Route

Main St to Bandemere Park to Huron River Dr. to Zeeb and back through Bandemere, Main, and Huron.

Stats

* 18.98 miles

* 1' 28"

* 12.8 mph avg (lowered by riding along side a runner friend for a few minutes)

Interesting Happenings

I passed a friend from the YMCA on the way out. I'd run into her once before on Huron River Dr. She's been running outside when she can, and on the treadmill when she can't. The first time I saw her, she wasn't running against traffic, as runners are supposed to do. I rode slowly beside her and talked with her for awhile before taking off.

This time she was running against traffic, so I turned around and rode on the other side of the road and we talked. It was very nice - we talked about her martial arts studies at the Y. She had hit a plateau and wasn't feeling so good about it. But I was able to relate some lessons I'd learned from taking riding lessons from my trainer, Linda. I hoped I'd been able to help her a little bit, even if only to be encouraging.

This is someone whose friendship I'd like to cultivate, but I know that these things grow with time, and if it's going to happen, it'll happen. The last thing you want to do at the Y is crowd someone's personal space. I experienced that with Alex, and had to tell him so many words to back off.

Impressions of Ride

It was too dark, really, to be embarking on a ride. I got too late a start. I'd been downtown with Thomas, Ian's brother. On the way out on Huron River Dr. I was acutely aware that the sun was just above the tree-line and that I wouldn't have much time. The part of Huron River Dr. between Main St. and Bird Rd. is darker than any other part, no matter what time of the day. Since I was leaving late and wouldn't be riding as far, I'd be in that dark part proportionally more than usual.

On the way back, because of my sunglasses, things looked very dark. I could barely see the river - all I could see was the reflection of the pink sunset in the water. I was a little disappointed that I'd waited so long, and it took more concentration than usual just to make sure that I was staying on the road.

Also, my feet got really cold. The rest of me was warm enough from the exertion. But there wasn't much I could do for my feet - probably not that much blood was pumping through them. But I knew that if I rode the next day or weekend, I'd leave earlier and avoid this problem and the problem of darkness.