Shed Building Plans: ride

Showing posts with label ride. Show all posts

Evening Recumbent Ride

Last night after work I headed west into the flat rural country for a short recumbent ride. There was nearby thunderstorms rumbling off in the distance but it cleared up enough I decided to risk it. Weve had plenty of rain and the creeks are flowing good.

It was an easy ride mainly just to get out and enjoy the fresh country air. I even rode in my jean shorts, polo shirt and work shoes. Regular pants arent much fun on rides over half and hour or so especially on an upright bike but on the recumbent most street clothes function perfectly. Sometimes it is nice to just go for a ride without getting suited up in the cycling costume.

Bike: HP Velotechnik Street Machine

Distance: 13.18 miles

Ride Time: 1:04:29

Average Speed: 12.2 mph

Evening Recumbent Ride

Recumbent Ride Willard Marsh Loop

Yesterday I spent a few quality hours on my recumbent bike touring the Ohio countryside. I wanted to ride somewhere new but I didnt feel like loading up my bike on the car rack and driving just to ride. The only problem with that is I have to ride for about an hour in any given direction just to get to roads Ive never ridden.

From my driveway I headed north keeping to rural back roads I like to ride. I didnt have a route planned I just ambled along choosing my route as I went. My ride took me roughly twenty miles across my county and to the border of Huron County, about 30 miles south of Lake Erie. Most of the country is farmland and with all the rain weve had the crops are growing well.

On longer range rides Ive taken to using my smartphone map to aid in navigation and it has made it easier to enjoy the ride more than flying blind trying to avoid the busier state highways. In the old days I used to make a photo-copy of a section I planned to ride from a page in the Ohio Atlas & Gazetteer. That analog map worked fine but occasionally I would ride off the paper and be back to guessing. Thats not always the best method when a couple hours from home and under your own power.

I wasnt planning a big ride but the conditions were perfect with just a slight breeze from the northwest and mild temperatures in the upper 70s. I felt good and the miles kept adding up. Consulting the map I found a place I never been that would put me about 25 miles north of home.

Willard Marsh Wildlife Area is a 1,676-acre conservation area located a few miles southwest of Willard, Ohio in southern Huron County. Access to the area is by gravel roads which line the perimeter of the park. I try to avoid gravel if I can help it but the HP Velotechnik has no problem gobbling up gravel miles. These roads were in super shape so going wasnt all that bad at all. The scenery made it worth it.

From there I started the trip back to home and ended up with a satisfying 50 mile ride and new route entry for the logbook.

Bike: HP Velotechnik

Ride Time: 3:49

Distance: 51.18 miles

Average Speed: 13.3 mph

Max Speed: 27.7 mph

Recumbent Ride Willard Marsh Loop

Friday Ride B O

Today I decided to clean the cobwebs off my titanium fred bike and take it out for its first ride on my local trail. Some air in the tires and a squirt of fresh lube for the chain and I was on my way. Up at the northern end of the B & O in Mansfield, Ohio workers were busy building a new bridge at North Lake Park.

Ive been thinking for a while now about treating myself to a new pair of cycling shoes. My old ones are probably fifteen years old and while they are still serviceable Im in the mood for a change so Ill just relegate my old ones to mountain bike duty where Im sure theyll carry on for years to come.

I hit up my friendly bike shop for a pair of their house brand Bontragers. I dont need any fancy Sidis these work just fine for a lot less dineros.

My old ones are brown and tan colors and I wanted to color coordinate a little better with my black stretchy uniform I always wear while out on the road bike. I like shoes with laces and these fit the bill perfect. As an added bonus the new shoes have a single velcro strap at the top to secure the laces and keep everything cinched down tight.

I was feeling like going fast so that is what I did today. By the time I had around 24 miles down I was carrying a 17.6 mph average speed. That was surprising because my season is just getting underway and that is a great average for me period let alone in the early spring. I kept at it and enjoyed the nice weather but the fun was soon to end when I turned around to head back north at the bottom of the trail.

