43rd ride of 2020 - Saturday, 5/2/2020
2020 mileage: 1651.2
Now that spring weather FINALLY seems to have arrived here in Ann Arbor, I did a ride this morning I'd been looking forward to since early in the week, when the forecast sounded like it would be feasible. I left at 7 a.m. and rode from our home in the southwest corner of Ann Arbor (actually Pittsfield Township) to Matthei Botanical Gardens on the northeast side—then I came home by looping around my old (1993) "home away from home," St. Joseph Hospital, and this gave me a total ride of 34.8 miles in 3:48 ... not my longest ride, as I've twice done 50-milers, but I think next to those it is the longest.
Due to the plague of distracted drivers, and my own worrisome medical history, Michelle asks that I keep my riding off road ... and I am happy to be able to do that with Matthei as a goal, by riding the sidewalk down to where the Lohr-Textile Greenway begins at Ellsworth Road, and then taking the Greenway to Marsh Park (a mile east of State Rd.) and then the newest stretch of it (just completed late last summer) eastward from the park to Platt Rd. Then I can take the Platt Rd. Greenway back up to Ellsworth, and then sidewalks and a trail clear up to Gallup Park. From Gallup I take the Gallup Park Pathway east to Parker Mils near Dixboro, and then follow a trail that parallels Geddes Rd. until it meets Dixboro Rd., and from there the Matthei Botanical Gardens Trail goes north a couple of miles to Matthei, allowing riders, walkers, and runners to bypass the busy and narrow-shouldered Dixboro Rd. On this trail I saw my friends Kim Brown and Tony Glinke.
On my March 17 birthday, I had hoped to ride 63 miles for my 63 years, but an unfortunate collision of issues (weather, health, and mechnical) rendered that unfeasible. So now I'm hoping to ride (at least) 63.5 miles on my 'half birthday' (Thursday, September 17), which I figure I can cover with a mere pair of this morning's round trips done back to back.
Two minor episodes are worthy of mention. As I was headed north toward Gallup Park, about 10 miles into the ride, shortly before crossing the Huron River, coming down a sizable hill on the trail beside Huron Parkway I picked up enough speed that my chain came off, and was a tangled mess. But, thank heavens, I was able to get it straightened out. Then a few miles later, as i neared Parker Mills, a stretch of the paved trail was all torn up, being reconstructed, and it was just rough gravel. I held my breath, hoping and praying that my tires would hold, as I have not yet changed one on my own. But all was fine.
When I left at 7 a.m., it was cold enough at 49° that I wore a hoodie—the latest addition to my wardrobe:
Now that spring weather FINALLY seems to have arrived here in Ann Arbor, I did a ride this morning I'd been looking forward to since early in the week, when the forecast sounded like it would be feasible. I left at 7 a.m. and rode from our home in the southwest corner of Ann Arbor (actually Pittsfield Township) to Matthei Botanical Gardens on the northeast side—then I came home by looping around my old (1993) "home away from home," St. Joseph Hospital, and this gave me a total ride of 34.8 miles in 3:48 ... not my longest ride, as I've twice done 50-milers, but I think next to those it is the longest.
Due to the plague of distracted drivers, and my own worrisome medical history, Michelle asks that I keep my riding off road ... and I am happy to be able to do that with Matthei as a goal, by riding the sidewalk down to where the Lohr-Textile Greenway begins at Ellsworth Road, and then taking the Greenway to Marsh Park (a mile east of State Rd.) and then the newest stretch of it (just completed late last summer) eastward from the park to Platt Rd. Then I can take the Platt Rd. Greenway back up to Ellsworth, and then sidewalks and a trail clear up to Gallup Park. From Gallup I take the Gallup Park Pathway east to Parker Mils near Dixboro, and then follow a trail that parallels Geddes Rd. until it meets Dixboro Rd., and from there the Matthei Botanical Gardens Trail goes north a couple of miles to Matthei, allowing riders, walkers, and runners to bypass the busy and narrow-shouldered Dixboro Rd. On this trail I saw my friends Kim Brown and Tony Glinke.
On my March 17 birthday, I had hoped to ride 63 miles for my 63 years, but an unfortunate collision of issues (weather, health, and mechnical) rendered that unfeasible. So now I'm hoping to ride (at least) 63.5 miles on my 'half birthday' (Thursday, September 17), which I figure I can cover with a mere pair of this morning's round trips done back to back.
Two minor episodes are worthy of mention. As I was headed north toward Gallup Park, about 10 miles into the ride, shortly before crossing the Huron River, coming down a sizable hill on the trail beside Huron Parkway I picked up enough speed that my chain came off, and was a tangled mess. But, thank heavens, I was able to get it straightened out. Then a few miles later, as i neared Parker Mills, a stretch of the paved trail was all torn up, being reconstructed, and it was just rough gravel. I held my breath, hoping and praying that my tires would hold, as I have not yet changed one on my own. But all was fine.
When I left at 7 a.m., it was cold enough at 49° that I wore a hoodie—the latest addition to my wardrobe:
But by the time I finished, I was enjoying blessed bright 67° sunshine. As I write this, I'm loving it on our patio in shorts and t-shirt, and barefoot, listening to reggae music.😎
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