So, instead of a boring play by play of where I went (Ogle County) and what I saw (horses, cows, birds), I just want to say that after today's bike ride, I feel more confident than ever that civilization is over-rated. I far prefer nature to most people (you, the reader, are the exception, of course). Nature also smells better than most people.
For the record--about 13 miles today.
Sunday, May 25, 2008
Monday, May 12, 2008
Tooling Around
Tonight I didn't bother going out until it was pretty close to dark, so I just tooled around the little subdivision off Weldon Road between Kelley Road and Bridgeland Road. As far as anything bike enthusiasts would be interested in, it was nothing to write home to mom about. (Happy -belated- Mother's Day, by the way, to those of you who deserve it.) But, it was actually quite a bit of what I like about riding my bike.
It was a cooler night, so I was (unfortunately) pretty aware of the temperature. Have you ever been swimming in a natural body of water and found "warm spots"? (For the record, I always just assumed someone had just peed there.) I found "warm spots" when I was out on my bike, which I've never really noticed before. Of course, they didn't last long, because I'd pedal right through, but that's beside the point.
The whole point of the bike, besides burning time and calories, is to get out there and see the world at a speed that someone with my (read: low) level of intelligence can actually take in. I like to smell the flowers and trees. I like to analyze the landscaping decisions people have made. I like to find out which dogs bark at bicycles. I like to see which houses have pools in the back (which, of course, I want to swim in, whether anyone invites me or not). You just can't do that stuff driving by at 70 mph.
It was a cooler night, so I was (unfortunately) pretty aware of the temperature. Have you ever been swimming in a natural body of water and found "warm spots"? (For the record, I always just assumed someone had just peed there.) I found "warm spots" when I was out on my bike, which I've never really noticed before. Of course, they didn't last long, because I'd pedal right through, but that's beside the point.
The whole point of the bike, besides burning time and calories, is to get out there and see the world at a speed that someone with my (read: low) level of intelligence can actually take in. I like to smell the flowers and trees. I like to analyze the landscaping decisions people have made. I like to find out which dogs bark at bicycles. I like to see which houses have pools in the back (which, of course, I want to swim in, whether anyone invites me or not). You just can't do that stuff driving by at 70 mph.
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
Fun Run
Running is almost certainly the most boring and ridiculous exercise ever invented. Personally, I haven't run since last September. For some reason, I decided to run tonight.
It was getting dark when I went, and (oddly) running in the dark doesn't bother me one bit but riding my bike in the dark is simply out of the question. I would like to be able to provide some thoughtful bit of reasoning for this. Perhaps I could say that if I go over broken glass when I am running, it may put small cuts in the bottom of my shoes, but if I ride my bike over broken glass I may get to carry my bike home. That sounds at least somewhat reasonable to me... but in truth I think it is because in the dark I may not see something important on the bike, and when I am running other people may not see something important running (ME). I guess if I didn't blog about it, no one would know these embarrassing tidbits.
Just like last time, I simply ran to the sign and ran home--one mile. The time was about nine minutes, which is sad and pathetic. It didn't feel good. I don't know why I bother.
Good day.
It was getting dark when I went, and (oddly) running in the dark doesn't bother me one bit but riding my bike in the dark is simply out of the question. I would like to be able to provide some thoughtful bit of reasoning for this. Perhaps I could say that if I go over broken glass when I am running, it may put small cuts in the bottom of my shoes, but if I ride my bike over broken glass I may get to carry my bike home. That sounds at least somewhat reasonable to me... but in truth I think it is because in the dark I may not see something important on the bike, and when I am running other people may not see something important running (ME). I guess if I didn't blog about it, no one would know these embarrassing tidbits.
Just like last time, I simply ran to the sign and ran home--one mile. The time was about nine minutes, which is sad and pathetic. It didn't feel good. I don't know why I bother.
Good day.
Monday, May 5, 2008
Searching for Ethanol
Tonight's journey takes us all round the area where the ethanol plant was supposed to be (but mysteriously disappeared--another victim of C.A.V.E., Citizens Against Virtually Everything). I took the oft-traveled Weldon Road, Cunningham Road and all through the Redenius Woods subdivision north of Cunningham, over to Meridian Road, south to Kelley Road and all through the subdivision south of Kelley.
There are lots of big expensive houses on those roads. I am going to have a big house like that same day... but probably not until after I'm dead. I find it humorous how much money these people out in the middle of the country, who many of whom paid premium prices for wooded lots, put into having thick, healthy, green, weed-free lawns. "I love nature--except weeds."
The more I ride my bike, the more obvious the following truth becomes to me: since I ride in circles (always ending up where I started from), the hills always even out. Some times you work your tail off going uphill first, and then reap the benefits on the downhill. Other times you get to freeload first, but then have to make up for it later. This being said, I've decided that anyone who likes to bike should hills. Sure, the ups are more work, but the downs are the most fun ever.
No ethanol located.
There are lots of big expensive houses on those roads. I am going to have a big house like that same day... but probably not until after I'm dead. I find it humorous how much money these people out in the middle of the country, who many of whom paid premium prices for wooded lots, put into having thick, healthy, green, weed-free lawns. "I love nature--except weeds."
The more I ride my bike, the more obvious the following truth becomes to me: since I ride in circles (always ending up where I started from), the hills always even out. Some times you work your tail off going uphill first, and then reap the benefits on the downhill. Other times you get to freeload first, but then have to make up for it later. This being said, I've decided that anyone who likes to bike should hills. Sure, the ups are more work, but the downs are the most fun ever.
No ethanol located.
Thursday, May 1, 2008
Weldon Road
Okay, so today's route was a whole bunch of Weldon Road and some little side roads... I had to plot eight destinations on Google Maps to figure out the distance (which, by the way, was 10.2 miles). No big deal. But today's highlight was that my brother came along for more than half the trip. That was fun. So, if you want to have fun, you should go on a bike ride with me, too.
Before heading out tonight, I did some maintenance-type stuff on my bike. It's probably a good thing I did... much of it was well past due, but the thing that bothered me was the hardware that I tightened that was about an inch from having my bike fall in half mid-use. That would totally blow. So, today's bit of free advice: keep your bicycle properly maintained.
Weldon Road's not all it's cracked up to be. I would like to suggest that the proud property owners plant some trees or something.
Before heading out tonight, I did some maintenance-type stuff on my bike. It's probably a good thing I did... much of it was well past due, but the thing that bothered me was the hardware that I tightened that was about an inch from having my bike fall in half mid-use. That would totally blow. So, today's bit of free advice: keep your bicycle properly maintained.
Weldon Road's not all it's cracked up to be. I would like to suggest that the proud property owners plant some trees or something.
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