Twas the Night Before the Night Before Christmas

Hello and Merry Christmas!

It's a balmy day before Christmas Eve, and I'm finally getting back to the blog. The fall has been very busy with work, my son's soccer games, lots of football games and all my favorite holidays.  My two favorite teams, the Carolina Tar Heels and Panthers had great seasons that really held my attention, much more than the past few years. Also in the mix was a wreck in November that totaled my car. No one was hurt, thank goodness, but the mechanics of replacing the car took even more time, and my blogging efforts have suffered.

I have been able to keep riding. I've made my goal of 200 miles in every month this year except February and have cracked 300 several times. Those rides have also produced some blog-worthy moments that I'll write about in the new year, including the first cold ride of the winter, how bikers who don't keep track of anything else track their distance to the inch, and a memorable Veterans Day ride.

Despite the great distractions, I did get in 50 miles
on a recent Sunday.

Thank you for taking the time to read my little missives in this blog. I'll try to give you more interesting reading in 2016. Meanwhile, in spite of this year's yuletide heat wave, have a wonderful Christmas and a happy new year.

P.S. You'd think that if it's 70 degrees two days before Christmas, at least it wouldn't rain so you can get in good ride. Ah well...

In Good Company

I ride alone most of the time. Riding has become “me” time, and by myself I can go as fast and as far as I want. Most of the other riders I see on the greenways are riding by themselves as well. You do see riders in pairs and small groups and the occasional larger group, especially families. But mostly you see single riders. I rode with a friend recently and found it very enjoyable and a nice change of pace.

A little background: Even though I mostly ride solo, I’ve ridden on the greenways with other people. Sometimes I ride with someone who can go farther and faster than me. Other times I’m the one who can go farther and faster. I was looking forward to the ride with my friend, but I couldn’t help thinking about my past experiences. When I ride with someone who goes faster, I feel like I slow that person down. When I ride with someone who isn’t quite as fast, I feel like I don’t get as much out of the ride as I usually do.

Make sure you enjoy your company when you ride with a friend.
Don't worry as much about pace and distance.

 

We started out by riding down to the Neuse trail and turning north. Our goal was to make it to Capital Boulevard and back, a round trip of about 34-35 miles. We kept up a brisk pace at first and were talking about our sons (they go to school together and are teammates on the soccer team). As we rode, I found myself worrying about when we would have to adjust our pace. I was surprised at how distracting it was, especially considering that it was a beautiful day, it felt great to be out on the bike and we were having a very pleasant conversation.

It was the morning of Labor Day, and the trail was like the beltline at rush hour. Evidently most of the riders in Wake County had the same great idea we did: taking advantage of the holiday to ride on the greenway. We went by probably 20 sets of riders before we passed Old Milburnie Damn, and at least that many walkers and joggers. It was frustrating as our conversations were interrupted several times to make tight turns and pass people. We barely avoided an accident as we rounded a sharp curve and just missed a pair of handlebars coming the other way. We crossed the suspension bridge past Hedingham and stopped for an early water break. We talked for a few minutes, and it was then that I realized that my frustration wasn’t caused by worry about a pending change of pace. I was frustrated because the tight quarters made it more difficult to keep up the conversation. We also couldn’t ride side by side, which also made it more difficult to converse. I had stopped worrying about our speed.

Without admitting it to my friend, I decided to just relax and enjoy the ride, but mostly to enjoy the company instead of focusing on pace and distance like I do when I ride alone. We continued north after a few minutes. I never once checked our speed on my phone. But we talked more. I learned more about my friend’s position being eliminated (his company was going through a merger) and that he had an interview for a new job the next day. We talked about interviews (I went through a similar experience and shared some of my stories about it). I also learned that he was going through some of the same pre-teen issues with his son that we were experiencing at my house. We laughed at ourselves when we realized we sounded like our fathers when we talked with our sons. When we decided to turn around sooner than we had planned, it was no big deal. We made it to Horseshoe Farm park and saw the new picnic area and other improvements, then headed back to Knightdale. It was one of the most pleasant rides I’ve ever had.

My friend did well in the interview the next day and got the job (woo hoo!).

Rain, Rain, Go Away

Rain, rain, go away, I’d like to ride my bike today.

If only it were that easy.

It seems like we’ve had several weeks of nothing but rain. We’ve had low pressure systems, noreasters, rain dances, and now we’ve got a hurricane coming that my 12-year-old son says should be spelled more like it sounds. What’s a biker to do?

The rain was hard on the trails. It even toppled this tree.

My goal for riding is 200 miles per month. Sometimes winter weather makes it hard to reach that figure. Some months in the summer and fall I can reach 300 if the weather cooperates. I got in a short 14-mile ride just before the rain started, giving me 271 miles for September. That’s a great total, except when you consider I had an entire week left in the month. It should have been easy to get to 300. But the rain started and looked like it wasn’t going to stop. Luckily there was a break on Sunday. It stopped raining that morning and the sun even tried to come out. The streets and sidewalks dried out, and I began to hope. But just as I got on the bike after lunch, it started to sprinkle. I circled back to the house as it came down harder. I checked the radar on the computer and saw that it was a thin line of rain that would be over quickly, so I waited. Sure enough it stopped and I was able to get in 34 miles. But the rain had been hard on the trails. A tree had fallen down across the Neuse trail south of Poole Road. I had to lift my bike across it to keep going. But it was a ride and it felt great. Less than an hour after I got home, the rain started coming down again, hard.

We don’t usually have this much rain day after day. A friend who has recently started riding asked me what kind of exercises you can do when you’re off the bike for so long. Here’s a short list.

• Walking or jogging: both of these are good aerobic exercises and will work your legs. You’ll want to make sure you don’t overdo it, especially with jogging. Your knees and ankles may not be used to the pounding they’ll receive.  

