#20) Nothing Compares to...

#19) Just One More Time

I really thought I would be able to get in a few more spins before the elements would make it too difficult and uncomfortable to ride, but as is typical in Chicago, the seasons have changed rather abruptly. These rapid changes are especially true with the spring/summer & the fall/winter transition. Winters are cold and too long while summers are too hot and not long enough. But your picture perfect spring and fall days are few and far between. There never seems to be a gradual progression as the seasons change. If you're lucky there will one week of your stereotypical spring or fall days. This fall we didn't even get that. The week when the fall foliage was peaking the skies were clouded over so I wasn't able to take the pictures that I had hoped to.
During my rides this summer I had scouted out some great locations for fall pictures at both the arboretum and the forest preserve but the sun never seemed to cooperate.
I am still hoping to get out for a ride but it is difficult with shorter daylight hours and falling temperatures.

So once again I am back to the gym routine.

I will try to alternate between strength training and aerobics, doing weights 3 days a week and ride the bike for 2 days, and switch it up the next week doing 3 cardio and 2 strength. And this off-season I have a better idea of which muscle groups need extra work.

But I really want to get out
 Just One More Time
by The Derailers

#18) What I write about when I write.. (with apologies to Haruki Murakami)

 

"Summer of 42" grass-scape Nantucket, MA

Way back in August, more specifically, way back on August 5^th, I found the inspirational crutch I needed to help me with my writing of “The Handcycle Diaries.” That was the day I began reading Haruki Murakami’s “What I Write About When I Write About Running.” The book is a memoir of Murakami’s running experiences woven around his growth and development as a writer. I was anxious to gain some insight on how someone develops as a writer. What really struck me on that hot August 5^th day as I was sitting on a beach in Lake Forest, Illinois (yes, there are beaches in Illinois) were the very first words I read from his book: August 5^th… Was it Karma, serendipity or just a plain old “shit happens” event, I don’t know. But the irony of the August 5^th occurrence fired up my creative process. I could use “What I Write About…” as a template for Handcycle Diaries.

The karma/serendipity/shit happens theme was still in play of when I placed a bookmark to save my spot in the book. The bookmark itself was a rather innocuous marker that one sees near the cash register at bookstores. This particular marker had been inserted into a collection of short stories that my mother had given me for my birthday. 

One side of the paper bookmark was an advertisement for the bookstore where the book was purchased; on the flipside, a quotation that read, “One informed reader is worth a thousand boneheads.” Handwritten in ink below that quotation was a note from my mother that simply said “A thought for today. Love Mother.” I know that was a pretty standard quote to extol the virtues of reading but what grabbed me was the relevance of these quotations to the discussion that took place with my family on the car-ride to the beach.

 

B&W Milkweed Herrick Lake Forest Preserve

As we drove to the beach we listened to an AM station so we could get updated traffic and weather reports. The headline story of the day was the ever-growing NSA scandal and I voiced my worries about the invasion of privacy that was occurring. The family was nonplussed by the news and opined that I “spend too much time reading the New York Times and watching MSNBC.” That bookmark, with the quotation and note from my mother, helped ease my anxiety over my families’ reaction to the NSA scandal but it increased my bewilderment over the karma/serendipity/shit happens time-warp that I found myself in.

But I digress, back to “What I Write About”. My first realization was that a memoir is a looking back, best of highlight piece where the writer has the luxury picking and choosing what to include, whereas a journal is a real-time log of events. Other than that, I can see some similarities in our writing styles and Murakami even includes the titles of the music that he uses for motivation while running just like I had been doing at the ending of my blog posts.

So for the next couple of months I will post writings about the various trails I have taken and also how this new-found passion has effected me, both physically and mentally.

With that I leave you with two songs: (Don’t read anything into these selections, other than, I really like the sound.)

Excitable Boy by Warren evon

and

Country Death Song by The Violent Femmes

#17) Seasons come and seasons go

Damn, it wasn’t that long ago that I was worrying about staying cool and keeping my system properly hydrated on my rides…Through trail and error I finally came up with a cooling system that provided me enough relief from the heat but that didn’t make look like a suicide bomber with an explosive vest. I found that placing a frozen gel pack on the seatback worked the best. It is uncomfortable at first until the rockhard pack begins to thaw.

