Did the domestic duties and sailed out the door in time to go that 18 mile route, with an extra lap around campus because it goes a lot quicker without a 15 mph headwind It’s also a lot nicer going over the interstate on Bradley at 8:40 than 8:52.
Current (as of 11 a.m.) monthly tally: 993 miles. H-216.

The Urbana Bicycle Network Plan is online! http://www.ccrpc.org/planning/transportation/urbanabikeplan/maps.php

I’m among those who, after the bike lanes were put in on Illinois, are thinking about the relative benefits of sharrows in that there’s more “you’re part of traffic” conveyed, and I’m not relegated to a “lane” that completely includes the Door Zone. I felt claustrophobic on the things…

Yesterday was cool but almost wind-free. Did the BOomerang Ride for the Uni HIgh Students for a Better WOrld, then out for another jaunt in the afternoon… and still had ride left to let out, so I ended up with 103 miles on the day, which is H-188 as of this a.m. No extry miles this a.m., though, since I was trying to tidy up the home front, which I’m notoriously inefficient at. The microwave, however, is less crusty.

Brisk a.m. – overlayered. TIghts and sweats – but then tossed the gore-tex on top. However, yesterday the tights and sweats left me on the fringes of the “you feel fine but your skin will be dried out and unhappy” category. Turtleneck, fleece and Goretex on top – could have done w/o turtleneck (or prob’ly cotton in between). Remember to self: when the layer next to the skin is cotton it defeats the point of wearing the wicky stuff.
“How long does it take you to thaw?” … don’t you mean cool off? Had to procure hot hands to co-worker. Folks on those little scooters… now *they* are cold. Hugs at ya – get a bike with a heater like mine!

So I decided to duck into Freedom for a beer even if parking is a pain. I leave the helmet on the bike and think I’ll be inconspicuous, though I’ve still got my balaclava on, ’cause it’s just chilly enough tho’ others wouldn’t.

I go in and I’m treated novelly anyway. Find two ones… or he does, tucked into my dollars… and I say I don’t need a bag and he says yes, I do and I remember as he says to the lady he’s chatting with yes, in the state of Illinois… and I’m leaving and he says “don’t fly away!!!” and I say ” I’m riding away!” and wonder what’s up… and then realize that of course, I’m sans helmet but I”ve still got my dayglo camelbak *with* blinking multicolor LEDs.

I”ll fly away, indeed !

Luka Bloom’s bicycle song; link stolen from Cycle-licious

Go on, go on, get on your bike

Must be my Celtic (as in /kel-tic/) blood, but hopping on the bike at 53 degrees, blustery and cloudy is an instant rush. I even wore shorts just because.
Last night I had all these wisps of wistfulness winding through my body-mind-heart-soul-continuum and the wisps were starting to get sinewy ’til I checked my email and saw a missive from Clyde who I haven’t conversed with in too long. Caught up with the assorted events of the summer, sent back my own feeling like I’d had more fun than they conveyed, but that’s because this year has just been a little more alive, which was, I figured part of why wandering wistfulness would come on stronger, too.
This a.m. had its chicken soup/CHarlotte Armstrong moment when I woke up and dredged from the memory where I was and what was on the cafeteria tray of life… and out popped “Oh yea, that’s right, today I get a chance to…” and the thought trailed off …to what?!?!? Mentally check schedule. Grin. Silly dweeb, it’s like a fortune cookie. Today is full of chances to. There’s your gift, run with it. The keening longing is still there but it’s more a spice… the tequila in the margarita including lime and salt, which of course you have to monitor the intake thereof, but much sweeter than that nasty shot you try to swallow, grimace, and wait for numbness therefrom.
Okay, end of soupiness. It’s my chance to
FIve or six bikes on the way in. Got to Prospect again before I remembered I was going to do New. Turned around because things were backed up *to* Clark from University, then turned around again because I didn’t want to deal with the garbage truck between me and New, and in that thirty seconds the intersection had cleared.
It is, howeer, less than 6 miles from current dwelling to Parkland. Laps are in order

Timing is everything!

Earlier this week I was riding late and approached Prospect and thought, “This is five minutes before the hour…’rush minute.’ What are my options?” So I turned up a New Street – hooray, it’s not brick! – and went to Church early. (Okay, sometimes I do that at Holy Cross on the way, but I mean Church Street that is westbound one-way.) It has a light at Prospect. Even better, it has no stop signs between Prospect and Mattis. Yippee!

Today I wasn’t running late (but not as early as yesterday). I forgot I was going to take new Street until I got to Prospect and it was all busy and stuff (by midwest standards anyway), so I just turned around, for the extra tenth of a mile, … but crossing University (one way east bound) was a royal bunbite, I *think* ’cause there were people getting to the school on the corner. Oddly, there were a couple of little gaps and both times the car in front didn’t close the gap… but widened it by slowing down noticeably. I’m thinking it’s a lot of locals who know it’s a congestion moment… but I’m going to try to be early or late for it and see how it goes.

Could be interesting weather later today, but right now this chunk of illinois is in a veritable island of “just cloudy and windy” stuff with green all around.

Hmmm… it’s been how many days ?!?!? It’s tough without a computer of my own.

Sunday before last my Xtra was blessed. Well, it’s always blessed adjectivally, but this was verbally blessed.

Distraction: ya you bet!!! DIG the volvo ad about “life is better lived togehter” that has the lady endurance biker. DUDES. Bicycling **IS** the new Golf. (Okay, I have also been away from TV… the Weather channel…)

back to regularly unscheduled program: you see, a priest was visiting from Guatemala, going to say Mass at 1:00 in a Mayan language… was at our (‘regular’ – lots of Korean) Mass, too. So I was leaving helmet in hand and he inquired… and was simply uplifted at the idea that somebody rode a bike. “If more people in America would do that…” THis is a guy who knows from war and real;ity… we went out and I showed him the Xtra and now it’s blessed.

Also got funky helmet cover which it hasn’t been yukky enough to use yet.

More on the way…
Bike-Thru Cafe in ORegon... with discount for pedalers! No, not peddlers… pedalers!

Now to scurry home between the showers.

Cycling *is* getting chic. THe NY TImes felt a blog post about trucks on new bike lanes
worth linking to!