In my exuberance I went out a little to hard during the start of my ride. The last third heading up the slight incline of the Clear Fork Valley and into a steady headwind turned out to be my time to suffer. I had to struggle to maintain 15 mph at times and dipped to a crawl of 13 mph in some of the open fields with no tree cover to at least slow the wind.

Happy Easter!

The average only dropped a little by the time I made it back to my starting point and I feel satisfied with this first good hard effort on the skinny tire bike.

B & O Trail Complete

Distance: 37 miles

Ride Time: 2:13:15

Average Speed: 16.6 mph

Max Speed: 22.8 mph

Friday Ride B O

Recumbent Ride Heart of Ohio Trail

Last week a reader named Dave from Columbus mentioned that he had recently been riding on the Heart of Ohio Trail that runs from Centerburg, northeast to Mt. Vernon. I know a trail that runs into Mt. Vernon but its on the other side and it has a different name. Ive been riding the Kokosing Gap Trail for a few years and it is one of my favorites.

Kokosing Gap Trail 2 1/2 miles east of Mt. Vernon

I had no idea there was another rail trail in the Mt. Vernon area. Thanks Dave! As much as I love the Kokosing its only 13 miles long end to end. I always start at Mt. Vernon and ride to the far end then back for a total of 26 miles. While always a relaxing and scenic ride at 26 miles its just a little more than a warm up when riding my recumbent bike so often Im hesitant to make the hour long trip by car to get to the trail head.

It seems that with every passing year I am growing less and less fond of sharing the roads with ever increasing car traffic and their inattentive drivers. So in order to find solace and safety on the rail trail Im willing to accept a bit of four-wheeled purgatory to get there. Now with the discovery of a second trail radiating out from Mt. Vernon the thought of combining the two resulting in a 50 mile day makes the drive much more worth it.

Yesterday I decided to give it go and motored to the small town of Danville that is the eastern terminus of the Kokosing Gap Trail. From there Id ride west to Mt. Vernon covering trail Id been up and down many times for a warm up before going into adventure mode once I located the beginning of the HOOT trail.

I used the map on my smart phone to help navigate a couple miles of suburban streets across the southern end of Mt. Vernon and shortly I found the trail. The map showed the trail starting right where I was but new looking trail pavement headed east back towards the center of Mt. Vernon so I decided I would explore that way on the return trip.

As it shows in the opening picture I only had to pedal about a hundred feet and I was back in the shady peacefulness of the trees starting my first journey on the Heart of Ohio Trail. I love exploring new trails where Ive never been. Its fun to see whats along the way. After a mile or two the trees opened up and I saw this 1/4 mile drag strip.

The HOOT trail follows a portion of the Cleveland, Mt. Vernon & Columbus Railroad and a few examples of its old iron is all that is left besides the grade itself.

These bridges cross Dry Creek several times Although it didnt look particularly dry when I passed over.

This one had an active hornets nest attached so I didnt hang around too long.

Before I got on down the trail I did notice this plant growing on the railing with its interesting spiny seedpods. Not sure what it is.

The HOOT trail shot straight as an arrow for long stretches sharing the valley with State Route 36 and passed picturesque small farms and woodlands.

Another clue that a railroad once existed; glass telegraph insulators. There was quite a few rotting poles along the trail but the pins were all bare except for this one which Im sure is the one Dave mentioned in his comment.

Eventually I pulled into Centerburg and the end of the paved trail. Centerburg has its name because it actually is the geographic center of the state.

On longer rides I carry a small snack to refuel at the half way point. Some salty pretzels and a little can of Coke hit the spot. One of the greatest things about cycling is how good food seems to taste both during and afterwords. I relaxed and finished my snack under the shade of a tree in a park before saddling up for the return trip.

When I was still a few miles out from Mt. Vernon while checking for traffic at a cross road I noticed this old brick building mostly obscured by trees. I hadnt noticed it on the way out so I turned around and pedaled up to investigate.

As I got closer I could see the structure was most definitely abandoned and in a sad state of disrepair.

I could tell it was an institution of some kind as I did a walk around of the grounds. Later I learned the place was known as the Knox County Poorhouse. First a residence for the countys less fortunate and later served as an infirmary and even a bible college before being abandoned for good.