I knew enough to avoid the hottest part of the day and forgo riding if the heat index was too high. I placed a water-soaked bandana under my helmet and wore a cooling band around my neck. On top of that I kept a wet rag in my tool bag to wash off my face if I became overheated. Using a commonsense approach of paying close attention to weather conditions and utilizing cooling tools I wasn’t as effected by the summer weather as I feared.

But now it is a whole new ballgame as I try to find the proper mix of clothing to keep warm but not overheat .

For me, the ideal temperature band ranges from 55f to 75f. My big decision when temps fall within that range is whether to wear a short-sleeved or long-sleeved t-shirt.

When temperatures drop below the mid-50’s I wear a long-sleeved jersey as a base and then a short sleeved t-shirt on my torso. I also have a pair arm sleeves to keep my arms warm, which I can peel off once I get warmed-up. My only issue with the drop in

temperatures is that hands are extremely sensitive to cold, turning white and numb when temps are below 50. (Raynaud’s Syndrome caused by MS?) and I haven’t found the optimal glove combination that prevents calluses while keeping my hands warm. I am certain I will find a solution to this problem so I can continue to get out as long as the trails are clear of ice and snow.

The only other thing that has changed is the subject matter of my pictures...From this....

Sconset Fisherman's Shack

Two ladies on a log Nantucket, MA

On the trail near Provincetown, MA

 To this....

Milkweeds Herrick Lake Forest Preserve

Two Ducks Herrick Lake Forest Preserve

Two ducks Reverse Image Herrick Lake Forest Preserve

#16 Where in the world have I been???

I know, I know, I know...where in the world have I been?

Well believe it or not, I have logged over 700 miles since I began riding my handcylce back in the spring… The odometer reads 734 miles but that reading is a little too high because of a calibration error I made when I first installed the devise. If you’ve ever attempted to follow one of those multi-language instruction sheets that you are provided with when you buy a foreign made electronic product I think you will understand how an error like that could  happen.

When I last wrote I was either riding the 7.5 mile long Grand Arboretum Loop or 10 to 15 mile rides along the Prairie Path. As I became more confident in my riding abilities I began to research other places to ride. I was pleasantly surprised by what I found. Within Dupage County there are 41 forest preserves with over 240 mile of trails and bike paths.
Obviously, my hand-cycle can't traverse any of the single-track mountain bike trails but there are plenty of trails for me to ride.

Rather than bore you with details of each ride I will post some pictures of and links to some of the various rides I have taken. My trips are usually a distance of 10to 20 miles with actual riding times lasting  between 1 to 2 hours long.

I'll start with my 1st non Arboretum/IPP trip: The Ned Brown Forest Preserve and Busse Lake in Elk Grove Village, Il
(There are actual elk in an actual grove that the bike path passes through)

                                                                     

The main loop is 8 miles long  with a couple of shorter routes that can add on a couple of more miles. These slightly hilly paved trails wind around the lake.  My wife and I took a couple of wrong turns and ended up riding 14.6 mile in 1hr 35min. Map My Ride calculated that if I was riding a normal bike I would have burned 600 calories and my average speed was 9.3mph. 
I've only rode on this path once but I would do it again. Because the preserve is closer to Chicago, the increased population density and the mix of walkers, runners, inline skaters and cyclists (Bi & Tri & Hand) made it a little crowded but most on the trail used proper etiquette. 

#15) My Bad/ Mea Culpa

IPP Aurora Branch

I have no excuse for not keeping this blog up to date...Please accept my apologies.

Over the last month I have tried to go out 3 to 4 rides a week, riding in the Arboretum on weekdays and on the IPP on weekends. This schedule is a function of parking issues. As a member of the Arboretum, access to the arboretum and parking is free, whereas  weekday parking near the IPP is complicated because of commuter usage. That's ok because both the Arboretum and the IPP offer  excellent places to ride.

