celebrate. No worries (a hackneyed yet apt expression in this case). The surface was slick and slushy but provided a relatively safe way for me to practice biking in the snow. I maintained a speed between 16 and 17 mph but had to slow for the sharper turns.

From Fullerton to North Avenue there was noticeably more snow on the path. This made biking a bit trickier but the trail was still passable at a brisk speed. Two other bicyclers were taking a more cautious approach. Once I passed the North Avenue Beach pedestrian bridge, the path returned to light slush.

Approaching the Oak Street curve I feared I'd have to detour at Michigan Avenue. But I saw a number of other bike tracks continuing south and decided to risk it. At the curve I passed a bicyclist heading northbound. The stretch from Oak to Ohio was snow covered with 1"-3" drifts about every fifty feet. At first I traversed the drifts with caution because my rear wheel would slide down the bank toward the lake. But once I got the hang of it I increased my speed and started plowing right through the drifts as fast as I could. I was still sliding to the side but it was almost like maneuvering on skis. I was sorry to get back on the slushy pavement.

At the beginning of the ride I was feeling sluggish thinking I was getting the flu from my disease carrying kids. But by this time I was invigorated. While stopped at Grand Avenue I saw that my bike was encrusted in snow as if I'd biked from the Yukon in a blizzard. I wished I'd had a camera. I rode the rest of the way to work feeling like some sort of all weather biking bad ass.

Distance Traveled: 24.3 miles
Distance to date: 1751.1 miles
Price of gas: $2.38

My Winter Bike Wear

2007-01-20T16:52:00.000-06:00

I did a bit of experimenting with my winter biking gear this year. With the exception of a February adventure race a few years ago, I've never biked in temperatures below freezing. Since I bike at a fast pace, for me anyway, I knew I'd overheat if I over dressed.

In addition to my usual bike shorts and bike jersey I wear a pair of old REI polyester lightweight long underwear. It does a good job soaking up the sweat and regulating my body heat. When it gets below 15˚, I wear Underarmor cold weather long underwear. It feels kind of plastic-ee and is really tight but in the long run it keeps me warm without overheating. When it gets below 10˚, I wear both.

As an outer layer I wear a Goretex LL Bean top and some light fleece form fitting bottoms I bought a few years ago. On my head I sport a Pearl Izumi headband in most weather. If it gets below 20˚, I wear a balaclava instead.

On my hands I wear a few pairs of old glove liners in addition to my reflective bike gloves. If it gets below 20˚, I wear Thinsulate mittens I got at a local hardware chain.

On my feet I wear Performance Neoprene booties. If it is below 20˚, I'll wear some old wool socks over my bike shoes and throw a plastic bag over each foot before I put on the booties. This combination has kept my feet pretty comfortable even near zero.

Clear Cold Dry Ride

2007-01-19T23:53:00.000-06:00

The flags outside my office were whipping all around their poles this evening. So I didn't know what to expect as far as the winds were concerned. But within the last month I've found that stiff winds haven't bothered me as much as they use to. As long as the breezes don't antagonize my frosty fingers, muscling into the wind has become less of a chore. Granted I always enjoy a nice tailwind but headwinds don't seem to be the big hassle they use to be.

The roads were much drier than they were the previous evening. All the puddles froze over so some areas of the road were a tad slipperier than last night. The charge indicator on my Jet Lite head lamp was pretty low so I kept my light off while driving through the bright city streets.

The turn south of Oak Street Beach was a bit trickier too. What was wet and salty last night was now smooth and slick or crunchy and slick. I took this part especially slow. Again not many bicyclists out tonight. In fact I don't think I encountered any until north of Lawrence. As I biked by one young lady I startled her when I said hello. I just can't seem to do anything right these days.

I was glad I didn't run into the guy I pissed off in Evanston. That would have been really awkward.

I managed to wipe out on the Green Bay Trail in Kenilworth. Just as the trail turns toward Richmond the surface got really rough from frozen ruts. I slowed down for the turn but obviously not enough to prevent me from sliding out and scraping my right knee. Fortunately I only tore my worn out long underwear and some of my skin. My bike and my fleece pants were relatively unscathed.

Distance Traveled: 24.3 miles
Distance to date: 1726.8 miles
Price of gas: $2.38

Chicago's Winter Bike to Work Day

2007-01-19T10:41:00.000-06:00

I joined fellow Evanston Bike Club members Barry, Dave, Dave and Paul for a ride to Daley Plaza for Chicago Bike Federation's Winter Bike to Work Day. It was in the low 20s at 6:00 am when we met at a Dunkin Donuts at Howard and Western. We biked south on Western and worked our way over to Damen. We continued south and linked up with a group of about five bicyclists known as the Kibitzers at a Starbucks at Damen and Lincoln. Then as a pack we biked downtown.

The traffic was light and I really enjoyed the ride down Lincoln. At that speed one can get a good look at the area. From time to time Barry and Dave remarked how busy this area can be when bicycling home though. I know I could shave about seven miles off my ride if I took a more direct route instead of the Lakefront Trail. But I doubt I'd save a proportional amount of time. All the traffic lights would probably slow me down.

