Mitch's Btown Blog

March 3, 2006

Jojo and I decided to ride around the Lake Monroe this Saturday. We rode down 446 and across the causeway, stopping for a few minutes at Cutwright. We headed up th hill and made quick work of the miles to Chapel Hill Road, we headed west into 30 mph wind, buddy it was colder than riding on Lake Monre 2 weeks go. This is when the snow really picked up, we had heavy flurries all the way back. This was actually quite nice, the snow would come and go, but did not stick to the road, it seemed to be blowing sideways, and so stuck to one side of any upright item, fence posts, cows, trees, bikers, etc.

We stopped at the dam and watched the water from the lake become Salt Creek again. We then headed up Strain Ridge, and instead of using our normal route back (Ramp Creek to Handy to Harrell and then Rhorer.) This time we came back up Fairfax Rd, which I normally avoid due to traffic, but there was little traffic. We came up old Walnut, and then home.

Miles: 55
Avg mph: 11.8
Sightings: 1 Hawk, dozens of vultures, domestic fowl, and wild ducks.
Temp: 20 degrees with wind from 10-35 mph blowing from the west. I was the hardest riding the ridges, but the coldest was when we stopped on the dam and the wind whistled across the frigid lake.

We got excited when we saw this frozen leg of the lake, it looked like we might do more ice riding. But when got to the causeway, it was obvious that would not be an option. There was a rolling mass of broken ice pushing up against he causeway, with the high winds and regular waves, it was quite hypnotic.

We stopped at Cutright, we wanted to see where we had but in 2 weeks ago. We saw a a large flock of buzzards flying low, and we went over to watch. I couldn’t get close enough for a good shot, but they were on the ground hopping around, spreading their wings and jumping up and down, landing on a nearby sign. We thought it could be a mating dance, or possibly a fight, who knows. We then rode up the ridge and on to Chapel Hill. We stopped to buy some nuts and Krazy Joe’s and took a snack break, and I took a picture of one of my favorite subjects, a water tower. It is because these incredible pieces of technology that we have water, even if the electricity is down (way to go hydrolics!)

Here are some sights along Chapel Hill Road. The picture of the duck pond should have sound, it was just amazing, especially since there were turkeys and some exotics across the road, it was stereo fowl sounds.

I just have to mention the lumbering fools who removed so many trees on the norht side of Chapel Hill, this land has been raped. According to state law, loggers are not allowed to leave the tops and other “scrap” in the valleys, yet the fines are so low, they almost always ignored. What a waste!

We continued along Chapel Hill and took the right on Guthrie Road, which tees at Mission Valley, where we headed north to the alps and the dam. The alps are are good name, three prety steep climbs, only to come plunging down the road at 45 mph past the dramatic stone walls left when they removed the hillside to build the dam and make the spillway. We stopped to watch the water pour out to reform Salt Creek, and took in the ice all along the dam. We stopped for a picture at the Sanders store and gas station, and then headed home.

Jojo and I got a wild hare after traveling down Kerr Creek to the end. Normally we would go up Getty’s Creek Road, or go over the ridge on Fleener and travel up Brummet’s Creek. But being in a good mood, we decided to portage our bikes straight up the ridge to Birdie Galyon, which was not so bad really, as we had a well defined old logging rood to follow. So we turned north to and headed toward Mt. Gilead. Now normally the dirt “road” can be wet, but in today, it was really a mess, but we soldiered on. We weer 2/3 through when we came to where a logging company had been working, great slashes of mud 50 feet wide, with cut and broken trees everywhere. We waded across the muddy mess handing our bikes across the murky expanses to each other till finally we were past the worst, and finally road through the forest onto a civilized gravel road. Being a muddy mess, we peddled past Jen & Emily’s house and heades straight to Shilo Road, where we talked to Keith’s macaw and Jojo took Max for a 2 pawed walk in the woods. We then heade back to town, cut across on Miller to Robinson, and just about died trying to climb hill every bit as steep and long as Boltinghouse, try it sometime, you’ll like it!

Ok, this is the first week of January, 2007, and we just rode an easy 25 miles, starting south past the YMCA along the bike route, across Jackson Creek and past the school, up Rhorer Rd. hill to ride south on Harrell Rd., go left and past the Road Closed signs at the beginning of Stipp Road at Handy. We had ridden through the water over the road last week, it was about 6 inches at the most, and we did not get wet.

After this week’s rain, the road was impassable. I tried. I got out about 50 feet and Jojo yelled that the water was nearly at my seat. I tried to turn, but there was not enough road, and I finally had to stand up, knee deep in the water. I walked my bike back to the dry road, taking a picture about half way back to prove I was there. Jojo is giving me the thumbs up, he was happy I had not fallen over! So we climbed back up Stipp Road and back the way we came.

As we came over the hill into the park by Jackson Creek, we heard a bunch of firecracker sounds, and as we came across the bridge by the tennis courts, there were about 5 middle school age boys lighting firecrackers. As we came up near them, one boy threw a lit cracker at his buddy, who turned and it blew up on this back. They all laughed and moved on up the path.

Trip Highlights:
25 miles, 11.5mph
Temp: 40, Cloudy to party cloudy
High water at Stipp/Moores Creek
2 water cascades running off the ridges
Silence at Stipp & Moores Pike, no vehicles or boats, no wind
First cold water dip of 2007
3 whitetail deer
Firecracker Kids

When I started working for the Bloomington Voice in the late 90’s I was thoroughly tired of driving the streets of Bloomington as I had for the last 15 years as a building contractor. A day with only one trip the lumberyard was rare, and jobs were scattered in every direction.

While we live just south of the campus, the Voice office was on S. Old 37, just north of Rhorer Rd., so I bought an old 3 speed Raleigh like I had as a kid in the early 60’s. I rode that every day for about a year till we moved downtown. It got in much better shape, and started doing short rides like riding out to Griffey and up the hill to Bethel lane, and back across to Cascades and into town. I kept expanding, but needed a better bike, and so bought a Trek hybrid. This was great for commuting, but I also started riding 2-3 times a week for 25-45 miles, I averaged about 200 mi/week for several months. That winter I not only felt all that riding in my wrists, but also in my neck, which was unbearable for several weeks. I related this to my posture while riding coupled with new work on a computer while using my bifocals, I was holding my head back to use the bifocals in just the same way as I held my head while riding.

So I tried out Kevin Atkin’s recumbents that spring, and I was sold. You don’t understand how uncomfortable bike riding is till you try a recumbent. No wrist pain or numbness, no neck pain, and no pressure and numbness in the crotch. I’ve been riding it ever since, both in town and for long rides. People ask if it is harder to ride, and the answer is yes and no. There are definitely different skills needed, everything is done with the legs, no help from your weight (you can’s stand up to pump), and you can’t pull on the handlebars. You need skill in shifting, and balance can be a problem, but only in the beginning.

So to answer the question at the top, why ride? I got tired of driving, I realized how much fun riding can be, it was cheaper, and I got to spend more time outside now that I worked in an office. Plus I lost some weight and lowered my blood pressure and increased my aerobic capacity.

Underneath all this was the connection I see between our energy needs and war and environmental degradation. I see a non-car life style as both possible and desirable. We moved from our country home on the premise that we could afford to pay more in the city if we were eliminating 175 miles/week, which also freed up 3-4 hours time. I am not paying the increasing price for gas, and I get so hear the cranes migrate and see a fox running through the grass just outside town. My life and lifestyle are enhanced by my bike riding, if you want to try any of my many routes, just let me know.