• Swimming: provides a total body workout with the impact of jogging or walking. You can swim laps or just play.

• Take the steps at work: if you work in a multi-story building, take the steps whenever you can. If your job keeps you at your desk, talk to your boss and taking breaks to walk the steps. It’s great exercise for your legs.

• Hit the gym: if you have access to a gym, rainy days are great for pumping some iron. Don’t just work your legs. Arm strength will help you handle a bike, especially on longer rides.

• Spin class: I’m not a big spin person, but I know other bikers who love it. They seem to enjoy spinning just as much as they do riding. That part’s lost on me, but to each his own.

When rain, work or family commitments or anything else seems to conspire to keep you off your bike, find some sort of exercise to do.  Choose one from this list, or figure it out on your own. You’ll be glad you did. And it might be a good way to distract yourself while you’re waiting to get back on your bike.

 

 

The Right Stuff

In addition to wearing the right clothes when you ride, you need the right equipment. That includes your bike, as well as accessories for hydration, repairs, and, of course, tracking your progress. As you do longer and longer rides, it’s going to occur to you that you are often 15-20 miles away from your house, sometimes more. You don’t want to get caught without something you need.

The primary piece of equipment is, of course, your bike. You need to make sure you’ve got one you’re comfortable with if you’re going to bike longer distances. There are several things to think about when getting a bike. The first is fit. Most any store that sells bikes is going to have at least one employee who knows the basics of “bike fit.”  In addition to their advice, think about the height of the bike and the handlebars. You should be able to stand comfortably with both feet on the ground while you’re on your bike. If you’re on your toes or both feet don’t reach the ground, it’s too tall. When your butt is in the seat, you should be able to put one foot flat on the ground. Again, if you’re stretching, the bike is too tall. You should be able to hold the handlebars without bending too far over and without extending your arms all the way. If you spend more than hour on your bike, you’ll be glad to have a good fit with your handlebars.

The right gear can make all the difference. Note the helmet and the hydration pack.

 

In addition to the size, you should consider what kind of bike is best for you. Road bikes are lighter and leaner, with thin tires. They are built for speed. You can go very fast on them, but you’ll need to stick to smooth surfaces. Roads and newer paved greenways are great. Unpaved surfaces or older greenway trails – which tend to have more bumps and potholes – can be harder on a road bike. Good road bikes can also cost a pretty penny. Mountain bikes are more rugged. They have wider tires and just feel heavier and more solid. You won’t get as much speed and will work harder to pedal with a mountain bike. They are great for rougher surfaces. I ride a comfort bike, which is a combination of both. It has a wider seat that’s easier on your butt and inner thighs. The handlebars are positioned a little higher so you don’t bend your back or extend your arms as much. In short, the bike is literally built to be more comfortable. If you start biking later in life (like I did), a comfort bike is a great place to start.

You'll need water. A squeeze bottle and a hydration pack
are two of your choices.

No matter what time of year you ride, you’ll need water. And if you’re going to ride any distance, you need to be able to drink without stopping. That gives you three options. The first is a bottle and holder that can attach to your bike. Most of these are made so you can reach down, grab the bottle and squeeze. It shoots a stream of water into your mouth. It’s very convenient, but doesn’t hold much for longer rides. Some people actually have two of them on their bikes. If you don’t have a holder for a bottle, you can use the water bottles that have the D-rings attached and hang it from your handlebars.  This isn’t bad, but it can be hard to remove from your handlebars while you’re riding. I started with one of those, but I recommend getting at least one bottle holder. It’s much easier to handle. The option that’s best for longer rides is a hydration pack. This is a backpack that holds a water bladder with a tube. You simply wear it and position the tube near your mouth and slurp as needed. The bladders hold 2-3 times more water than bottles. There’s also extra room in the backpack for other stuff like snacks, repair gear, wallet, phone, etc. I use a Camelbak hydration pack for longer rides in the summer and an attached bottle for shorter rides.

It only takes one wreak or near-wreck to convince you to wear protective gear like a helmet and perhaps those fingerless gloves. There are different ideas about how much protective gear you should have. I don’t use the gloves or other equipment. I do use a helmet and strongly recommend one.  These are available from most any retailer that sells bikes. You don’t have to spend a lot, either. You can get a good helmet for $20 - $25.

Map My Ride is a great way to track
your speed and distance.

The other piece of equipment you’ll want is some way to track your progress. It’s easy to overestimate how far you go on rides. Plus, as you start riding further, you’re going to want to know how far you’re going as well as your speed. There are many ways to do this. There are devices that you attach to your wheels. There are devices that use gps technology. In my opinion, you’re better off using something you should already have with you: your phone. Side note: having a phone with you is like a security blanket. You may be anywhere from 5-10 miles from home; you just need to have your phone. Even if you can change a flat tire and do other simple maintenance, it’s nice to know you can call for help if you need it.

I use an app called Map My Ride for tracking. It tracks your distance and speed, along with calories burned and other information like elevation changes. There’s a free version and a paid version (which isn’t that expensive and offers a few extra features). I use the free version, which means ads, but they’re not a major inconvenience. I love the live tracking feature and check it frequently during rides. A holder for your phone is nice to keep you from fumbling with it to check your speed while riding. I don’t use one, so I invested in a good strong phone case, just in case.

If you’re a beginner, you don’t need to invest in everything at once. Get a helmet first and some way to drink, and start adding from there. Go ahead and get an app to track your progress. That’s just fun, especially as you ride longer distances.

 

We Train Our Deer And Fish Right In Knightdale

Wildlife encounters are part of the routine when you ride on greenway trails. You’ll see deer, turtles, ducks, geese, the occasional crane, assorted birds, squirrels and, as I posted recently after waiting almost two months for a picture, snakes. I recently had encounters with deer and fish that reminded me – in a roundabout way – that there’s no place like home. Stick with me on this one, because the logic is a bit convoluted. But that’s okay, because this post is more “tongue in cheek” than other lessons from the trail.