With every ride I fell more comfortable on the hand-cycle and more confident with my cycling abilities.  I know it shouldn't do this but I try to make each ride either further or faster than my prior outing. Eliza, my conditioning coach, frown of this approach and has suggested that I vary my training program, incorporating sprints, interval training drills and hills to my rides. That seems like work but I know she is right.

Morton Arboretum East Approx. 4.5 mile

At the Arboretum I usually ride around both the east-side and the west-side in what I call the  "Grand Arboretum Loop." This hilly loop is 7.5 miles long. My first Grand Loop was completed in about 45 minutes. With increased upper-body strength and improved cycling techniques I have my time down to around 40 minutes. My offical . personal record stands at 42:15(I would file a protest to the time-keeper because  my ride was slowed by a clean-up crew with a wood chipper and a slow moving Volvo station-wagon slowed me down.)

Morton West Side Approx 3.0 miles

I do need to do a drive-through with a camera  to give you readers a better idea of how picturesque the Arboretum is. A series of woodchip hiking trails meander through a wide  variety of both native and exotic plants.
Currently the prairie grasses, wildflowers, clovers and even milkweeds are adding to the beauty.

Illinois Prairie Path with Great Western Trail

I have been increasing my distances on the IPP.
My furtherest ride clocks in at just over 15 miles and it took me about 95 minutes.
Psychologically, I like riding on the IPP because hypothetically I could actually ride to another destination for lunch let's say. (And then back home of course.) Sure, I could ride to Wheaton and back right now, but my  next goal is a 30 mile round trip due west to Geneva and back.






     
                                                                                                                                  

As you can see there are a number of round-trip routes to choose from,  ranging from 23 miles to a couple that are over 100 miles... I'm not there yet...

MUSIC

Wendy Davis By The Bright Light Social Hour

Lonely Boy The Black Keys

#14) Back Home/ Go West Young Man/ Redemption

I've been home from my Florida vacation for a little more than a week and because of the weather and logistical issues I have  managed to go for only three rides.

 I went to the Arboretum for my first ride and what a rude awakening that was. The hills of the Arboretum were a challenge after my flat rides along the Gulf shore. I had forgotten where the optimal spots to shift gears were so ascending some of the hills was more difficult than need be. The combination of those two factors resulted in a slower average speed than what I had been doing in Florida, so I was a tad disappointed with myself




For my next ride I decided to head west along the Prairie Path toward Wheaton. Being that it was Sunday and Wheaton has more churches per capita than any other town in America I felt that the Prairie Path through Wheaton would not be very busy. When we first moved to this area, about ten years ago, I used to bicycle out this direction before my MS symptoms made it too difficult for me to ride a bike. I had forgotten how quickly the setting changed from suburban to rural. The magnet on my odometer had shifted out of place so I was getting some very wacky distance and speed readings so I decided not to push it too much.

This morning was my ride of redemption at the Arboretum.  I got to the park at 9 o'clock in the morning to beat the heat/humidity and thunderstorms. The pavement was still damp from overnight rains, so the spray thrown off by tires helped keep me cool.

Despite pausing to take a couple of photos, I managed to better my time for my Arboretum circuit.
I did the entire main loop and then rode  to the 1st exit point on that route before returning to the parking lot.

On my next ride I might attempt to do two complete laps of the main loop at the Arboretum .
I make that attempt Friday morning if the weather cooperates.

This weekend I may try a longer ride on the IPP.
I purchased a spare inner-tube, a small air pump and an emergency tool kit so I won't get stranded with a flat tire. That happened to me once a long time ago when I was young and foolish. I don't want it to happen again

Music

Tom Waits-Going Out West

Thin Lizzy: The Boys are Back in Town

Entry #13) Handcycling the Timpoochee Trail

Timpoochee Trail Map (Red Dotted Line)

I am sorry for not updating you on my handcycling adventures last week. Somehow vacationing got in the way of my blogging.

The Beach

Eastern Lake (as seen from the trail)

We decided to take our summer vacation as soon as our two youngest children finished up their finals. Both of them will be working and taking classes this summer which would make coordinating a vacation around multiple work schedules impossible.

