Bike Commute 2011 - Day 46 – My Fifth Day THIS Week

IN –

It was uneventful and foggy. I ended up taking my glasses off a couple of times to be able to see better. I debating wearing them again. The idea behind wearing them is to protect my eyes and to keep them from watering when I'm in high winds. Lately they've been all foggy and actually reduce my visibility. I'll have to take it day by day.

HOME – Off to the races.

I took the Des Plaines River Trail as I am wont to do on Fridays. I took a couple of pictures trying to show how low the river is and how clear. The mud was covered with bird foot prints as well.



Des Plaines River just south of Oak Springs Road 18 Aug 11



As I was taking the pictures, someone rode past me. He was wearing a backpack and looked to be in his 20s.



I got back on my bike and pedaled hard to try to catch him. I did catch him, but the trail was narrow and I was only going marginally faster than him so I elected to stay behind until we got out to a wider part.

I was proven to be right in my decision almost as fast as I made it when man came by the other way.

He rode off the Des Plaines Trail and up onto the North Shore Trail. Just when I decided to pass him, he turned off the trail. There is a big parking lot before you get to Cluver's. It's full of warehouses, but it's also where a dozen or so school busses park. I'm guessing he was a driver.

Later I spotted a couple other people and I caught them just as they were turning the other way.

Then I came up to a man riding along with no shirt on. It was a very nice day and the trails were full of people. I passed him.

When I got to Milwaukee Avenue I had to wait on the light.

I caught all the lights that day, all the red lights that is.

Meanwhile, back on Milwaukee; by the time the light turned the naked man caught me, or almost. I got away and rode off.



At Butterfield I again had to wait on the red and again, naked man nearly caught me, but I made it across and then really put the pedal to the floor. Actually I put each pedal down and up and down and up in very rapid succession, but I don't need to explain how to ride a bike. Do I?

I never did see him again, but after Carmel HS I passed a couple of High Schoolers.

Now, I would have thought with all this racing that this would be one of the fastest rides home.

The one rider I could not beat was myself. It took me 49 minutes to get home.

I blame the photos.