I started out recently on the Mingo Creek trail for a longer ride. As I was rolling along the boardwalk, I spotted a boy and his grandfather up ahead, and it looked like they were taking a fish off a hook. I knew they weren’t, because the swampy area there is a glorified mudhole. And the boy was using a red plastic fishing rod. Never saw one of those on Southern Sportsman. But sure enough, as I went by, the grandfather grinned at me and pointed to a decent sized bass. Talk about your double takes. This I had to see more closely, so I stopped my bike and walked back. The boy had taken the hook out and was holding the fish like an experienced angler. “That boy just loves to fish,” said Grandpa, proudly. We talked for a few minutes, and they allowed me to take his picture. That was a definite first for riding on the greenways.

Seeing Luke pull a bass out of the swampy area of Mingo Creek
is definitely a first for riding the greenway trails.

After watching the boy (his name was Luke) fish for a few more minutes, I left them and pedaled to the Neuse trail and turned north. The humidity was low for August, so I rode all the way to Falls Lake. I stopped for a break right by the damn, where several guys were fishing. I asked one of them if they were catching anything. He gave me a look, and said no. The others overheard and chimed in their agreement. I wanted to tell them about Luke, but their expressions and grunts changed my mind.

The far northern section of the Neuse trail runs by a number of subdivisions. There are access paths from those neighborhoods to the trail. A couple I know lives in one of the subdivisions. They told me that someone in their neighborhood has been leaving food out for deer. Those deer have gotten used to people and will clop right up to them looking for handouts. They also enjoy munching on flowers in yards (one of the curses of suburban living) and will ignore anyone who comes out to try to run them off. I was rolling past those neighborhoods on the way home and saw one of those deer standing by the trail. I smacked my hand on my handlebars and yelled, “hey.” That usually works to make a deer turn and run. But she just stood there, looking at me expectantly. Fortunately for me she didn’t step out on the trail as I went past.

Our deer around Knightdale are much better trained
than their counterparts from North Raleigh.

That encounter contrasted with what happened when I came out of the woods near the turn off the Neuse trail to the bridge to the Mingo Creek trail. There were two deer standing by the trail looking in the other direction. Just like before I slapped my handlebars and yelled, “hey!”  This time the deer turned and obligingly trotted away as I swept by and turned up onto the bridge. As I rode home at the end of a great 50-mile ride, I couldn’t help thinking that we train our deer and fish right in Knightdale. There’s a lot to like about Knightdale, but I challenge you to find well-trained deer and fish on the town website.

Sights & Sounds: Mingo Creek

Editor’s Note: this is the first of a series of “guided tours” of the greenway trails around Raleigh, focusing on some of the interesting sights, sounds and even the occasional smells.

The Mingo Creek greenway trail is relatively new, having opened in the fall of 2014. It runs through Knightdale and crosses just south of my neighborhood.  There are two access points from our subdivision, one off the main road and one from a sidestreet that's harder to find I you don't know its there. The Mingo Creek trail is approximately 3.5 miles long, which makes it an excellent warmup if you’re going to ride the longer trails. Not everyone uses it that way, though.

The Mingo Creek trail is relatively new and runs through Knightdale.

I started a recent ride by going to the entrance off Lynnwood Road. You cross a long bridge over a swampy area, which makes an interesting contrast to the elevated I-540 bridge running parallel to it. You don’t see the 540 bridge as much as you hear the rumble of traffic. The greenway bridge runs right up to the trail, where I turned left, or east.



This bridge crosses Mingo Creek.

The trail follows Mingo Creek as it meanders through the woods. You can see the backs of houses from my subdivision off to one side and houses from another subdivision across the railroad tracks on the other side. You come to a long wooden bridge shortly after turning out onto the trail. It takes you over the creek and by a large drainage pipe that pops out under the railroad tracks. My tires make a very different sound when I hit the wooden bridge, a kind of rumble. That alerted two families who were walking across that I was coming up behind them. Regardless of that I announced myself as I went past and they waved. I passed two joggers over the next half a mile or so and passed another entrance to the greenway, this one from another neighborhood.

The courts are usually in use in the afternoons.

I pedaled to the end of the trail at Mingo Creek park, which has two basketball courts. Usually those courts are full of young guys playing a rough and tumble version of 5 on 5 where the no-blood, no-foul rule seems to be in effect. More guys watch, waiting to take on the winners. But this was the middle of a hot day, and those guys were probably somewhere air conditioned. It was very quiet. I rode up to the little parking lot and turned around. Just past the courts is a small but steep hill that’s difficult on your way up. I was on my way down and used the hill to pick up speed.

There are ducks and other animals in the swampy area of the tail.

 

I followed the trail to one of the nicer features: a long boardwalk that takes you over the swampy wetlands area just south of my neighborhood. The amount of water varies based on recent rainfall, but there’s always some there. There are cranes, ducks, geese and lots and lots of turtles. There are also beaver damns and you can see beaver every now and again. Deer like the cover offered by the tall grasses that surround the water; usually if you see one you’ll see more. After you pass the wetlands you’re back on paved trail that takes you to Hodge Road. This is a busy two-lane road and you need to look carefully for oncoming cars as you approach. Be prepared to stop because your line of sight is limited because of trees.

Be prepared to stop at the Hodge Road crossing.

 

I crossed the road turned right, then left into the Princeton Manor neighborhood and followed the sidewalk until the trail goes off to the left. The next landmark is a fairly good-sized hill. You can take it if you get a good running start and downshift. There’s a screwdiver sunk down into the concrete that you’ll see as you get to the top of the hill. It’s a signal that you’re getting started on your way out. It’s a nice signal that you’re almost finished when you’re coming back.