One drawback of this particular ride was the occasional traffic light that cut off riders in the back of the pack. Waiting for them to catch up and the slower pace prevented me from warming up. I was dressed a little too light and found myself getting a bit cold. But the company made up for that bit of discomfort.

At a cross street we saw a cab driver getting into heated argument with the driver of an SUV stopped in traffic. As I biked by, the cabbie was pounding on the hood of the SUV. Those in our group caught at the light said the cabbie then pounded on the driver's window but he eventually got back in his cab. It was a sour reminder of my little dust up the night before.

We arrived at Daley Plaza a little after 7:00 am. Waiting for us was a tent with muffins, Eli's cheesecake, coffee and other refreshments. Performance handed out swag bags containing catalogs, a Cliff Bar, Power Gel and a coupon for a half price tune up (which I fully intend to use). There were about 15 other bicylists when we arrived. I couldn't stay long because I still had about five miles of biking ahead of me and an 8:30 am appointment. When I left there must have been about 30 bicyclists. A pretty good turn out.

Biking west on Madison was a major trial. Stiff westerly winds were really making my hands and feet cold. On top of that the slower than usual pace and the muffin break never gave my body a chance to stoke up my internal furnace. I was happier than normal to arrive at work.

Distance Traveled: 23.1 miles
Distance to date: 1702.5 miles
Price of gas: $2.38

Making More Enemies

2007-01-18T21:27:00.000-06:00

The ride home started well enough. A strong southerly wind and temperatures in the high 20s. The roads were still a little moist but not enough to make my bike ride dicey. The southerly wind probably gave my average speed an additional 2 mph.

Not many people biking tonight on the Lakefront Trail; maybe two or three tops and none heading north. Passing Navy Pier I was hoping the turn at Oak Street Beach would be clear. I could see up ahead that there were a few runners on the path so I decided to chance it rather than cross under at Ohio Street. If I found it was too treacherous to ride I could always walk my bike or absent that, turn around. Fortunately it was pretty clear although I had to ride up closer to the wall. I also took it slow because it was kind of a blind corner.

The downhill section just south of Fullerton where I wiped out was now heavily salted and clear. I felt very fortunate the Chicago Park District pays as much attention to clearing snow from the Lakefront Trail as they do to the city streets. One thing they could improve is the surface of the trail between Addison and Belmont. I counted about 25 really annoying and bone jarring bumps in the asphalt. I suppose if the rest of the trail wasn't so smooth I probalby wouldn't notice it.

The bike ride was generally pleasant considering it was below freezing and the roads were a bit wet. But while I was stopped at the intersection of Chicago and Church in Evanston, a guy on a hybrid or a slick tired mountain bike pulls up beside me. I looked over to say hi thinking he might do the same. But he just ignores me and eases through the intersection. I didn't really take offense; some people just aren't social. But being passed by another biker just brings out the adrenaline in me. Pass me on a bike and, as I've mentioned before, I'm like a dog chasing cars. It wasn't like I wanted to get into a race with the guy. I just wanted to keep up.

Without getting into the minute details, we apparently share the same route from Chicago through Sherman and he slowed in some areas while I chose to maintain my speed. On a straightaway he seemed to have much more gas. But in traffic he was slowing in places that I chose to just blow through. In retrospect I was probably too aggressive. But he also didn't have a problem zooming by me either. Each time we passed I'd give off some type friendly gesture. In response he eventually shouted I was an accident waiting to happen. Whoa. Then when he was in front of me again he said I should do my own work, implying I was drafting off him. At that point I'm thinking that if he didn't want me following right behind him, he shouldn't have pulled in front of me in the logical lane of bike traffic. He turned off at Colfax and I bid him good night. But I'd really done it this time. How did my attempt at bike commuter camaraderie gone so terribly bad? I didn't think I was biking like a maniac. And it wasn't like he was a shining example of bike safety either. Oh well. I should pay more attention to those not so subtle clues that I'm invading someone elses space.

I was glad to get home and hose the salt and grime off my bike.

Distance Traveled: 24.3 miles
Distance to date: 1681.4 miles
Price of gas: $2.46

Wipe Out

2007-01-16T23:43:00.000-06:00

I had been psyching myself up all weekend for a frigid morning bike ride. A low of 4° was predicted for the night before so I was preparing for the worst. I found a balaclava to augment my head wear and I figured an old pair of rolled up wool socks could cover the toes of my bike shoes underneath my neoprene booties. When the temperature is in the 20s, my toes tend to tingle a bit. With a potential drop of 20° I figured I had to do something. I also decided to wear Underarmor thermal undershirt and pants that I got through work instead of my old REI polyester long underwear.

At 6:00 am it was 10° with a light dusting of snow and frozen rain from the night before. So I expected the roads to be a little slick. For some reason I forgot to leave my usual suit, shirt, shoes, tie, and coat, etc at work. I had to stuff all of that in my pannier which probably at least doubled my usual load.

