Training Log Archive: Mr Wonderful

Rode over to meet Steve and Ross for a roll down Hines.

Original destination was Outer Drive.

We did encounter a flooded Middlebelt.



So we carried our bikes up and over. We'd later learn this was a good call because it was bottom bracket deep, based on another ride who bombed through as we returned.



We chanced Inkster, since you could at least see the painted line. I almost kept my feet dry by stutter pedaling. Steve did not. But our feet dried quickly either way.





I hadn't made it bike shoe shopping yet, so it was Brooks Ghosts mashing my candies, which wasn't too bad.

Back towards home. I was able to help retrieve a loose dog. It got away from the entrance to a building. Then it ran back towards its people before overshooting them, then it looked friendly and seemed to think I was fun to chase, so I let it catch me, then I petted it and grabbed its collar. It was nice to be helpful.

Casual ride with my nephews at some new to me and relatively new to the area trails at Silver Lake....Wisconsin.

Trails were twisty with features. They suited my nephews' BMX background. We eventually parked the youngest nephew at the back of our line so he wouldn't try anything too crazy.

Our collection of bikes was assorted - I had my 29er XC hardtail. Dear brother was on a classic 26" hardtail, ~60 mm Barracuda that wasn't shifting, and the nephews were on full suspension 26s, one all mountain looking and the other at least all mountain if not nearly downhill.



We naturally had several wheelie contests - brother crushed as always.



And this was a good ride, even at its timid pace because I heard some more noises from my bike, and also during my own wheelies, my shoes desoled themselves.



I was thinking of picking up a replacement set - one more hikable bike shoe and then one maybe more road specific to ride to work in, that I wouldn't walk through swamps in for the benefit of my cube mate....I guess it's that time!

The "I think 29ers are too unwieldy, smaller wheels are more nimble" Folding Bike Fifty Kilometer Trail.

Several years ago, when I had friends who would walk to lunch, I picked up a pair of unspectacular old Dahon folding bikes off craigslist - the pair was about $75. I wasn't using them much, so I eventually transferred them to my brother in Wisconsin.

He pitched a get dropped off and ride back scenario. Finally, the weather and visit timing and lack of basketball tournament cooperated. I would take the looser-but-adjusts-higher yellow one. Erik installed his newly acquired Brooks saddle on the tighter blue one.

Dear mother drove us down to East Dundee, Illinois.



The bikes fit in her Fusion truck without much trouble.



Some assembly required.



then ready to go!



Eventually we found our way onto the Fox River Trail from our random side street parking.

Immediately we found a cool but marked-as-uncrossable bridge.





The first section would prove to be the skills section. The most twists, turns, and climbs. Shortly after a mosquito-infested stop here in some pines for a drink, we went from band-break-rubber-burning downhills to hills so steep I couldn't pedal seated without standing up, as the front wheel would pick up.





Then we entered the picture-less slog from Crystal Lake to McHenry. This was the straightest and most sun-exposed. Also, without checking the track, it seems like a mostly light uphill grade.

Finally, we arrived in McHenry and took a drink break, and also verified one of the few jig jogs on our route.







This water looked inviting.



We brought an assortment of tools in case of mechanicals. Fortunately, we only had two dropped chains (one a piece), and I stopped to zip tie a cable too close to the chainring. But that doesn't mean they were perfect - the friction shifters were not full of friction, so occasionally this was the way to hold a gear.



We took a few shots near one of our beloved Glacial Park. Many hijinks have ensued here, such as getting a literally mile of kite string out floating a kite way over the main marsh, and also riding unpowered big wheels down steep slopes way before we ever saw Jackass.







This nearly cost us. Two people had jumped on their bikes right after our last vista stop, and they passed us as I insisted with needed a "picture with water background".



But we were able to reel them in before the next town's most likely stops.

During the final few blocks, we detoured to my elementary school. The oldest, most original part was torn down, something about "no longer safe". RIP original Brookwood Elementary.



Finally tallies:

* Were passed eight times
* Passed three people
* Three sizable puddles ("water crossings")
* Four bike comments:

"Love your bikes"
"Where did you get those?"
"Cool bikes"
"Does that make it harder?" (Yes, it's awful, was the response)

And approximately 41,000 revolutions of each the 16" wheels.

C • Folding bikes 4