Once again we headed down to the  "Emerald Coast" of the Florida panhandle. It's not Nantucket or the Down East coastline of Maine but the beaches are sandy and the sun is warm.








This year we stayed in the Seagrove Beach area.
Looking at the map above, the house was south of the trail and just to the west of Eastern Lake.
In the past we have rented in Grayton Beach  & Blue Mountain Beach

The town of Seaside is probably the most desirable (as in, expensive) area on the panhandle. There is a very family friendly village green that hosts concerts and outdoor movies. Various shops and eateries surround this area.

The movie "THe Truman Show" starring Jim Carey and Ed Harris was filmed in Seaside. 

As for my riding,  because of the popularity of Seaside, traffic to the west of us was a little heavier so I road to the east along the trail. 

Riding the hills of the Arboretum made the sea-level course seem fairly easy. 

I managed to pry myself off the beach to go on 4 or 5 rides. On each ride I went at little further and/or faster.

On my final ride I rode for 12 miles in a little over an hour.

Now back to the Arboretum once the rain stops.

Crazy Contrails

#12) Thursday Morning Ride

Redbuds

 The forecast was calling for thundershowers beginning mid afternoon, so I decided to go over to the Arboretum as soon as I finished feeding and walking the dogs.

Bluebells

The park is open from 7am until sunset which is perfect for me. It will allow me to avoid going out in the heat of the day, once summer weather gets here. (Extreme heat causes MS symptoms to worsen for many) . I am curious about how they enforce the sunset closing, because there is sure to be many great sunset photo-opportunities,

                                                                                                                                             

David Rogers' Big Bugs

  Aside from a few hikers and runners the roads were empty. ~<;-)

Imagine, if you will, you’re driving through the Black Forest on a roadway full of twists and turns. You’re in a sports car. The top is down. The breeze is flowing through your hair. That’s what I felt like today.

??? growing in the parking lot

I am getting to “know” the layout of the course better. One of the inclines is deceivingly long. From a distance, what appears to be the crest of the hill is actually a temporary plateau where the road bends to the right before it continues higher for 200 more yards. Whoever laid out the roadway wasn’t thinking about trying to make things easier for cyclists. If they had been thinking along those lines they would not have put sharp turns at the base of the hills. These turns tend to break any momentum you have built up.

I finished my Main Route circuit of 4.89 miles in 28:49 averaging 10.9mph and posting a top speed of 22mph. 

Entry #11) Sunday in The Park With George (Monday, too)

Photo by Dustin Ramsey

 I think I’m hooked on the Arboretum…

For starters, the paved roadways of the Arboretum offer less resistance than the hard-packed crushed limestone of the IPP. Except for some minor detours, the portion of the IPP I have been riding on is a straight flat path running parallel to the train tracks.

You can see from the map of the Arboretum there are all of the twists and turns in the roadway as it winds its way around the park. What isn’t visible are the hills.

The park is a little bit further away than the IPP. (15 mins vs. 5 mins) Parking for the IPP is a commuter train station so it is sometimes difficult to find a parking spot. The Arboretum offers snowshoeing and cross-country skiing in the winter month, which my wife and children enjoy, so we bought an annual membership to the park. The pass covers an entrance fee and parking, so parking at the Arboretum has not been an issue.

Photo by Dustin Ramsey

The clincher is the scenery, especially now with the trees and flowers being in to blossom. (I’m sure fall will be spectacular, too.) 

I saw a deer feeding at the edge of the forest on Sunday and I hear all sorts of birds singing in the woods when cars aren't present.

On my 2^nd and 3^rd visits to the Arboretum I rode a 4.9 mile loop around the east side of the park. The 1^st of these 2 rides was on Sunday afternoon. The weather was beautiful so traffic (car, sight-seeing tram, bikers & runners) was a bit of a hassle. I don’t recall the exact statistics of the ride, but it took me a little more than 30 minutes.