You take the sharp right turn at the top of the hill and that takes you out to the bridge over the Neuse and the entrance to the Neuse River trail. On the day of my ride there were some folks floating by under the bridge in inner tubes. You see them fairly often on sunny weekends.

The trail ends with the bridge over the Neuse.

The Mingo Creek trail is used mostly by walkers and joggers from the neighborhoods in Knightdale bordering the trail access points. The trail is perfect for walks and jogs and folks often stop on the boardwalks to look at the animals.  That means if you’re on a bike you need to let them know when you’re approaching. People do a great job sharing the trail as long as they know you’re coming. If you’re just starting out on a bike, going back and forth on the trail is a good first ride. Don’t be shy about having to walk up the big hill, just in case. 

 

 

The New Steed

Well, my first “real” bike lasted three years. It was efficient and reliable, and together we went from one end of the Neuse greenway trail to the other a number of times. But as I related recently, it developed some wear and tear that couldn’t be repaired without investing half the cost of a new bike. So I went to Dick’s Sporting Goods in Knightdale and worked with Mike to get a new one. It’s the same model but red and black instead of grey and black; I wanted something about it to be different. I had an interesting experience on the night I went to buy the new one, and I wrote a blog post about it that has gotten some nice reactions.

My second Diamondback wildwood bike. The only difference: it's red.

Anyway, I was able to break in the new bike this weekend with two rides. By an odd coincidence, they were almost identical in time and distance even though I rode different routes. On Saturday afternoon I rode south on the Neuse trail past the water treatment plant to the point where you turn downhill to get back to the river. On Sunday morning I rode out to the Walnut Creek trail and followed it past the softball complex and up the street to the point where it starts getting much curvier. I turned around there and rode out to the suspension bridge at Hedingham before heading home. Saturday’s ride was 30.98 miles and Sunday’s was 30.99 miles. The times were 2:00:14 and 201:19, with average speeds of 15.3 and 15.5. It’s not that significant, just interesting.

What’s even more interesting were the things I saw on the ride Saturday. I started out, as usual, on the Mingo Creek trail. I only pedaled a few hundred yards on the trail when I came face to face with a Knightdale police vehicle with two officers inside. It was slowly following a group of walkers. I waved as I went by and they waved back. There hasn’t been any sort of trouble on that trail that I’ve heard about, but I’m glad to see them out there. If nothing else, their presence will encourage more folks to get out and use the trails. The second unusual sighting was a wedding at the scenic overlook at Anderson Point Park. I rode past quietly as the wedding party was making their way down the aisle. The bride looked pretty in her dress.

A first: seeing soldiers doing a road march on the trail, complete with rucksacks. Hooah!

The third thing was a group of National Guard soldiers who were doing a road march on the trail. They were coming back from the direction of New Bern Avenue when I went by, and a Humvee was in the Anderson Point parking lot waiting for them. They were wearing rucksacks. As a former “weekend warrior,” (Army Reserve for 10 years) I was impressed by the creativity in using a resource like the greenway trail for a training exercise.

The new bike performed well. The pedals and brakes both feel great, especially compared to my old one with its wear and tear. I need to tighten the seat and make a few other minor adjustments. There’s one wire that sticks out near the pedals and scratches my leg. Gotta do something about that. Overall I’m very pleased. I look forward to using the new bike to record many more miles out on the trails.   

A Funny Thing Happened...

The pedals on my bike were loose and had been making an ominous clacking sound for some weeks. I finally took it in for service at the Dick’s in Knightdale and got the bad news from Mike the mechanic: it’s finished. The bearings have broken off in the pedals (or something like that…hey, I’m no mechanic) and it’s going to cost more than half the original price of the bike to fix. So, time for a new bike.

Dick's offers good bikes at good prices, and their maintenance plan is a winner.

I went to Dick’s on a night when I knew Mike was working. He was busy when I arrived. Two women and a husband and wife were each buying new bikes.  Mike was telling the two ladies about the features of their new bike and filling out paperwork for their purchase, while the wife was collecting a light blue helmet and a blue water bottle to match her new iridescent (her word) blue bike. She explained the importance of the matching ensemble to her husband, who listened patiently. I was distracted when Mike pointed to me and told the two women that I ride out on the greenway. We talked about places to start, some of the sights to see and how far to go on their first rides. The couple joined the conversation since they were going to ride on the greenways, too. Turned out the husband had just lost his job, so things were a little tight for them. I think they were planning to ride together (he already had a bike). Presently the women took their bike and headed to the front of the store to check out. They said their goodbyes to me, the couple and Mike. It was all very cordial and it was obvious that they had talked a lot with the couple before I arrived.

Mike asked me if I wanted a different kind of bike and I said no. I was going to stick with what worked. “Let me finish up with them, and I’ll be right with you.” “No problem,” I replied. He adjusted the seat and the handlebars, explained more of the bike’s features and completed the paperwork, all while the woman kept up a steady stream of questions. She was visibly excited about the purchase and looking forward to riding out on the trails. I was speaking with her husband about the greenways when we both noticed she had gone quiet. We turned and saw her staring at what looked like a gift card in her hand. She turned slowly to us and said, “Look at this. She left it for me.” It was a gift card, for $100. Her voice quavered and her eyes glistened as she read the message on the card. “God will provide.” I think the women left it in her purse but I’m not sure and it didn’t matter. She talked about how much the card would help, amazed at the women’s generosity. She kept rubbing her eyes, leaving tear streaks on her face. But she was absolutely glowing in the wonder of the moment. I’ve known Mike through Dick's for a couple of years and he seems pretty even-keeled. But even he could not stop smiling. We chatted for a few more minutes and the couple finally took their bike (and matching accessories) to check out. Mike and I completed our transaction (I chose another Diamondback Wildwood, a comfort bike…more on that in a later post). They’re going to take the water bottle holder and kick stand off my old bike and put it on the new one, which means I’ll come back and get it in a couple of days.  I drew quizzical looks from several other shoppers as I was leaving the store. I couldn’t figure out why until I realized I too was grinning from ear to ear.

