New eyes.  Yep finished cataract surgery on both eyes.  Good news.  Vision is vastly improved.  Bad news was I was instructed there would be no physical activity for two weeks.  Well, I was good for one week and decided I could do a modified ride on my trainer.  So I rode less and at a slower pace on my basement trainer.  Besides, the weather for outdoor riding wasn't especially favorable.  Next week looks like better conditions so I will do modified rides as long as it takes.  Hopefully I'm not overdoing it but I don't think so.  Tough at this time in my life to have to back off what I am accustomed
to doing. And still thinking I can get a century in before winter season.  Later

 

Great rides last week.  Longest one was to Magnolia a total of 35 miles.   Since this is the season for farmers bringing their crops to market the route I take was inundated with more traffic than normal.  The biggest obstacle for me are the tankers, grain haulers and other semis.  Normally I can count on 13-14 semis passing me. During my ride last week there were 30,,,of those monsters.  As stated in the past, route 89 north has a minimum amount of shoulder so when approaching vehicles get near, I ride as near to the white line as safety allows. Of the thirty truck 28 passed showing a vast amount of respect. With no vehicles coming in the opposite direction the respectful 28 would change lanes and give me plenty of room.  Yet there are always some idiots that have some kind of dislike for bikers.  The first was a tanker. While passing it came within a foot as it rolled by and produced a long, loud blast from its horn.  I figure the only reason for doing that is to do personal bodily harm to me.  A startled cyclist, or a startled anyone,  will react in a manner that is reactive and defensive.  These actions often result in crashes and injuries.  I witnessed it many time on my various rides.  Fortunately for me neither of these occurred but I was not very happy someone would try to do that. 

The second episode was far more dangerous.  In previous posts I mention a maneuver I call a doubler.  I can ride for miles and miles and not encounter any traffic.  Yet, more often that I care to remember, a vehicle will be coming in my direction on the opposite side of the road.  Not normally a problem but for some odd reason a vehicle will be approaching from the rear.  And, both will pass at exactly the same time as they are passing me.  Very odd indeed.  Thus a doubler as I'm being double passed.  On this particular ride a semi was approaching from the front and low and behold another semi was closing from behind.  Normally the one from behind will slow, put on their flashers and wait until the oncoming truck passes.  Well, this jerk didn't.  And as it passed, the other  oncoming semi passed at the same time.  Less that six inches was the space between me and a multi-ton truck moving at at least 55 mph. I gripped my handlebars tightly, looked straight ahead and held on for dear life.  Unfortunately my bike camera was not on so I could record this near catastrophy.and I certainly dodged a bullet.  But all in all a great week for riding a bicycle across central Illinois.  Still looking for proper conditions to do my first century.  Later

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