I decided to take Green Bay Road into Wilmette instead of the Green Bay Trail in order to avoid the steep on ramp north of Tower. The roads were kind of slippery in places and I wanted to avoid crashing right out of the gate. Green Bay Road was very quiet which made me consider taking this route all the time.

My Underarmor felt a little weird. It is twice as thick as the stuff I usually wear but it's fabric is so smooth against the skin that I actually felt colder. I'm sure it was keeping me warmer but it wasn't keeping me very comfortable. Maybe if it was a little nubbier it wouldn't feel like plastic wrap. Aside from the weird long underwear, I was pretty comfortable considering it was so cold. My jerry rigged wool toe caps got in the way of my clipping into my pedals but after a few adjustments I was OK. There were strong winds from the northwest, so I enjoyed a nice push. A stiff headwind would have been much more bothersome with the cold.

The Lakefront Trail had been cleared of most of the weekend's snow and was heavily salted. I had a slight fear that I'd puncture one of my tires on a sharp chunk. Between Foster and Lawrence my left middle finger was getting really cold. It was feeling kind of numb and unlike the rest of my extremities, I just couldn't get it warmed up. I still had nearly an hour of biking ahead of me and having little experience with frostbite I didn't know how long it would take before it was more than just irritating. With no options that didn't involve stopping somewhere I decided to pick up the pace in hopes of increasing the blood flow to my freezing digit.

At Addison the path wasn't salted anymore. Frankly I didn't really mind. The snow was pretty dry and didn't hinder my traction. It was also kind of cool watching the powder spitting out from under my front fender and puffing off to the side.

I was enjoying biking at a good clip with the wind at my back when I came to the downhill section just south of Fullerton where the path goes right by the lake. The thin layer of snow hid a very thick sheet of ice that was glass smooth in some areas but rough and rock-like in others. Of course I didn't learn this until I was well on my way through it. If I could keep my cool I might manage to ride it out or at the very least come to a controlled stop. Instead I slightly freaked. I ended up sliding sideways and laid the bike down in front of me. The bike and I then slid side by side for a good distance. Since I was still heading in the right direction I decided to at least enjoy the ride. I lifted my feet and hands and let momentum carry me southbound until I slowed to a stop. My bike and I were both undamaged. I gingerly hauled myself and my ride up to a parrallel running path well beyond the sea wall and continued on.

Naturally the path south of the Oak Street Beach was blocked off due to ice. I biked under Lake Shore Drive at the Michigan Avenue underpass for the first time and eventually found the underpass back to the path at Ohio Street. By this time my frozen finger was beginning to sting a bit so I knew it was coming back to life. I should buy some mittens.

The rest of my ride was uneventful except for my growing thirst. Back home I filled my bottle with hot Accelrade but it had mostly frozen by the time I thought about taking a drink. All I was able to manage were a few slushy sips.

Distance Traveled: 24.5 miles
Distance to date: 1657.1 miles
Price of gas: $2.46

Balmy Bike Ride

2007-01-11T23:59:00.000-06:00

It was in the 40s today so I nearly died from heat stroke. Strong southerly winds almost made pedaling unnecessary.

At Chicago Avenue I said hello as I passed a guy on a mountain bike (or maybe a hybrid) wearing a pretty big backpack. I later sensed someone behind me; sometimes I'd see another shadow from the streetlights and then later I wouldn't. After a number of miles I finally looked back and there he was. So I grunted and waved and we jawed a while. It's difficult to have much of a conversation in such conditions though. The wind, the panting, the varying distance; its like trying to talk to someone on a crowded nightclub dance floor.

He was biking from Northwestern Hospital to Evanston, made the trip a couple of times a week, and was grateful for the tailwind considering he biked into it this morning. Eventually I was getting winded and fell in behind him. He was pretty tall in the saddle and maintained a killer pace. I think his seat was a little high because he rocked his body back and forth as if he was reaching for the pedals. My knees ached just watching him. I pulled up along side of him to yak some more in hopes he'd slow down a bit. Worked like a charm. Despite heading in the same general direction, he preferred to bike up Sheriden Road. I told him I preferred Clark Street because it was smoother and the vehicular traffic was slower. At Winthrop and Thorndale I peeled off and biked alone the rest of the way.

Biking through downtown Wilmette I noticed traffic backed up and a helicopter hovering above. I looked around for an indication of flashing emergency lights thinking there must have been a major accident. I crossed Lake Avenue but still didn't see any cause for the snarls. I decided to turn toward Green Bay Road to see what was going on. About twenty people were spread out among the four corners of the intersection each holding small signs protesting the troop increase in Iraq. The print was kind of small so people would definitely have to slow down to read them. Pretty clever.

Distance Traveled: 24.3 miles
Distance to date: 1632.6 miles
Price of gas: $2.46

Damn Was It Cold!

2007-01-10T23:02:00.000-06:00

High teens but only slight winds this morning. The sun hadn't risen yet, so it was dark. I wore an extra pair of glove liners so my hands did pretty good today. I could have also worn a baklava if I had one. But after a while my face became numb so it didn't bother me anymore.