Epilogue: I had one other stop to make that night after Dick's. We needed cereal and coffee, so I stopped at Target. The first person I noticed as I walked through the store was one of the women who had left the gift card at Dick's. We passed each other – she didn’t notice me because she was talking on her cell phone – and ended up checking out next to each other. I said hi and she smiled as she recognized me.

“They found what you left for them,” I said, that grin spreading back across my face. “That was very generous and thoughtful.” She thanked me, but I got the impression that she didn’t think it was as big a deal as I did. Come to think of it, that speaks well of her, too.

Epilogue part II: One other thing about the whole situation didn’t occur to me until I was in the car heading home. The man and the woman were white. The two women were black. I only mention that because this kind of thing doesn’t get mentioned often. It probably should, don’t you think? 

Draft Dodging

Drafting on a bicycle is a good way to save your energy on longer rides. To draft someone, you follow them closely. This makes riding easier because the person in front of you cuts through the air and reduces the wind resistance you face. Drafting can be very convenient. Bike racing teams use it, much like birds do when they fly in formation. Drafting has also led to some interesting encounters out on the trails.  

You generally follow closer when drafting. Just make sure
you let someone know and ask permission.

I was pedaling north along the Neuse River trail one day. It was hot and sunny. As I picked up speed on one of the long, straight stretches, I happened to glance to the side and was shocked to see a second shadow right behind me. And he was close. I twisted around to confirm that it was indeed another rider. I decided to pull away, so I increased my speed. But he stayed with me. I kept trying to pedal harder, but every time I checked my shadow, he was still there. We kept going for several miles until we got to 401. He turned off on the suspension bridge and I kept going. He was wearing nice biking clothes and had a good bike, so I don’t think there was anything untoward going on. But I have to admit to being a little relieved when he finally went the other way.

In an interesting side note, I mentioned this experience on Facebook and got some memorable comments. They all boiled down to stopping and letting someone like that go on by. I think if I encounter Captain Creepazoid again, that’s what I’m going to do.  

Another time I was heading back home after taking a break at the end of the trail near Horseshoe Park. In an interesting bit of irony, I was coming back across the suspension bridge there at 401 (the same place where Captain Creepazoid finally left me) and turned out in front of two riders on good road bikes. I picked up speed quickly and led them for a little over two miles at almost 18 miles an hour. The difference was, as they caught up to me, one of them announced their presence. “Do you mind if we draft you for a few minutes?” I said, “no problem.” They announced it when they finally passed me and offered to let me draft them, but I had to decline. I couldn’t keep up. It occurred to me that day that the key to drafting, like passing and many other encounters, is communication. I soon received another lesson that hammered home that point.

I reached the southern end of the trail in Clayton one day and stopped for a break. It’s the perfect spot to catch your breath and cool off. Other riders had the same idea and several individuals and pairs came and went while I was there. On the way back I began catching up to and passing some of the riders who left before me. As a courtesy, I announced myself as I’m coming by. I came up behind a woman on a bike just as we were getting close to a series of bridges. I decided to pull up and wait to pass her because bridges are not ideal for passing. There’s enough room, but if anything happens, you can’t veer out of the way. She was going slower, so I downshifted. The click and clang of the gear shifting wasn’t loud, but it made her jump and she whipped her head around and I saw fear in her expression. I called out, “I’ll pass you, but I don’t want to do it on these bridges.”   She looked relieved, but wary. “Okay.” She flashed me a look again as I went by, and I thought of Captain Creepazoid.

Her frightened look has reminded me to announce myself not only when I’m passing, but whenever I come up behind someone. That’s a good rule of thumb for all your encounters on the trails. There have been letters to the editor in the local paper recently complaining about bikers who race by on the trails. One thing that's obvious from the letters is that many of these bikers don't announce themselves when they pass. With all this in mind, here are a couple of golden rules of the trail: 

• Announce yourself when you're passing someone. That way they know to stay out of the way. And you never know; the person in front of you may be about to turn around. That could cause a bad accident.
• Ask permission if you want to draft. I was behind a couple on bikes the other day when the woman saw me and asked two times if I wanted to pass. I was making up my mind and eventually passed them, but she sounded a little irritated.

 

 

Mr. Slithers

Editor's note: I wrote this post almost two months ago, but I've been waiting for another encounter with a snake so I could get a picture or two.

I often walk Hershey – our Hershey-bar-colored dachshund – with one of my neighbors and her dog. On one such walk we were talking about encounters with snakes. She described seeing “Mr. Slithers” in her yard, and the nickname stuck.

I stopped to allow this fellow to cross in front of me. He was
nice enough to move slowly so I could take his picture.   

You can’t ride on the trails in the spring, summer and fall (and even warm winter days) without seeing snakes. They’re out there in the woods and they frequently cross the trails. Most of the encounters with snakes are brief and benign. My first one wasn’t.

Awhile back I took a half day off from work to be at home for a visit from the Time Warner repairman. They give you a window of time for their visit and in this case it was noon to 6 p.m. Of course, that usually means he arrives at 5:57. That day he got there at 12:15 and was finished at 1. I took advantage of the opportunity to ride up to Planet Fitness for a workout. It was already hot in March of that year, so I put on a pair of gym shorts and a t-shirt and off I went. I was still riding my first bike and the brakes were very worn so I couldn’t stop quickly. I rode around the subdivision, doubling back several times to go uphill whenever possible, before getting on one of the walking trails (my favorite part of the ride). A small creek runs beside the trail, and the gurgling of the water is always welcome. Near the end of the trail, it turns and crosses the creek. As I approached the sharp turn onto the bridge, a water moccasin slithered quickly out of the brush coming right at my front tire. I knew I didn’t have the time or space to stop, and besides, who wants to stop right by a snake?  So I stomped down on the pedal one more time, raised my feet to my handle bars, yelled “shiiiiiiiiiit,” and ran right over him as I turned onto the bridge. I rolled to the other side, braked and looked back. The snake had coiled up and was looking around like he was asking, “what just happened?” I got mad at that point, put down my kickstand and started back toward him. I had malice in my heart, which was pounding away at about 1,000 beats per minute. But the snake disappeared under the bridge. I rode on, with my pulse slowly returning to normal. To this day I wonder how I didn’t actually do what I yelled.

