My Bicycle Musings

I got up this morning at 8, ate my bran flakes, and thought about going for a bike ride.

Even though it was rather sunny outside.

Then my wife turned on the tv, and I was so depressed watching "The Hour Of Power" that I decided to NOT go for a bike ride.

Then I watched a half-hour of Sunday Morning, had a bowel movement, and was so cheered that I decided to GO for that bike ride.

So I did.

Let us see, what all happened.

The light at the end my street refused to change, as usual, even though I said a curse word (or two) at it.

I felt pretty good going up The Parkway, hitting 16 mph on the flats at times (which I shouldn't have been doing, since I wasn't warmed up.)

I went into Harry Griffin the FRONT way, so as to sneak out the BACK way, over by the dog walk. Oh, no, not going to happen, the gate was chained SHUT! So I did a little dirt riding and went out another way that I remembered from when we wuz Geocaching one time. I read one guy's opinion that one could dirt ride on skinny tires. He did, he maintained, no problem. Well, I've got 27 1/4 tires on the Schwinn, not the skinniest tires around by far, and I've got to say it's not a whole lot of fun riding in loose sand.

I went looking for that OTHER way down into El Cajon, the street that's blocked off to cars. After several false starts (and several little hills to climb back up!), I finally found it and descended into the box. The rest of the ride followed The Dam Ride. Except I didn't go around the Lake. I figured there were too many dog walkers.

On Prospect, in Santee, some guy making a left turn came within a foot of hitting me. This was in the tiny little section where it narrows down to one lane for a few feet.



Not too many people at the Dam Bike Path, of which I cannot remember the name. My average speed for the first hour I noted at 13.4 mph. I didn't feel too bad, either.

Light at bottom of Jackson Drive hill wouldn't change, so I "ran" it.

Jackson Drive seems to be closed to through traffic because of some water pipe repair for some time. The DOWN lane seems to be open, at least on the weekend, but the UP lane has a detour. I, in the great tradition, rode the sidewalk all the way up. In granny gear, but not the BIG cog. The next one down. I don't remember what it is, YOU go look it up!

Near the top a runner was in the bike lane, while I was on the sidewalk. Ironic?

Made it the rest of way with no incidents.

Weekly Mileage:

Jamis -- 32 miles
Schwinn -- 22.39
Total-- 54.39