Monday, October 5, 2009

Sunday's Bike Ride

U town has a bike trail. Now mind you, both K & L attended college in U town for a combined total of six years. Did I know about the trail then? No. Better yet, did they know about the trail then? Nope. The three of us only learned of the existence of the trail in the past five years or so. (And I think it has been there quite awhile!)

The girls aren't much for biking, so they have only hiked on the trail. The Mr. isn't a biker either. (He says they have yet to invent a bike seat that is comfortable for a man.) So if I'm biking, I'm usually alone. I can't complain because the Mr. runs a great sag wagon for me, and I like going at my own pace in the quiet.

I finally convinced the Mr. that the weather was perfect for a bike ride, so we loaded up the bike yesterday and headed to U town. Their trail is 9 miles long and winds around part of the perimeter of U town. (If I had been in better shape, I would have reversed my trip and attempted 18 miles. I thought 9 was pushing it!)
This is the start of the trail. It might be hard to believe, but off to the left are a couple of bars, a grocery store, and several restaurants. I felt like I was in the middle of the country.
An old bridge is a clue that this was once a railroad route. They left a few things from the old railroad which gives the trail part of its charm. This bridge spans a creek that runs through the town. Another mile or so past this, and I was biking by U town's multi screen movie complex.
My bike chain had a major malfunction about the time I reached the 2nd trail head which was by the Holidome. (I think there are about 5 or 6 trail heads. They offer several jumping on and jumping off spots.) The Mr. came to my rescue. I was grateful he had nagged me into taking my cell phone. Repairs were made and I continued.
Shortly after that stop, I was back in the country. I was now looking at farm land and was just barely able to hear the town traffic. This trail is unique in that it is part scenic country on one side of the trail and part urban chaos on the other.
It didn't take long until I was leaving the country behind again. At this point, I was riding on the levee that keeps U town from flooding.
Still on the levee, it wasn't long until I was riding past the U town shopping mall on the left. If the trail had stayed in town, eventually I would have ridden right into Walmart. Thankfully, it wound back into the country.
Toward the end of my ride, I found myself riding right along the river. (The University's rowing teams practice on this river sometimes.)
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I'm planning to bike this trail again. With the scenery constantly changing, I didn't even feel like I had gone 9 miles. Today, however, parts of my body are feeling every inch of those 9 miles. It was a beautiful bike trail, and they say beauty is painful. (They weren't lying.)

6 comments:

Heidi said...

Okay, that does it. You and I were cut from the same cloth. This is my favorite thing to do and here you are riding alone. That is just wrong. I should be riding this trail with you.

I.T. and I are taking Fash to tour a small, private Christian school in Indiana on Thursday and Friday of this week. How far are you from the Michigan border? We probably wouldn't have time in the schedule this trip for me to find you with my bike, but I am serious, I want to ride here with you.

The absence of your black background on your blog actually works better for these eyes, in case you're looking for feedback. And your site loads faster for some reason, on my computer anyway, without the black background.

Here is my e-mail: hjtrumble@sbcglobal.net
Put me in your address book, we're going biking.

Gayle said...

What a great trail! We have bike trails around here that are on old railroad beds, too.

I agree with Heidi. Your new white background is easier on the eyes!

Mrs. E said...

Funny that you should both mention the white background...I changed it because it was driving my eyes nuts!

Heidi, I am somewhere between 12-14 hours from the Michigan border! But we would have a great time. I think that is going to have to be a summer meeting!

joyce said...

You know what I like best about that bike route....the apparant lack of hills! I would love to ride, but in order to ride I would have to be inshape, because you can't barely walk out of the house without hills, and as much as I would like to "be" in shape, I don't want the part of "getting" into shape.

Puna said...

Sounds like THE perfect weekend. I'm sure you are refreshed and relaxed going back to work today!

Heidi said...

12 to 14 hours from the Michigan border??? Mrs. e! That is far. Can you move toward South Bend?