Fortunately my other encounters have been far less…stimulating. Most of them have been with black snakes. Those are the ones you see most often. There are green snakes, garter snakes, brown snakes and the occasional copperhead. Water moccasins are around, but I haven’t seen another one. You tend to see snakes more in the morning and evening. You also see them more often in the spring. They’re hungry and horny, and move around more. The best thing is that they can’t hide on the concrete. In fact you see them clearly most of the time even if they’re just off the trail. The city crews keep the ground surrounding the trails mowed and clear and that makes Mr. Slithers easy to spot. Some of them are small, just hatched in some cases. Others are larger, including the Godzilla of copperheads.

I saw him while riding south on the Neuse River Greenway one evening in September. I was on a long, straight stretch of trail, and I saw him about 200 yards ahead of me. I couldn’t tell what kind he was at first. The nights were already getting cooler and he was just lying there on the concrete warming up. As I got closer I saw the distinctive tan color and pattern on his back. I also noticed his size. He was more than five feet long and his body was as big around as a weightlifter’s arm. I’ve never seen one that large, not even in a museum or zoo. That night he was lying still. So I moved over to the edge of the trail away from him and increased my speed. I shot past him. He didn’t budge. I guess he didn’t have anything to prove.    

Most of the snakes you see on the greenway trails are black
snakes. They're not particularly aggressive out there.

As I’ve mentioned previously, I give Mr. Slithers every benefit of the doubt out there. It’s different if they come in my yard, but that’s a whole different story. I’ve come to a complete stop several times when a snake is crossing ahead of me. One time I was going in and out of bright sun and shade, and a black snake appeared in the shade in front of me. I didn’t have time to stop or miss him, but I did swerve to the side so I only ran over the tip of his tail.

I’ve never made a particular study of snakes, but I do think they have good hearing. Sometimes I even think they can follow English. One time I stopped in front of a long black snake who wasn’t in any hurry to finish crossing the trail. I sat for a minute watching him and he didn’t budge. So I called out, “Hey there, how about making some room.” And he did. He went on across and into the bushes. Another time I came up on a small copperhead near the edge of the trail. I moved over to the other side and said, “Watch it, little guy,” as I went by. He immediately coiled up in his strike pose. But I was long gone and out of range.  

In all but my first meeting with snakes on the trails, I’ve left them alone and they’ve returned the favor. Even the few times I had no choice but to run over them, they just kept going and got off the trail quickly. It seems like they don’t know quite what to think of people on bikes. Possibly bikes make people seem both bigger and faster, and therefore, more formidable and not to be tangled with. Either way, I’m not a fan of snakes. But we have a fairly satisfactory truce out on the greenways. Hey Mr. Slithers, just stay out of my yard…

Racing The Rain

When you ride the greenways, you’ll eventually get rained on. Most of the time it’s just a few sprinkles. Occasionally it’s more. If you don’t pay attention to the weather, you can sometimes get caught in a thunderstorm. Since bikes are made out of metal, that’s really not a good idea. If you enjoy riding and are committed to it on a regular basis, you do sometimes take a chance with the weather. I call it racing the rain.

Riding time is limited for most of us, so planning is a must. Part of that planning includes watching the weather forecasts on television and monitoring weather radars on your phone. The information is very detailed and you can plan around it successfully most of the time. You can take your rides before the rain moves in or ride where it’s not going to rain. You can also alter your route so you don’t get that far from home. And lastly, you can ask someone at home to watch the weather and contact you if it starts to look bad. All of these methods have worked for me, but they failed spectacularly one time. I was heading back south near the 401 bridge when the bottom fell out. I had checked the forecast and rain wasn’t due for hours. But it came down in sheets and I was soaked in seconds. I stopped under the bridge to wait it out and found a text message on my phone about approaching rain and a flash flood warning. I waited under the bridge for 20 minutes or so for it to ease up, but it never stopped. I rode the 12 miles home in a constant drizzle. I learned that day that the bike is much harder to clean up and dry off than I am.

I took a morning ride recently when the forecast called for a cloudy day with rain starting as early as lunchtime. It had rained the night before and there were still wet patches on the trails. I headed out on the Mingo Creek trail before turning south on the Neuse River trail. It didn’t take long to figure out that a lot of people had the same idea. There were 25 or so other bikers at Anderson Point Park, many of them stopping to get water and use the restrooms. I stopped for water myself (and to check the radar) and overheard two separate groups talking about how they had to finish by lunchtime to beat the rain. I rode south past Auburn-Knightdale Road, Battle Bridge Road and the water treatment plant. There’s a large field of sunflowers near the plant and they were in bloom. That’s a sight to see.   

The sunflowers were in bloom that day.
Note the clouds in the distance.

 

The clouds kept the temperature down, but the sun actually broke through a few times and you could see your shadow. It was nice to be a little cooler because the southern leg of the trail has hills and you’ve really got to work to climb some of them. The radar had shown a line of showers moving past south of Raleigh and, sure enough, I could see them when I got to the top of the large hill past the sunflowers. I pedaled a little further before turning around. On the way back I turned west on the Walnut Creek trail and followed it out to the tunnel under the 440 beltline. The tunnel gets very muddy when it rains so it was the ideal place to turn around. There were many other bikers out that day. I’ve never seen the trails so busy.