The following day, with no traffic interference or photo stops to slow my pace I did that 4.9mile circuit in 28 minutes, averaging 10.8mph and hitting a top speed of 23 mph (This was the day following my weekly Avonex injection so I was quite pleased WHHEEE….)

On my next ride I might add on a shorter loop at the end. The  only one problem with that plan is that the first opportunity to exit the main route comes after the longest hill of the ride…UGH. As I described in an earlier posting, the arm movement required to power the HC is akin to bench press/rowing exercises. Climbing hills is similar to doing pyramid workouts, where it gets harder and harder as you go up. But, unlike the weight machine, you CAN”T QUIT until you are the summit. (Unless you want to roll backwards down the hill)

Anyway, bye for now.

Music

Forest Sounds

Standing in the Shadow of Motown: Shotgun

#10 Mayday in the Park w/ Additional Note to Self

Prior to May 1^st there wasn’t much new to report on… The weather has been spotty with rainfall generally occurring in the overnight hours, but with enough rainfall to render the Prairie Path out of the question on most days.  I did manage to go out for a spin this last weekend. Each time I ride I feel a little more confident about my riding skills. The handcycle is certainly not as nimble as a two-wheeler. 

Three Point Turn
aka K-Turn

Tight turns are difficult and sometimes an old fashioned three point k-turn is required. A simple enough maneuver with power-steering and reverse gear, but with the HC (from now on HC = handcycle) it’s a more cumbersome process. When scooting backwards your legs are out of their normal position so they get in the way handcrank steering. It is slow and sloppy.

After riding on the IPP (IPP= Illinois Prairie Path) a few times I am now familiar with its twists, turns and most importantly, its hills. I know when to try to build up speed for an approaching incline and when to shift to a lower gear during the climb. There are a couple of things that bother me about the IPP though. The crossing roadways interrupts your momentum and although the crushed limestone is relatively firm it still offers up more resistance than pavement.

I increased the distance of my rides, but I have to remind myself that the further you travel on the outward leg means that the return leg is now longer.

On May 1st I tried something new and different. Instead of riding the IPP, I took to the roadways inside the Morton Arboretum (Morton as in “When it rains it pours”)

Morton Arboretum Map

There are over nine miles of roadway that wind through the +1,700 acre park.

What the map doesn't show are the hills… They aren't particularly steep just longer than the hills along the IPP. 

  As you can see from the pictures it’s a bit more scenic than the IPP as well.

Add caption

 On my first visit to the Arboretum I road 3.9 miles in 30 minutes. I paused for some photo ops and rehydration.

*Note To Self: release parking brake completely before resuming your ride. I stopped for a drink on a flat stretch of the road . I thought I had completely released the brake, but I hadn’t. The next hill was so “steep” that my arms and chest were beginning to feel a burn as I climbed further up the incline.  Then I noticed the cause of the problem. As with an automobile, the HC moves down the road better with the parking brake disengaged.

Tulips

 The Arboretum is 10 mintues away by car and the park is open from 7am until sundown so I will be able to squeeze in rides before or after the heat of the day.
Normally the road is shared with motorized vehicles and top speed limit is 20mph. (My max speed was 23mph Ssshhh Don’t tell)  From 7am til 9am Saturdays and Sundays the roadways are closed to cars during certain time slots, but the car traffic wasn’t an issue, even on a sunny May 1^st.

Twig Ant Sculpture

The scenery is wonderful and the road surface is much more accomadating than the IPP. I will explore the western IPP once I can begin logging longer rides. I would have to travel 5 or 6 miles before I escape the suburbs...(I guess I could drive there and park, but for nowI think I will stick with the Arboretum.)

 One thing is for sure, I need to hit the gym more and turn my "buggy whip" arms into full blown "beach guns". Just kidding, I won't go overboard, but circular arm motion used to propel the HC forward is akin to a benchpress on the extention of your arm and a rowing machine when you pull the handbar towards you. 

April showers are bringing more May shower and with rain and thunderstorms predicted for the next 5 to 7 days it looks like I will be hitting the weights...UGH

Music

Bob Marley: War

The Ventures: Pipeline (Instrumental)

The Band: The Weight (Woodstock 1969)