Bike Commute 2011 - Day 23

IN (actually today) -


I got stopped by a train, or actually by the threat of a train, and then a train. The wait was probably over five minutes and I was less than two miles from my house. Next time I'm going to go around. I scouted the route on the computer when I got to work.

I had forgotten my black shoes at home when I drove so I had to bring them back in. I had also brought a pair of gym shoes back home yesterday. This really made my packs full.

It was 82o this morning. This could be very bad going home.

HOME-

It was very bad. I passed a sign that said it was 98o and there was a 10-15mph southwesterly in my face the whole way home. Taking it easy was not an option today.

I tried to talk a picture of the sign with the temperature, but it was alternating between temperature and time. I didn't time it right.

I took a different route today. I stayed on Atkinson all the way to St. Mary's and then took Oak Spring Road past Like Minear into Libertyville.

I think Oak Spring may be as dangerous as St. Mary, but it's a lot more scenic, especially since the beach is open.

For the first time ever I caught the light just south of Santa Maria del Popolo at Lake street. That's a terrible intersection. It's a hill to get to the crosswalk, it gets steeper through the crosswalk, then you have to go over the crest of Lake Street, then you have to climb a hill on the far side. It is a rise of about 20 feet and it's murder from a standing stop, which is always how I have to do it.

I was planning on taking a route that takes me two blocks out of the way to go around it but today I caught the light. Crazy.

I don't suppose I'd have ever mentioned that if I were driving, but it's a bit of a big deal to me as a rider.