I still haven't fixed a slow leak in my tire. Fortunately I can ride an hour and a half on it without a problem. The tube has a couple of patches in it but I think one didn't completely take. Some bike store owner once claimed he threw out a tube if it was punctured and patches should only be considered temporary. What an ass.

At Chicago and Main I was nearly hit by a car exiting a parking lot crossing the street into my lane. I shouted as he came at me but there was no reaction. I managed to squeeze between his car and the curb and avoided getting hit. I gave his rear quarter panel a loud but harmless backhand smash just to let him know I was not pleased. He was making a right turn and as I passed him I still don't know if he knew what was going on. Oh well.

I'm happy with my minor route change by taking Broadway south from Granville instead of Winthrop. An added bonus is a mailbox at the corner of Broadway and Ardmore with a 7:00 am pickup for my nearly late bills.

There were quite a few bicyclists on the Lakefront Trail this morning considering it was probably in the low to mid 20s. At Irving Park I decided to ring my bell as a greeting to every biker I encountered. Eventually my little expression of biking solidarity/camaraderie was greeted with apathy and occasional irritation. Worse ye, the tinny ping was even annoying me. So by the time I arrived at Monroe I decided to suspend the campaign.

The winds continued to be lighter than usual so I pedaled at a constant of 16-18 mph.

Distance Traveled: 24.3 miles
Distance to date: 1608.3 miles
Price of gas: $2.46

Buffeted

2007-01-09T21:45:00.000-06:00

The flags flying outside my office were slapping all over the place when I headed out this evening. So I knew it was going to be a windy and interesting ride. It was also dry and cold. My hands weren't bothered too much by the cold though. Maybe it was a little warmer out.

The Lakeshore Path was pretty desolate. The wind was whipping all over the place. Sometimes I'd have a tailwind and other times I was headed into a gale. Just north of Diversey I sensed someone on my tail. Behind me was a roadie in a 2CC jersey was in my slipstream. I waved to let him know I didn't have a problem with him being there. Then with the knowldege that I was being followed, I pedaled with a renewed vigor. I was chugging along at a nice pace wishing he'd pass me so I could leach off him for a while. It seemed forever until he took over at Cornelia. Despite his cutting the wind, I just couldn't keep up with his pace. As we came up to the bend at Grace, I shouted good bye. I think he didn't understand me because instead of waving me off or something he slowed. So we chatted a bit. He said (most likely in an effort to soothe my ego) he had been really working to catch up to me since Michigan Avenue. I managed to shoehorn the fact that my ride is over 24 miles so maybe he wouldn't think I was a complete wuss. We jawed as much as people can at 15 mph until he turned off at Lawrence.

Upon leaving the Lakefront Trail, I decided to take Broadway north instead of Kenmore. After seeing the guy I pissed off a few nights ago breezing by me while I waited at the light at Granville, I figured he might be on to something. Despite Kenmore and Winthrop having dedicated bike lanes, they aren't the best streets to bike if you want to get someplace in a hurry. They both have speed bumps, lots of double parked cars, and dicey intersections. Broadway ended up being a terrific alternative because it is smooth, wide and not very busy. Making the left turn to Granville is the only tricky part though.

By the time I got to the Green Bay Trail, I was ready to be done. The wind, the cold, and my creeping hunger were turning the ride into drudgery. I was only making about 12 mph due to the stiff northerly winds. By 7:00 pm I was home.

Distance Traveled: 24.3 miles
Distance to date: 1584.0 miles
Price of gas: $2.46

Not Making Enemies

2007-01-08T14:33:00.000-06:00

It was rainy the night before and I figured I'd take the train in rather than bike in the cold and the wet. But when I got up this morning there was no precipitation and none predicted. So I geared up for a frosty ride. Except for a slow leak in my front tire, my morning exit was pretty fast and I was out the door by 5:55 am. It was clear and in the mid to high 20s. Except for my fingers, the cold didn't bother me. For about four miles I biked with my hands in fists except in areas I might need to brake. Gradually my hands warmed up but it wasn't until the Lakefront Trail that my hands didn't bother me at all. I should find an old pair of gloves or mittens and make something just for my fingertips.

It was clear but I had gotten up too early to see the sunrise.

At Oak Street Beach a laddie on a mountain bike eased along side and informed me that my blinking taillight was looking a little dim. We greeted each other and chatted for a bit. He bikes every day and parks at Madison and Wells. Hopefully he has a place to shower and change. I have a veritable bike commuter's nirvana at work; secure covered parking, big locker room and showers. If it wasn't for that I'd probably bike once a month at best. Coming up the ramp from Ohio Street Beach I saw I had a chance to make the light crossing Grand Avenue and I gunned it. But I nearly wiped out on some ice on the sidewalk, did a little cross country on the grass and got back on track to make the light in plenty of time. Kind of stupid on my part but the ride was pretty unexciting otherwise. My companion made the light at a less dangerous pace and we rode together until he turned off at Monroe.

