Biking to a Bike Tune-Up - How Appropriate

I had an appointment off of Odana, and I had been thinking that it would be great to bike to it instead of driving, so today I decided I would. The most direct route would be straight up Whitney Way, But, after my long ride last weekend, specifically biking on the busy McKee Road - the part I didn't enjoy - I decided that I would rather go a little further if I could avoid Whitney Way during rush hour.

I opted to go south on Rosa Road, up the hill and then straight across Mineral Point Road onto Science Drive. That winds around a bit, but it is very wide and a pleasant ride. It comes out on Odana right by Len's Electric Bikes, and I then had to go back east to get to my appointment - but it was worth going out of my way a bit to have a more enjoyable ride. Len's is where I got my bike, so my bike and I waved as we went past.

Seeing Len's had given me an idea - why not see if they would do a tune-up and ask if they could fix the squeak? After my fall, written about last time, my bike had acquired a persistent squeak, somehow connected to the front brake, that was loud enough to be a bit worrying and really, really annoying. So after my appointment I found the bike path that goes along near the beltline, parallel to Odana, and headed back to Len's Electric Bikes.

Len has moved a few doors down, so now the back of his store is right along the bike path, and I noticed a couple of people test-riding bikes on the path - a nice benefit of the new store - and it has more space too, and a separate space for a workshop. I was in luck: there were two mechanics at work, so someone could check over the bike and hopefully return it to all its former glory.

Len's has an interesting ambiance, and I think it reflects Len's personality. Everyone is super friendly. I was welcomed immediately, and everyone was so pleased to see I had biked there. There were a few customers, so I had an opportunity to watch interactions. Everyone in the store is enthusiastic and excited about electric bikes, which creates a palpable energy. (Note to introverts: activate force shields.) There is a thin line, I think, between that enthusiasm and sales pressure - but Len's motto is "You don't have to buy one; you just have to try one," and he means it. If you ARE in the market for an electric bike, Len and his team will find the one that fits you, and will follow through to be sure you are happy with it - and change it if you are not.

I felt like a celebrity when I mentioned this blog - "I read your blog!" "My wife is following your blog!" - which was rather fun. Blogging is an interesting experience all around, and I'm enjoying it - so thank you for reading!

Three cheers for the mechanics! They readjusted the handlebars and worked until the squeaky brake was fixed! I was soon biking my way home squeak-free. :-)

Biking to Lake Farm Park - My Longest Ride Ever!

You can't believe how good it feels to have biked all the way from my house to Lake Farm Park, south of the Coliseum! 12.0 miles, according to Google Maps. How liberating to know I can do that! That may be a short jaunt to a more "serious" biker, but remember that I spend my days in front of a computer and have long-term injuries and heart issues. I haven't even been able to walk without pain for over two years - until this spring.

My electric bike feels like a partner. Together we did this. I could not have done it alone, but neither was I a slacker who let my partner do all the work. I certainly worked hard enough to feel thoroughly tired out! What a great way to be tired!

It's an interesting ride, with each section quite different from the others. It ranges from an empty and rather industrial stretch of old rail corridor behind Home Depot to a nature conservancy area on the Capital City trail. 

Going south of Home Depot it's quite pretty - a whole world you just can't see except by bike. 

It's like kayaking: normally you drive along the roads and you cross over rivers in the blink of an eye, or catch a glimpse of a lake through trees. When you're in a boat, new worlds open up to you - and you start looking for more new worlds to explore. I have been spending time looking at maps of bike paths, and I am beginning to formulate goals based on, "Hmmm, I wonder what that looks like," or "I bet that's a beautiful place to bike."

I would have been able to go the entire way on bike paths, but I missed my first turn-off, so I ended up doing a section on McKee Road (Hwy PD). I wouldn't recommend it. There is an ok shoulder to bike on, but there is a lot of traffic and it's going fast. It's not an ugly road, but it's not pretty, and the traffic for me reduces the enjoyment. 

I joined the path again in time to go over the bridge over Fish Hatchery Road.

The conservancy area is quite pretty, and I think it would be a great place for bird watching. My bike had developed a squeak (more about that in a minute), and it drove many away, but I saw a bluebird, a thrush, and what was probably a Northern Harrier. All three nest in this area, but they're all three more countryside birds that don't come to my part of town. 

I made it to Lake Farm Park in about an hour and a half, and was definitely using the power assist more towards the end! I'm obviously not going to set any speed records, but I feel I did just fine. :-)

Lake Farm is s really nice park, with camping and hiking and bird-watching and shelters - and it's right on Lake Waubesa. In the winter there are cross country ski trails. On this evening there was a drum circle going on at one of the far camping areas, so I hiked and biked over there to listen for a while. I love drums, and I love the idea of everyday people getting together to create drum rhythms in a circle around a bonfire. It's very primal and at the same time very welcoming and civilized and friendly.

I called my son after a while, who had kindly agreed to come and pick me up. We folded my bike in half, and he actually fit it onto the back seat of his small car. I have to admit it's a bit awkward manoeuvring a heavy bike that's been folded in half - but it's still a great convenience and amazing that you can do it at all. I rode home in triumph, appreciating how long the drive home was and I'd biked all that way!

