New computer.  Checking it's ability to continue this blog.  Just purchased new Continental Gator tires.  My Alitia are very difficult to change when I get a puncture.  Snapped two pry bars attempting to place the tire on the rim.  Never had that problem before so new tires is the default remedy.  As far as biking since my last entry no outside rides due to weather and other interruptions.  Like many of my fellow riders I contracted squamos cell carcenoma. Surgery was last Tuesday and I was instructed to do no activity for a week.  I was a good boy for three days and biked on my trainer in the basement.  So far, no diverse effects.  This week looks like great weather for outdoor cycling so hopefully I'm back.  Still looking for conditions for my first century of the season. More later.

 

 

     Second try.   Half a page and hit a wrong button and lost the entire post.  So, here we go again.  Last weekend while visiting Eric for his birthday event we were joined by Christopher, Annie and our sweet grand daughter, Ruthie, for a three day visit.  Knowing there would be plenty of down time, I brought my bike to ride the route I trained on for my cross country ride.  The good news is I handled the hills and distance quite nicely.  I did notice one major change.  Garbage and trash littered the shoulder and right of way along route 51.  Very disappointing considering the amount of information given to discourage such behavior.  Well, some idiots just don't listen or just don't care. It was the worst I have seen in all the times I have ridden that route.  After the hard riding heading south with a S.W wind I looked forward to the "easy" ride with the wind at my back and mostly downhill.  Karma steps in and shows me to anticipate any and all circumstances. Crusing downhill hitting between 20 and 22 mph. and avoiding as much of the debris as possible, I experience that familiar feeling I have had so many times.  Tire Puncture.  This was supposed to be my relaxing time.  Not to be!  I could have taken the time and changed the tube but I called the lovely Veronica to come and pick my up.  End of the ride.  Since that ride I have had to suspend my outside rides as per instruction from the doctor who preformed Mohs surgery to expel the squamous skin cancer.  It was all removed but any strenuous activity was discouraged until my follow up visit next week.  I will indeed follow his instruction but I have begun my biking on the trainer in my basement.  However, I am looking forward to riding after my dr. visit.  Hopefully the weather cooperates as the outdoor season is rapidly coming to an end.  Enough for now.  Stay tuned.

 

 Mojo is back.  Great riding weather with mild winds and moderate temps.  After a few setbacks, Saturday ride was my best of the season.  Forty miles at 17 mph.  Hope to build on that and am more confident in my ability to do a century.  Just looking for the right conditions.  Later

 

Just finished my" see if I can ride my age" bicycle trek .The weather today was almost perfect with low 70s and very little wind. ideal riding conditions. I'm finding the distance to be longer and more difficult each year. Wonder why that is. Some of the best bicycle riding of the year. One of the odd things I noticed more this fall are the number of drivers that cause near misses.  Last Thursday were two close calls.  First was a truck that cut in front of my as it turned a corner.  After narrowly avoiding me it almost crashed into the ditch.  I have that one on my bike camera.  The second one was another event where two cars coming toward me, the front one is being passed and the passing auto comes into my lane.  Avoiding being hit I had to ride into the corn field and the truck being passed actually pulled half way off the road to avoid hitting me.  This, even though I have a bright flashing white light on my front frame.  Unfortunately, that one was not recorded on my camera.  And once again another exciting adventure riding a bike around central Illinois. Still waiting for proper conditions for my first century of the year.

 

 About time for another entry.  I can tell it's Fall season.  It seems like the motorists are less concerned for bikers on the road than earlier in the year.  Many near misses the last two weeks are concerning and two local bikers were hit and killed recently.  In fact, earlier this week a cyclist was hit and killed and the car that hit him did not stop.  Fortunately enough people got the tag plate and he was apprehended some time later. Today's ride I encountered not one but two close calls.  The first came an the entrance to Eureka Lake road.  As I crossed the intersection a truck crossed right in front of my and almost drove off the road, squealing his tire and he barely missed me.  Of course I showed the driver my displeasure but he kept driving down the road. That incident is on my bike cam. Soon after as I made a turn on 24 coming in the opposite direction was a truck pulling a trailer.  It is a two lane road with a small shoulder.  About 100 yards the truck following the tandem a pickup started passing coming into my lane.  He made no attempt to pull back behind the trailer and, in fact, the trailer pulled off the road to allow the passing vehicle room.  But it never did.  I do ride with a white front blinking light so I had to be seen.  I was on the small shoulder about ready to ride into the corn and the passing car barely pulled in as he passed.  A lot of idiots on the roads these days.  Unfortunately I did not have this on my bike cam.  So much about ranting about idiot driver.  On a more positive note, I road my first somewhat distance ride going 40 miles to Bloomington earlier last week.  Still, hopeful I can do a century by the end of the outdoor season.  I should also mention the lovely Veronica and I celebrated our 53 wedding anniversary last Wednesday.  Other than that, it was a great day for riding a bicycle on the back roads of central Illinois

 

The biking gods were very kind to me last Thursday.  You mean, there are such things?  If not biking gods then guardian angles.  Here's the story.  On my thirty miler, half way between Eureka and Goodfield, I came to an intersection I have ridden through many, many times.  Proceeding cautiously, as the cross traffic had the stop sign. I briefly checked and could see no vehicles.  Yet, as I passed the crossroad, a black vehicle of some type flew by and missed me by mere inches.  It never slowed down and definitely didn't stop. This is not particularly unusual as these are rural, country roads where traffic is sparse.  I stopped soon after crossing the intersection as I realized if that vehicle hits me, it's the end of the line.  The auto had to be traveling between 60 and 65 mph.  As I regrouped my senses a van pulled behind me.  Two nice ladies stopped and asked if I were okay.  After assuring them I survived they said they were traveling the opposite direction and saw the whole event.  They were amazed the car didn't hit me.  One of these gracious ladies asked if I knew how close the car came to hitting me.  I responded I felt it as it passed and knew it was very close but didn't see it.  She then held her thumb and forefinger about and inch apart and showed me it was that close.  Wow!!! As I stated at the start of this post someone was looking out for me as it wasn't quite my time to be leaving this existence. As far as outdoor biking, the weather conditions the last 3 days were perfect for biking outside.  Mid to low 80's, light winds less that 10 mph and low humidity.  Perfect.  And, as the yin/yang of the universe prevails this week temperatures will hover at in the high 90's with high humidity.  But it is what it is.  Another great week riding a bicycle in central Illinois.

 

                                                           Coming back from Eureka Lake

After a brief respite from the Canadian fire smoke smog in our area the weather the last three days was unhealthy to the extent outdoor activity should be limited.  So, it was back to the trainer in the basement. During a normal summer, I would have already ridden my annual century to Champaign and taken a number of 50 milers to either Spring Valley or LeRoy.  Half the summer is over and I haven't ridden over 35 mile at one time.  I hope I'm not losing my mojo.  During my 30 miler last week I looked into my rear view mirror and noticed a biker behind and gaining on me.  As per my usual method, I increased my speed so as not to be caught.  17-18-20 + and it was still gaining  It wasn't long before it pass me quite easily.  And, yes it was an E-Bike.  Another example of me trying to outrun a n E-bike and losing.  I did notice though three things about the cyclist.  First he had no helmet.  Second he had no lights.  And third, he wasn't even peddling.  Just sitting on the bike like it was a scooter.  I wondered what, if any, benefit he received from this type of exercise.  But, oh well.  It is what it is.  To end, today was one of the best riding days of the summer and I certainly took advantage of it.  72 degrees, wind less than 5mph and air quality acceptable.  Still looking forward to some distance riding this summer.