 |
| Artwork from the house |
I apologize for not keeping my journal up to date. The "Spring Break" trip down to the Florida panhandle was a much needed break from the horribly snowy winter we've been having in the Chicago metro-area... As it stands now, the 2013-14 snow season is the 3rd snowiest since record-keeping began in the 1890's.
We rented a beach-housed in Blue Mountain Beach, FL named "the Big W". I don't know if the name was in homage to the
campy early 1960's comedic film "It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World" but the house had kind of a campy early 60's vibe although not in a good way. Don't get me wrong, the house was clean and well maintained and all that, but it was a cross between a beach house and a north woods fishing cabin, with a stuffed swordfish on one wall, a large mouthed bass on another, paintings of seagulls next to pheasants, seashells and antlers , bedrooms painted in beachy pastel hues and a living room with walls of dark walnut.
 |
| Grayton Beach State Park |
I was able to get out for three good 12.5 mile rides along the paved Timpoochee Trail, which parallels State Highway 30-A, on the Florida panhandle, improving my time with each ride.
 |
| Surfer at Sunset on Blue Mountain Beach |
After basking in the 70f temperatures for one week the return to Chiberia has been difficult to handle. There has been two days where the daytime high neared 60f. On the first day, I went for a ride a 7.46 mile ride at the Morton Arboretum. The roadway was strewn with a mixture on salt, sand and water run-off from melting snow. This was my first hill ride since last fall so my gearshift timing & technique was off
but that will return with practice. On the second 60f-ish day I went to the Herrick Lake Forest Preserve. I went 100 yards down the muddy trail but decided to turn back after I discovered snow and ice would make it impossible to ride.
Earlier this week I took my hand-cycle into the shop for a tune-up (repacking of ball-bearings, cable/shifter adjustments, wheel alignment and chain maintenance). In order to see what type of terrain I would be faced with on this ride I drove out to DeKalb, Il for a look-see. I didn't follow the entire course but from what I saw the terrain is relatively flat with long stretches slight inclines followed by long stretches of slight declines.
Finding the correct gear near the base of the climb will be essential.
Here is the bike route from last year.
No comments:
Post a Comment