Footnote about the squeak. I have to mention, for full disclosure, that the reason my bike developed a squeak is because I fell just as I got to the end of Highway PD. It was a dumb fall, which is why I don't want to mention it. I had come to where I had to cross PD to get back on the bike path, and I simply braked too fast. I was turning slightly, so I lost my balance and went over sideways - and came very close to shooting out into the passing cars. It was a depressing experience, 1 because it was a silly way to fall, 2 because not one car even slowed down as I fell or to see if I was ok, and 3 it has been sad to realize how much my balance is not as good as it was even a few years ago. It's a great thing that we have so many lovely bike paths, because I will be making every effort from now on to use them and avoid busier roads, especially ones with fast traffic - even if there is a bike lane.

I have some spectacular bruises, but I wasn't seriously hurt, and I enjoyed the rest of the ride. The bike worked fine - but I need to have the squeak looked at!

Pictures from the Hidden Path

I went out again tonight to visit the lovely bike path I wrote about last time, and this time I took my camera. I took some extremely poor pics, I'm afraid, but here are a few of the better ones. Please use your imagination and your powers of mental enhancement to make up for my failings!

The entrance to my hidden path. Hidden in plain sight, really, and going on for several blocks from here.

 A couple of the flowering trees that make this so pretty right now.

A fairly simple runoff channel, with a culvert and a small drop that makes a "waterfall." On a spring day it's easy to find beauty here.

One of the many small hills along this path, some quite steep, and none of them at all daunting - not any more! This photo is a bit blurry on the left - I'm not even sure how I did that, but my apologies.

Discovering a Hidden Path

I love spring in Madison. I think I would love spring in most places, but the contrast in Madison makes it extra special. This past winter was especially long, and we know the summer to come might bring another drought like last year's. Spring is to be savored, and is always too short.

On a perfect spring day, the air is warm, the sun feels like the life-giver it is, and the breeze smells like lilacs and apple blossoms and sweet william. Color is all around: the green of new leaves that you don't get any other time of year, against the deep dark green of the arbor vitae and other evergreens. Here and there early flowers are blooming, but it is the trees that are the most beautiful right now. There are crab apples and other flowering fruit trees in white and pinks and purples, there are magnolias of several varieties, and there is one of my favorites: redbud. It is a startling red/violet/pink color, but the tree has such a delicate structure that the overall effect is light and airy. They're at their peak just now, so lovely.

All this was inspired by my ride tonight. I headed east, knowing that I was tired from digging in my garden most of the day, and happy to let the bike share the work. I crossed Whitney Way and Rosa Road, and zoomed up the horrible, steep hill that has always been my major roadblock going in that direction. *grin*

Just off Inner Drive is what looks like a little park with a path going through it. I had biked that far once, but after biking uphill on my street and walking up the horrible hill, I had never had the energy to get very far along the path. Tonight I did, and I made a discovery. It's not really a park at all! it is a wide greenway that goes on for blocks, with water running down the center. The water is just runoff that has  been corralled by concrete, going through culverts and flowing through concrete banks, but it's still very pleasant. There are even waterfalls along its path - drops of only a foot or so, but it sounds like a waterfall. There is a wide grassy area on each side, and flowering trees at intervals. It really isn't that hard to think of it as river. In fact, I think it would be a great place for a picnic.

A quick evening jaunt, but what a wonderful discovery. It would be pleasant to bike down that path even when it gets hotter out, because of trees along much of it. I didn't reach the end, so I have more exploring to do! It's almost right in my backyard, and I never knew it was there. Now that the horrible hill is no longer horrible, I will go back. Next time, I promise I'll take my camera and take pictures to post.

Evening Ride With Eagle(?) Feather

This evening ride really illustrates one of the truly liberating things about having this bike, and why I love it.

It started with my granddaughter suggesting that we take an updated picture of me with my bike, since the first illustration for this blog was at the end of March, and I was in full winter coat and gloves. I am finally, after such a long wait for spring, biking without even a jacket. So here I am, finally in capris and short sleeves. No, I don't have proper biking clothing. I can see the point, but I don't think the world is ready for me in that much spandex.

When we went out to take the photo, I hadn't really planned to ride much - I'm a morning person and evening energy is pretty low. If I had had my old bike, I would have put it back away. With my e-bike I thought, "Why not? I can pedal as much as I have energy for and use as much power I want to." So I ended up going probably three miles and finding what might be an eagle feather.

I started out thinking I might just cruise up Segoe a bit and see how far I got. In a couple of blocks, there was Hilltop going off to my left. My nemesis, the steep hill that had always stood between me and where I wanted to go. I had only managed to "bike" up it once, and that meant walking most of it. In the past two years my bursitis has been bad enough that I couldn't even do that. Let's just see whether my e-bike can defeat my arch nemesis!

Whoosh! Up I went, and very satisfying it was too. No big deal. I LOVE this bike!