Here is the best information I could find with a quick search:

In the 1912 "Past and Present of Knox County Ohio" Volume 1 on Page 80, the section on The Knox County Infirmary in part reads: "from an early date (Knox County) had charity and compassion on its unfortunate poor. In 1842, the county commissioners bought 132 acres in southwest corner of Liberty township as its first poor farm. In 1874, it became necessary to provide better quarters for the poor of the county due to an increase in the number of poor. After several difficulties, the new building was completed in 1877. The institution is located on section 2, Liberty township, on a beautiful elevation of ground on the south side of Dry Creek, near Bangs Station along the line of the Cleveland, Mt. Vernon & Columbus railway. The original building is 75 by 127 feet, with an open court in the rear 34 by 55 feet. It is four stories high with a tower rising 65 feet above the roof. Over one million bricks were used in the construction. It has three water tanks on the upper floor holding 40 barrels of water each. The building was heated by steam throughout. There were 100 good rooms, accommodating easily 125 inmates. The tax-payers of Knox county have ever cared for her soldiers and other unfortunate citizens."

Source

Structural damage and decay is happening to several sections of the building.

At the rear of the house is this huge chimney which must have vented an incinerator or the steam boiler. On the northwest corner of the structure I found a marble plaque with the date of construction and the county officials behind the project.

Im glad I happened upon the place and was able to have a look around and take a few pictures. Like so much of Ohios earlier architecture I think this places existence is drawing to a close.

I rolled back towards Mt. Vernon and passed the point where I started on the HOOT and kept riding east. This section of the trail was very new having been just recently paved. I passed by an old industrial area where a large factory complex once stood. All that was left was a couple smaller building frames and this huge smokestack.

The trail eventually came to an end where it intersected an active train track running perpendicular to the old line. Across the tracks I spotted the Mt. Vernon Station. The trail section in my photo ends at State Route 13 just before the old iron bridge in the background. Eventually the trail will continue on and link up with the Kokosing Gap Trail.

Cyclists and other trail users in Knox County have a real prize in their midst with these two trails.

Kokosing Gap Trail - Heart of Ohio Trail

Bike: HP Velotechnik Street Machine

Ride Time: 4:04:54

Distance: 55.69 Miles

Average Speed: 13.6 mph

Recumbent Ride Heart of Ohio Trail

July 4th MTB Ride Mohican SP

I spent the afternoon of the 4th in the woods on my all terrain bike. Getting out on the trails has been a long time coming for me. Its been rainy so I have been avoiding the trails until they dry out. I hate to see trail damage and ruts from riding too soon. Fortunately the ground is sandy and rocky in the Mohican State Park so aside from a few soft pockets the trail was firm and dry.

Of all the types of cycling I like to partake in mountain biking is one I really enjoy. Ive long since given up on going fast and instead I like to keep a slow to moderate pace and enjoy the sights, sounds and smells of the natural world as it slides by. Following the natural undulations of the terrain and being totally immersed in the organic surroundings is a totally different experience one can have on two wheels compared to other forms of cycling. Trail conditions and surfaces can change quickly and technical challenges and obstacles keep things from getting mundane.

The unique thing from a fitness standpoint is that even if one rides conservatively or even pokes along the exertion paid out from the constant climbing and descending can be taxing if not brutal. I rode about 17 miles of the single track loop and it was by far a much greater effort than the 50 mile road loop I did the other day.

Back in the early 1990s when I raced mtb I used bar ends on my handlebars. For some reason bar ends seemed to have fallen from favor and I even rode my bikes a few years without them. I may be letting my retrogrouch show but this year I put a set of old bar ends on my Motobecane and found they make a huge difference.

These stubby bar ends are the last ones I bought years ago. Made by Profile Designs they are only 3" long overall and stick out about 2 1/4" from the leading edge of the handlebar. Last week I dug them out of my spare parts and stuck them on for a quick test ride around neighborhood. Without them I never really felt totally secure with my grip on the bars. When my hands are on the regular rubber grips I like how the bar ends contain the outside of my hands. They make my grip on the bike feel more confident especially on rough fast descents.