The ride west was quite helacious. Stiff westerly winds slowed me considerably until they seemed to abate at Halsted. Got to work earlier than usual. Since I didn't piss anyone off it was a good way to start the week.

Distance Traveled: 24.3 miles
Distance to date: 1559.7 miles
Price of gas: $2.46

Making Enemies

2007-01-05T21:28:00.000-06:00

Got out around 5:15 pm and biked in pretty mild conditions for January. It was in the 40s with low winds. Roosevelt Road is pretty wide from Damen all the way to Michigan Avenue and is a designated bike route. But for some reason the bike lane markings between Ashland and Michigan Avenue have been ground off dating back to July when I first started along this route. I figured it was a temporary situation but nothing has changed in all that time. I called the City of Chicago's 311 line to report this and see if they had any information on the situation. An operator was friendly, took down the information but that was about it. Having the markings hasn't really made much of a difference but it would be a definite help between Des Plaines and Canal where it can get really busy.

The Lakefront Trail was a bit busier than usual due to the milder conditions. As I biked north from Ohio Street Beach I noticed another bicyclist enter the trail from the Chicago Avenue underpass. His pace seemed a little slower than mine so I figured I'd gain on him eventually. But after about five minutes this turned out to be more of a challenge than I thought. Unable to be content with an enjoyable evening ride, I dialed it up so I could catch up with him. It wasn't until after slowed for cross traffic at the North Avenue Beach parking lot that I finally came upon him. He was dressed in street clothes and a winter coat with a messenger bag. I guess in the bike community he would be derisively described as a "Fred." But he was far from Fred-like. This guy had a killer pace (for me anyway). He noticed I was on his tail but didn't say anything. Normally I'd at least grunt something. I didn't bother to try and pass him since I didn't know if I could even keep up. I stayed with him for quite a while. I made sure to stay off his rear wheel and to the side since I thought I might be annoying him. That being the case, why I didn't just back off I don't know. I guess I'm just stubborn and didn't want this total stranger to think I couldn't hack it. Total goof that I am, I even avoided coughing out the pound or two of phlegm collecting in my throat so he wouldn't think I was about to collapse. Just north of Belmont Harbor, the gentleman slowed a bit. I figured he was turning off and I'd compliment him on his nearly killing me. Instead he said something to the effect of "This isn't the Tour de France!" as I passed. So now I felt like a total jack ass. I was still zooming along and if he hadn't turned I would have apologized for crowding him.

The rest of the ride on the Lakefront Trail was uneventful. A guy training on a road bike past me around Wilson Avenue and then screamed past in the other direction near Bryn Mawr.

Luckily for me I hit a long light at the end of the trail at Ardmore and Sheriden and got a breather. As I waited out another long red light at Granville and Broadway, who do I see but the anti-Fred pedaling up Broadway at a less than slow pace. I guess he hadn't turned after all. I smiled but he didn't even look in my direction. I chuckled to myself knowing he got the last laugh. I figure he probably sees me as just one of the zillion spandexed posers out there.

On the Green Bay Trail at the border of Winnetka and Kenilworth, chipped up Christmas trees lain along the bike path's border provided a festive pine scent. It was nice distraction from a good ride soured by my own actions.

Distance Traveled: 24.3 miles
Distance to date: 1535.4 miles
Price of gas: $2.46

First Ride of the Year

2007-01-03T22:36:00.000-06:00

And what a great bicycle ride it was. Well sort of, considering it's January.

After almost two weeks of sloth I was very ready to go back to work. Not that I didn't enjoy watching scads of TV after the boys went off to bed and sleeping in until 8:00 am. But I could feel my jeans getting tighter in the waist to the point they were giving me back pains where the denim was compressing my spare tire. Jeez! I did spend a day regrading the foundation of my flagstone patio. So I got a decent amount of exercise hauling lots of slate around my back yard. But not enough to ward off the growing mounds of body lard from laying about.

Dark, clear and a brisk 34° with southwesterly winds when I left a little after 6:00 am. I really felt the wind when I biked the Green Bay Trail. I initially thought it was because of the time away from the bike but then I noticed how speedy I got when I biked by a stand of poplars providing a wind break. My fingers also got really cold. Normally my thin gloves provide plenty of protection but I guess they don't do so well in the wind.

Normally I'd encounter a handful of joggers and dog walkers on the Green Bay Trail at this hour. But for some reason I guess they all decided to sleep in. I figured I see an increase in activity due to New Years resolutions (no resolutions for me; why tamper with success?).

It started getting light as I biked through Evanston. I figured I'd be able to see the sun rise while I biked through Chicago. My GPS provides such celestial data and I'd be able to see when exactly the sun would crack the horizon. But I forgot to attach it to my bike today. Not a huge deal. I'd either see it or I wouldn't.

By the time I biked into Chicago my core temperature rose and sent more warm blood through my hands. So my fingers weren't bothering me anymore.