Sometimes it's really simple. If you're racing the rain,
keep an eye on the clouds.

I stopped again at Anderson Point Park for more water and to check the radar. A line of rain was headed for the west side of Raleigh and it looked like it would be in Knightdale in about an hour, so I rode north almost to Buffalo Road Park. I wanted to go further, but the radar clearly showed rain on the way. So I turned around.  There weren’t many other bikers or anyone else on the trail on the ride back.  As I came out of the trees into the open near the bridge to the Mingo Creek trail, I could see the rain clouds coming towards me from the west.

The breeze picked up as I crossed the bridge. I rode quickly back to Knightdale and took the first turn off the trail to get home. The breeze felt great but you could smell the rain. That made me pedal even faster. I felt a few sprinkles as I turned into my driveway. The rain started in earnest as I was wiping down the bike and hanging it on the rack in the garage. There was no thunder, but it rained pretty hard for about 30 minutes. I stood watching and listening to it for a few minutes before going inside the house. I had won the race against the rain that day…but it had been close.

I won the race with the rain that day. Sometimes I'm not so lucky.

On The Importance Of Good Maintenance

You have to take care of your bike if you want it to take care of you. That means keeping up with your preventative maintenance. I was reminded of that on a recent ride on the Crabtree Valley trail. I started off from my house on a cool winter day. My brakes were worn and needed to be tightened, but I was cheating to squeeze in a few more rides (spoiler alert: you’ll hear that again). I was very familiar with the greenways near my house, so I could get away with it…until I decided to go on the Crabtree trail. It turns west from the Neuse trail at Anderson Point and runs parallel to the 264 bypass until it goes under the beltline and goes past Wake Med toward Crabtree Valley. It’s a good change of pace but has twists and turns and a few hills, along with detours through neighborhoods that make it harder to maintain good speed. At one point I topped a little rise and started coasting down the other side. I picked up some speed and went through an area with thick vegetation on both sides of the trail, right into a sharp left turn combined with a sharp descent. I squeezed my brakes, but it was too late. All I could do was lean way over into the turn and grit my teeth. Like my first encounter with a snake while riding, I yelled “shiiiiiiiiiiiiit,” as I went through the turn, certain that I would careen off the trail and crash into a tree. But somehow I made it. The trail straightened and the descent stopped, so I was able to get my speed under control. Needless to say, my bike was in the shop the next day.

The great views on the trails can be ruined by loud
clacking noises from your pedals and loose brakes.

There’s a simple to way to remember the basics of bike maintenance: ABC, which stands for air, brakes and chain. Air in the tires, check the brakes and take care of the chain.  There’s a little more to it than that, but it’s a good place to start. There are reputable bike shops around that can help you maintain your bike. I take mine to the Dicks in Knightdale. I bought the bike there and – in a departure from my usual practice – bought the extended service contract that included several “tune-ups.”  That contract came in handy the first time I blew a tire. It cost about $15 to get a new one put on the bike. I took it for it’s first tune-up about 15 months after buying it. I had not realized how much the pedals, brakes and other parts get worn from riding until I rode my bike after that first tune-up. If you buy a bike from Dick’s, I strongly recommend using their service department and getting the regular tune-ups.

There’s something else I recommend when it comes to maintenance and this is something I need to do myself. I need to set a schedule for maintenance and stick to it. I tend to push the bike to get in a few extra rides before taking it to the shop. I noticed this spring that my speed seemed to have dropped. I normally average 15-16 miles per hour but on most rides recently I was down to 13-14. I thought I had lost some strength in my legs over the winter. The trip to the beach proved me wrong. I was back up in the 15-16 mph range on the beach cruiser bike. When I got home and started riding my bike again, I noticed a few things. The pedals had loosened and would shift slightly side to side as I pedaled. The back tire was shifting slightly too. Finally, there were some metallic clicks coming from the pedals. I cheated (again!) and took a few more rides before those metallic clicks began getting louder. Finally I took it to the shop and described what was happening. The guy said he recognized what was probably going on and could fix it. He also said that the clicks could lead to the pedals literally breaking and falling off. That is definitely not something you want to happen when you’re 15-20 miles from home. So, I’ve developed a mid-year resolution: I’m going to mark my calendar for preventative maintenance checks.

The next chapter in the maintenance saga is for me to learn how to do more of my own maintenance. I have a tool I can use to tighten many of the parts and adjust the brakes. I also received a tire changing kit as a gift. I need to master that as well. It’s not uncommon to see someone changing a tire along the trail. It doesn’t seem to take them long and they complete the repairs with confidence and ease. For me that’s both a future goal and blog post.   

Biking At The Beach

We rent beach cruisers every year at the beach.

Every June we take a week-long trip to Holden Beach. It’s become a wonderful family tradition and we have a great time. We play on the beach, visit Sunset Slush (often), eat one night at Calabash and shop at Calahan’s. Sometimes we go to a movie in Shallotte. And I ride. In fact, as I described in my history post, this beach trip was where biking for me as an adult originated.  What makes it even more fun is that we ride together as a family.

The first stop when we arrive is at the bike rental shop. We rent four bikes (my son brings a friend these days) and three of us ride them to the beach house. In fact, to me that short ride signals the beginning of the vacation. Our rule of thumb is that we ride together whenever we go somewhere on the island. That means we ride to the Sunset Slush Italian ice shop, usually after lunch. We ride to the kite store to get beach or pool toys (one should never be too old to play at the beach, whether you’re 12 or 50) and ride to a swimwear store (sometimes we get a new bathing suit or t-shirt…sometimes we don’t). I ride each morning to get the Raleigh newspaper (several of us like to read the paper while we’re here). I usually do that ride solo, so I frequently go further once I’ve gotten the paper.