On long rides bar ends offer a different hold position which is welcome when spending hours on an upright bike. Canted forward as I have them the position approximates the feel of riding on the brake hoods of my road bike.

The original intended purpose of bar ends I think is to aid in climbing. Moving my grip to the far ends of the bar opens up my upper body increasing leverage and just makes me feel more powerful when rocking the bike up the steeps. Ive also noticed that having a hold on the bike slightly forward of the leading edge of the bar seems to remove some of the twitchyness of the front end while navigating slow technical terrain.

People have asked me "Arent you worried about hooking small trees with those?" I suppose that there could be a small risk but in over two decades Ive only caught a bar end on a tree once and that was a slow speed encounter so I wasnt launched over the bars. With experience a rider just knows how wide he or she is and makes allowances for it. Like walking through a doorway we position ourselves so we arent banging a shoulder as we pass through.

Something I noticed while riding on tight twisty trails with trees close in is that occasionally Ill make contact with trees on the very end of my bar. Just glancing blows not enough to cause a loss of control. Without bar ends if my hand is hanging off the end of the grip just a little bit the pinch between the tree and bar can hurt. On my ride yesterday the bar ends protected my hands a couple times as I bounced along between the trees. The bar ends will stay on my bike.

Eastern single track: Roots and rocks Oplenty! After many years of riding hard tail mountain bikes I love my full suspension bike. Sometimes I miss the quick agile handling and climbing prowess of my single speed hard tail but so far not enough to want to actually get it out and ride it on the trails.

As usual I spotted lots of wildlife. Heres a Whitetail fawn that still has its spots.

Wood bridge decking is covered with a continuous length of chicken wire to provide grip. In a moist forest environment it doesnt take long for bare wood surfaces to get very slippery. The chicken wire works great to help keep the rubber side down.

Happy Trails!

July 4th MTB Ride Mohican SP

Christmas Ride on a Brooks B67

I took advantage of empty streets for a little Christmas afternoon ride to test out a new Brooks B67 Aged saddle that I have just gifted to my beloved General Purpose Bike. I first heard about Brooks saddles many years ago from a co-worker who has been riding for 40 years. Once he tried to pawn off an old black B17 but being caught up in the mountain bike racing scene I laughed it off and have been making fun of the old leather saddles ever since.

Well Ive gotten older and with age comes wisdom. One of my favorite bike bloggers BikeSnobNYC has been riding brooks saddles and I have to give him credit for convincing me to finally give the British saddle maker a try. Because the recent handlebar change to the Bosco bar resulted in a much more upright riding position I knew I needed a wider saddle for better support.

On the Brooks website I was amazed at the huge line of saddles offered by the company. After perusing through the Brooks lineup I easily determined the B67 saddle would be the way to go.

I went with the "Aged" saddle mainly because I love the look of the natural cured leather without any added dyes or coloring. Brooks says the Aged saddles are comfortable from day one and I have to agree. After fine tuning the tilt of the seat I am amazed at how comfortable it really is.

After an hour or so on a regular narrow racing style saddle I always notice a sting that causes me to have to constantly shift my position to relieve the discomfort. Today I spent an hour on the B67 and I noticed no sting at all.

The saddle does pivot a bit on the big springs but Im quickly getting used to the feeling and dont find it offensive at all. Ive purposely hit some of the bumpy streets around town that I normally avoid and the saddle makes a huge difference.

With the handlebar change and new saddle Ive made quite a change to the bicycle and its going to take some more riding to fully realize the effect. It looks like the weather is going to hold out so with temperatures climbing into the upper 40s I plan to head to the bike trail for a longer ride tomorrow. Just as the comfort factor of the bike has increased substantially I think the looks have improved as well. The bike has really taken on a classic look. Modern components make the braking and shifting flawless and now the improved human-bike interface provide by the new bar and saddle have made the Ti GP bike into one sweet ride.

Christmas Ride on a Brooks B67