I reached the Lakefront Trail before the sunrise despite it being already bright. It wasn't until just north of Diversey that I saw the first glint of sun over the horizon. In all the months of bicycling this was only the second time I'd seen the dawn though. I slowed to take in the view and was passed by another commuter and we exchanged pleasantries. He was about as heavily laden as I was. But judging from his lack of a lighting I figured he hadn't been on the road as long as I had this morning. I was pretty well beat from the winds that I didn't even consider matching his pace until around the pedestrian bridge to North Avenue Beach I thought I might actually be closing in on him. Ever the adolescent, I couldn't resist trying to reel him in. Maybe he was beginning to suffer the effects of the stiff headwinds as well. I feel they can be somewhat demoralizing after a while.

It wasn't until around Chicago Avenue that I slowly crept by him and I said something lame about the headwinds. I'm at a loss as to the etiquette in such a situation.

Just as I was climbing the ramp from the Ohio Street Beach I saw that I had a chance to make the light crossing Grand Avenue. So I pedaled really hard while keeping an eye on the cross walk signal. The signal was flashing and counting down from 4 while I was still on the S turn and about 100 yards away. Despite getting a solid red signal, cross traffic didn't have a green when I reached the intersection. I slowed slightly but remembered other bicyclists screaming through the intersection after I had stopped on other occasions. So I gunned it, made it through and maintained my momentum.

I was kind of spent on the uphill after that and basically faced a struggle all the way to Roosevelt. But the winds didn't seem to be a problem as I biked inland despite them being almost in my face. I seemed to have all the lights on my side and made very good progress westward.

At Roosevelt and Ashland I spied what looked like a low cart in the bike lane a few blocks ahead. I quickened my pace and as I closed in I realized it was a very low riding recumbent bike. It looked like the guy could pedal under a car with room to spare. I was very surprised anyone would ride such a thing in traffic as he was very, very easy to miss. It wasn't until I was nearly on top of him that I saw he had two bleached out raggedy flags at eye level. If I was him I'd have put up a couple pinwheels and some Mylar balloons. He was practically begging to get smooshed. But I did say hello as I passed. He was an old guy so maybe he's senile.

When I got to work I was pleasantly surprised that the building management put in some bike racks. I guess they didn't like the three or four of us locking our rides to handicap parking signs.

Distance Traveled: 24.3 miles
Distance to date: 1511.1 miles
Price of gas: $2.51

Last Ride of the Year

2006-12-22T16:27:00.000-06:00

I'm taking next week off so I won't be biking back to work until January.

Luckily for me this ride was pretty dry. I woke up this morning to near torrential rains to the extent that my front yard was developing a nice little pond. I planned to work a half day and on my bike ride home stop at South Wabash to pick up my wife's watch from a repairman. At 10:00 am it was still raining and the weather system to the southeast still looked pretty bad. So I checked the Doppler Radar for the Chicago area and saw the rains would be passing us by within the next few hours.

When I left work at around noon it was a balmy 50° with stiff winds from the south. Very nice. I didn't wear my long underwear bottoms and hoped to avoid a freak rain shower. Otherwise my attire was pretty much what I've been wearing for the past month or so.

At Roosevelt Road I managed a left turn on State Street to head into the loop. Vehicular traffic was pretty backed up north of Congress. All the stopped traffic formed a nice bike lane between the cars. Normally I stay to the right but too many cars were hugging the curb and blocking my way. There are definitely better streets for biking than State but I wasn't planning on staying there too long. I turned east on Monroe and worked my way to Jewelers row. The watch repairman was nice enough to meet me on the street so I wouldn't have to risk my bike getting ripped off. After getting the watch I worked my way to the Lakefront Trail.

The stiff tailwind wasn't as good as I'd anticipated. I guess all the buildings along Lakeshore Drive create currents of their own in heavy winds. Along Belmont Harbor I faced a pretty steady headwind. Oh well. I was pretty fortunate to have such a good day for riding nonetheless.

Distance Traveled: 24.5 miles
Distance to date: 1486.8 miles
Price of gas: $2.54

Soggy Morning

2006-12-21T15:58:00.000-06:00

I was pleased to see that it was just misting this morning as I set out on my bicycle ride into work. It was raining pretty steady the night before and I was thinking I'd have to take the train in. If I didn't have to bike over 24 miles I'd just gut out a rainy ride. But spending at least an hour and a half soaking wet in 40° weather is something I'd prefer to avoid.

My good fortune was short lived. In Wilmette I encountered light rain. In drizzling conditions my outfit does a good job keeping me relatively dry and comfortable. But my Goretex jacket doesn't quite cut it in steady precipitation. By the time I reached the Lakefront Trail the rain began to diminish and I started to dry off. For the most part I was still comfortable but the threat of getting soaked adds just a bit of stress to my ride.

My feet were in very good shape though. I wear neoprene booties over my bike shoes in cold weather. When wet weather threatens I don a plastic shopping bag over each shoe. In the past this didn't do much good because moisture on my pants and long underwear seeped down to my socks eventually soaking me to the skin. But this time I wore my pants and long underwear outside my booties. Great success.

The Lakefront Trail was nearly deserted. From Hollywood to Roosevelt Road I counted only 36 people; three dog walkers, four city employees, one guy on cross country training skis, one bicyclist and one homeless guy. The rest were runners and walkers. I seemed to have a nice tailwind though. Not a bad ride for the first day of winter.