The bikes you rent are generally the beach cruiser variety, which means no gears. That doesn’t matter much because Holden Beach is pretty flat and only about 9 miles long. The first morning I rode to the store for the paper I rode to the end of the island and back. Traffic was light, but there were lots of other bikers and some runners and walkers. Some of the bikers are simply cruising at a leisurely pace. They usually stick to the sidewalk. There are a few serious bikers who ride really nice road bikes and who dress like fitness models. They stick to the road. The joggers maintain a moderate pace and some of them are pushing baby strollers. The cars go slow and make allowances for bikers, walkers and runners, and that makes it even more pleasant. It rained in Raleigh the week before we went to the beach, so I was ready to ride on that first morning.

I ride to the store every day for a newspaper.

After picking up the paper at the island’s only convenience store, I rode to the end of the beach. It’s early in the season, so many of the houses are occupied but Holden Beach is certainly not at capacity.  I took a few of the side roads to finish at 15 miles and ended up back at the beach house in just under an hour, averaging almost 16 miles per hour.

You can ride the length of the island fairly easily.

 

On other days the rides were variations on the same theme. After a stop at the store to get the paper, I headed up the beach. I took different combinations of side streets each time. I saw families headed to the beach pulling wagons stacked high with chairs, umbrellas, coolers and toys. There were workers at some of the homes doing renovations and maintenance. Yard workers were mowing grass and trimming bushes and trees. I did 15 miles every day, plus a few rides with the family to the Sunset Slush. It all made for a very peaceful week…a great start for summer, and a wonderful opportunity to get in some good rides in a different location.

Pelicans cruised up and down the beach,
no doubt following me on my rides.

Wildlife Encounters: Holden Beach is known to have deer, snakes, even bobcats. However, the only thing I saw were lots and lots of pelicans (called pecalins by my son when he was 3 or so). We saw them diving into the ocean for snacks, but mostly they cruised up and down the island in formation.  

Nutrition Note: I started most of my morning rides before breakfast, so I ate an energy gel or two, Honey Stinger Energy Chews, lime flavor. They give you a good quick jolt of energy when you start out.    

Shameless plug: Holden Beach is a terrific beach for families. When you cross the bridge to the island, it’s like you’re going back in time. There are lots of cottages and houses but none of the small mansions you see at lots of other beaches. There are no high-rise condo complexes or apartment buildings and only a few shops and restaurants. It’s mostly regular beach houses. There are more restaurants and shops on the mainland, along with a drug store and a Food Lion, so everything you need is right there. It’s a great place to depressurize and relax.

Holden Beach is a terrific place to start the summer.

 

Friendly Folks

As a regular on Triangle area roads during rush hour, I worry about the future of mankind. People cut each other off, tailgate, blast their horns at the slightest provocation  and generally behave badly toward each other (full disclosure: this description covers me more often than I’d like). If you need a change of pace, hit the greenways.

My bike took me for a ride among the friendly folks on the trail.

I started a ride recently on the Mingo Creek trail and almost immediately saw a fellow swim team parent (our sons have been on the neighborhood team for years). We smiled and waved. Shortly after I saw a walker who warned me that an unleashed pit bull was up ahead. I’ve given similar warnings about animals and I thanked him and turned back toward the Neuse trail. A few minutes later I passed some people on the boardwalk and announced I was coming through. They waved as I passed and I heard one of the adults say thanks for announcing myself. I waved back. After crossing Hodge Road I saw a woman relaxing on her deck as I passed the Princeton Manor subdivision. I waved to her and she waved back. People sure are friendly out on the trails.  And like the bad behavior on the highways, good behavior on the trail is contagious.

I’ve been lucky so far with my bike. I’ve only had one mishap with it, and that was my own fault. To discourage people from taking cars, four-wheelers and other types of vehicles on the trails, there are a number of metal barriers in the center of the trail that stick up. If a car drives over one of them, it will damage the underside. These are usually at entrances to the trails and by bridges, which I’m guessing cant’ support the weight of cars. I was not paying attention one day and ran into one of the those metal obstacles and popped my back tire. I had almost reached I-540, which meant I was almost 11 miles from home. I didn’t have any repair supplies at that time, so I started walking. Several people asked me if I needed help as I walked. I declined politely. I was thinking of getting to the Buffalo Road Park and calling for a ride or just hoofing it all the way. Before I got there, an older rider stopped and offered to help. He saw the tire and said he could patch it. He tried, but the damage was too great. So he pulled a new tube out of his supplies and put it in the tire, using an air cartridge to inflate it. I was profuse in my thanks and gave him $10 to cover part of the cost of the tire. He brushed it off, saying I should help someone else when I got the chance. The tube wasn’t the right kind for my tire, but it worked after a fashion and got me all the way back to the Mingo Creek trail before going flat. Walking home from there was easy. I’ve never forgotten his kindness.

I helped two riders who misread the map
on the Walnut Creek trail sign.

It was hot that day on the trail and I stopped at Anderson Point Park to drink some water before heading south. One person stopped and asked about the Milburnie Dam. I told him he was close and he rode on. I went south past Auburn Knightdale Road, turned back and took the Walnut Creek trail to the softball center. On the way back I stopped where the Walnut Creek trail joined up with the Neuse River trail. Two women were studying the map on the sign. They were talking quietly, then positioned their bikes to take the Walnut Creek trail. One of them asked me if they would reach Poole Road. I told them they were turning onto the Walnut Creek trail and it went west, not north toward Poole Road. They had mistaken the Walnut Creek trail for the Neuse. I showed them their mistake on the map and they were very appreciative. The rest of the ride was pleasant enough. I waved to everyone I passed and most of them waved back. It ended up being just another day with the nice, friendly folks on the trail.