Once at the top I had all sorts of options, so I decided to make a loop. I went east on Tokay to the end, at Glenway. Then I jogged over to the bike path that crosses Glenway half a block down. Once on the bike path I headed west.

It was just after crossing Odana that I passed the feather. It was right in the middle of the bike path. I went past, but turned around to go back for it - it was quite big, and I was curious what sort of bird it could have been from. Here is a photo I took when I got back home. The ruler part of the square is 10 inches; later I measured it with a tape and got 12 inches or 30.5 centimeters.

I did a little research on a website I found called The Feather Atlas, and I believe it is either from a Bald Eagle or a Turkey Vulture. I have to admit that the Turkey Vulture is more likely, since I have seen them over the Odana Golf Course before, but I love the idea that it could be from an eagle. The amazing thing is that it isn't impossible. When I was a kid it couldn't have been. DDT had decimated raptor populations and there were no eagles around Madison; now eagles are nesting in Southern Wisconsin and Turkey Vultures circle overhead. What a wonderful recovery for our national bird and other raptors.

I came back through the Odana Golf Course and had the joy of Hilltop going downhill this time. Wheee! Easy up, easy down. And a decent ride for a low-key evening. It may be embarrassing to admit that I need the psychological support of power assist, but I do - and now I have it. :-)

Biking With a Friend and Feeling 12 Years Old

My friend Laura is the first person I knew who had an e-bike, so naturally I told her when I got mine so we could go riding together. She got hers out of winter storage and called to say she could come over that evening and we could go for a ride. She might have rung the doorbell and asked if Anna could come out and play, but I was all ready and waiting. She admired my sleek new bike, and I cast envious glances at the fleece-covered, padded bike seat she has on hers. I had ridden hers once before, and it was certainly comfy!

We headed out, laughing, comparing notes, and cruising up and down the hills. Laura speculated on how the bikes' power compared. Her bike is at least ten years old, and we knew the battery technology had improved a lot since then. Laura wanted to find a flattish straightaway where we could test them out. A race! We found a flat block of Regent Street with no traffic. Laura set the rule - power only, no pedaling - and started off with her feet stuck out to the sides to demonstrate. "OK," I said, "I'm coming!" I ramped up the power and blew past her like she was standing still!

"My bike's better than your bike, my bike's better than yours!" Anyone else remember that old Ken-L Ration commercial?

After I had kindly waited for Laura to catch up, we cruised over to Garner Park, and up the park path to the shelter. On the wide path between the shelter and the parking lot Laura tried my bike for herself. "Aaaaagh! Wheeeeee!" (I think she liked it.)

Then it was time to head home. No parents were calling - just reality. We both had work in the morning, and looming deadlines.

Laura has loved her bike - with its stylish retro color and lines - for years, but she had to fight off a twinge of jealousy as she said goodnight and biked off home. I am grateful to Laura and her bike, since they are the reason I went knew about e-bikes in the first place, but I confess to a twinge of childish glee at winning our race!

Farmers Market By Bike - the Perfect Combination

This is one thing I've been looking forward to all winter: "my" farmers market and being able to bike there. I love the Westside Community Farmers Market. In one row of vendors you will find most things you want, from vegetables, bakery and maple syrup to chocolate, eggs, and flowers. And tortillas. And meat and cheese and pasta. And bedding plants. Not to mention some really lovely and friendly vendors. I've been going to this Farmers Market ever since it started. I managed to miss the first two this season, but today I wanted to e-bike over.

The Market is over one of the hills near me, but I have chosen a route that goes around the steepest part. Out of habit I followed that path, but later I realized that I no longer had to avoid hills - next time I'll just power up!

I arrived at the Market and locked my bike to one of the lovely bike-shaped bike racks by the DOT building. This Market is in the parking lot of the Department of Transportation. I find it a bit sad that such a cheerful and beautiful market should be staged on blacktop. I believe there were once plans to rebuild the DOT building and incorporate a landscaped area for the Market, but it never happened. I think it would be great to have a setting that does justice to the beautiful, fresh produce.

It was great to be back! Soon my backpack was filled and altogether too heavy. I had packages of RP's pasta, "tortillas" (I buy the big ones, because we use them for wraps at our house, filled with salad ingredients from the Market), wonderful fresh lettuce and spinach, a couple of baby bok choi, and even a dozen eggs. It was great to chat and hear the winter's news also - one of my favorite vendors is expecting her first child.

I checked out the plant vendors too, and saw a tomato plant I wanted. One of my favorites, that I have been growing for several years, is Rose de Berne, a wonderful tomato somewhat like Brandywine, but I like the flavor better. One vendor always grows a few of those plants, so I will get a plant from her next week. I love my bike, but I'm not going to transport plants home on it!

The road home starts with a coast down a good-sized hill, and then you have to slog uphill the rest of the way. It's not steep, but it's steadily uphill. I'm proud to say that even with all my eggs and vegetables, I didn't use the power assist until a half-block at the very end. :-)

Biking to my outdoor Farmers Market - now I know it's finally spring!