Distance Traveled: 24.3 miles
Distance to date: 1462.3 miles
Price of gas: $2.49

December Afternoon

2006-12-19T23:01:00.000-06:00

I got to leave work around lunch time today which obviously enabled me to bicycle in daylight for a change. It was clear and in the low 30s with light winds. As I passed State Street on Roosevelt I noticed a slight commotion of traffic, firetrucks and news helicopters. I didn't see any billowing clouds of smoke so I figured it must have been a false alarm or a gas leak. As an afterthought I figured something might have happened on the El. Sure enough, when I watched the evening news there was a derailment on the Orange Line.

Initially I felt overdressed in my long underwear, running pants, Goretex top, headband and gloves. But by the time I was halfway into my ride my body must have regulated itself and I was pretty comfortable. The only noticeable headwind I encountered was on the northernmost leg of the Lakefront Path. Other than that it was a very enjoyable ride.

I detoured to my brother's house on Chicago's north side. He and his roommates have a bee hive on their garage. It is wrapped up for the winter but they harvested 100 pounds of honey in the fall. At first I thought they were crazy and their neighbors would hound them into getting rid of it. Surprisingly a condo owner with a balcony overlooking the hive likes it very much. She told my brother her father kept bees when she was a little girl. I don't eat honey but maybe I'll sample some of next year's supply.

Distance Traveled: 24.3 miles
Distance to date: 1438.0 miles
Price of gas: $2.49

Slowpoke

2006-12-13T10:03:00.000-06:00

I started a little after 6:00 am on my way to work. Soon after I got onto the Green Bay Trail I noticed a light from behind which was a guy on a road bike who whizzed right past me. He was moving pretty good and I thought he must be out for a training ride. I kept an eye on his flashing tail light until it disappeared in the distant bend just past Indian Hill. As I biked by Sears School in Kenilworth I noticed I gained some ground on him. I figured he got up some steam to pass me but eventually petered out some (that is my MO anyway). He continued south on the Green Bay Trail through Wilmette and I closed to within a block of him. Once he got onto the smooth straightaway on Poplar he sped up again. We both turned east on Isabella but he turned south before reaching Ryan Field and I figured he was headed to his home nearby. But as soon as I reached Sherman in Evanston I saw his blinking light again. He must be headed to work in the city as well. He didn't have a bag or any other load so maybe he is able to stash everything he needs at his destination. I lost him for good amid the Evanston traffic.

I find commuting in the fall darkness to be slower and a bit more stressful than in the summer. As I crossed Howard into Chicago I thought to myself that I still had fair distance to ride rather than enjoying being on my bike. Lately working my bike rides into my schedule has added to an already pressure fill work environment. But at least the exercise gives me a chance to clear my head.

While turning from Clark to Granville I noticed a bicyclist's headlamp about a half block behind me. I got green lights all the way to the Lakefront Trail so never saw him until he streaked by me. He was also on a road bike with a small messenger bag; definitely much better suited to speed than I was. Then about ten seconds later comes the same guy that past me on the Green Bay Trail! He either has a rotten route or stopped for a long breakfast. Either way I had the displeasure of eating a second helping of his dust. Eventually he zipped by the other roadie as well.

South of Fullerton another lightly burdened roadie streaked by me. It certainly was not a good day for my ego. But then again I have a pretty heavy bag and I just added some snow tires. So I can rationalize my glacial pace at least a little bit. But once I got to the long straightaway heading to Oak Street Beach I no longer saw him and figured he must have turned off at the North Avenue underpass...sissy!

The stiff morning headwinds were taking their toll on me and I was really glad to be heading west on Roosevelt Road. By then I was a bit happier because I'd soon be off the bike and headed to a warm shower.

Distance Traveled: 24.3 miles
Distance to date: 1413.7 miles
Price of gas: $2.45

First December Ride

2006-12-12T20:03:00.000-06:00

It was in the 50s and kind of misty as I headed out from work a little after 5:00pm. I was happy to be back on my bike again. It has been over two weeks since I've ridden. The heavy snows and a crazy work schedule pretty much eliminated any chances of riding to or from work.

I never got around to having my wheels trued but they aren't that bad anyway. I gave my rear wheel and cassette a good cleaning though. I also put on 32cc Panaracer Urban Max tires I bought on sale at Performance. I would have preferred 28cc tires but I heard Panaracers run a little small. It took me a while to tweak my front fender in order to prevent the new tire from rubbing. I have to remember not to try anymore track stands. If I catch my shoe in the front fender again it'll be all but impossible to bend it back.

The Lake Front Trail was sprinkled with a few bicyclists and runners; no one to ride with though. At the end of the trail at Ardmore and Sheridan I caught up with a commuter on a road bike. He was outfitted pretty well with panniers, lights, and bicycling attire. I kept on his tail until we got the red light at Broadway and Granville. I said hello and we both griped about the increasingly wet weather. He was headed to Wilmette but turned north on either Glenwood or Greenview while I continued to Clark Street.

At around Clark and Touhy the skies opened up and the heavy rain continued until I reached Isabella and Sheridan. I was soaked pretty good but I wasn't too uncomfortable. My layering didn't keep me dry but kept the wind and the cold out. I don't know how I'd feel if it was ten degrees colder though.

By the time I reached the Green Bay Trail the rain had stopped and I had a relatively pleasant ride the rest of the way. I was very glad to get home though.

Distance Traveled: 24.3 miles
Distance to date: 1389.4 miles
Price of gas: $2.45

Not Biking Much These Days

2006-12-03T08:28:00.000-06:00

A crazy work schedule and recent ice and heavy snow have prevented me from biking since last Monday. My bike was locked up at work until Friday when I hauled it home. Friday night I biked around the neighborhood and my bike did a fairly good job handling the icy streets. A good portion of my route is on bike paths that aren't routinely plowed though. So I might take a break from bike commuting for a week and bring my bike in for a good tune up.

Monday

2006-11-27T20:06:00.000-06:00

This morning started out well. The weather was nice and my bike was working again after taking advantage of the long weekend to do some maintenance. I was able to get my rear derailleur to shift properly by merely tightening the cable.

I wasn't bothered too much by the typical morning headwind. It seems I expect it now. At around Irving Park I crawled past a commuter on a mountain bike. I croaked a greeting but got nothing in response. Oh well.

Near Diversey a commuter on a road bike blew by me and I glided into his slip stream. This guy was really moving. At around North Avenue he slowed to de-snot and noticed me leaching his air. So I took the lead hoping to redeem myself. The pace and the wind pretty much kicked my ass. Soon thereafter he took the lead again and I stuck with him until he needed to re-de-snot. I took the lead again and continued the charade until he probably figured enough was enough. He glided past and I stayed on him until the incline at Ohio Street Beach. I prayed for a red light at Grand Avenue so I could take a break. No such luck. Fortunately he turned off and left me to limp up the hill on my own. It wasn't until Roosevelt Road that I regained my pace.

I faced a red light with no cross traffic at Roosevelt and Clark. I inched slowly through while making sure there were no cars coming up a blind spot. Much to the smug amusement of a waiting bus driver and his passengers, I managed to catch my toe on my front fender and catch it on the wheel. I taco'ed it quite nicely and had to drag it out of traffic. About four minutes later I managed to bend it back into shape and get on with my ride.

While passing St. Ignatius High School, I managed to piss off a parent dropping off her kid. She clearly signaled to park but I thought I could whizz by her and avoid having to veer into traffic. I was nearly sandwiched into the curb but managed to startle her to a stop with a sharp rap on the fender. I pedaled off quickly feeling like a jerk.

All in all, not a good way to start the week.

Distance Traveled: 24.3 miles
Distance to date: 1365.1 miles
Price of gas: $2.41

Took Off The Training Wheels

2006-11-25T16:40:00.000-06:00

It was in the high 50s so my family biked to Village Green Park in Winnetka. I had a few surprises in store for my 4 year old son Joseph. The first was an Incredibell handle bar bell that I bought that morning at a sale at Performance. Joey loves to flick the bell on my bike and I figured he'd love one of his own. The second surprise was taking the training wheels off his $15 Huffy once we got to the park.

I let Joey discover the bell as he hauled his bike out of the garage. He is such a good kid; he never whines about wanting a zillion toys and he loves doing his school work. One would have thought I bought him a BMW with how much appreciation he showed for the $8 accessory.

Once we got to the park Joseph was a relatively quick study on two wheel riding. He initially had trouble getting started but he eventually figured out the pedal positioning to get him going. We biked on the grass so he avoided hurting himself after the scores of spills. Ultimately he handled himself well while underway but his stopping still needs work. After about an hour of this the training wheels were bolted back on and we bicycled back home.

Distance Traveled: 2.8 miles
Distance to date: 1340.8 miles
Price of gas: $2.41

Thanksgiving Eve

2006-11-22T20:58:00.000-06:00

The bosses let everyone leave work early this afternoon so I hit the road at about 3:30 pm. It was partly sunny, temperatures in the 50s and about 10 mph winds from the south; perfect bicycling conditions for a northerly ride home.

I was really cruising this afternoon. The Lakefront Trail had a handful of people out enjoying the mild weather. I had to shout at three groups of people hogging the sidewalk between Jackson and Monroe. They obviously thought I was a nut. Oh well.

I really enjoyed my bike ride today. The tail wind enabled me to move at a nice clip and the daylight enabled me to enjoy what there is of the view. It didn't get really dark until about the last mile of my ride. I keep my headlamp lit when I'm in traffic no matter how bright it is though. Nothing like a retina full of searing photons to get a driver's attention.

Hopefully I'll find the time for a bit of bike maintenance before I return to work on Monday. I have to patch or replace my rear tire and adjust my derailleurs.

Distance Traveled: 24.3 miles
Distance to date: 1338.0 miles
Price of gas: $2.41