Don't Get Too Big For Your Britches

I’m a firm believer in continuous improvement. Nothing is static. If you stop trying to get better, you go the other way. That’s true in our work, play, fitness and health, relationships…anything. But as you see the results of your efforts, don’t get too impressed with yourself. My parents’ generation (who get wiser and wiser as I get older…who knew?) advised us not to get too big for our britches. I never expected to be reminded of that lesson while riding on the greenway.

Riding on greenway trails is surprisingly conducive
to whimsical thoughts.

I started out on the Neuse River Greenway trail recently on one of those cool, gray, misty spring days. The weather kept most people inside, so I had the trail mostly to myself. Those days lend themselves to a lot of introspection. I pedaled north past the Hedingham subdivision and later, the Buffalo Road Athletic Park. I was riding through an area thick with undergrowth when movement caught my eye between the trail and the river. There were three deer running through the bushes near the river. I smiled as I realized that I was catching up to them. I’d been making steady improvements in my speed and stamina, going further and faster. And now I was passing adult deer. The surge of satisfaction was exhilarating. I did indeed pass those deer. All kinds of crazy thoughts swirled through my head. I wondered about entering competitive bike races. I could see images of the Tour de France, Olympic speed races and triathalons…cheering crowds, sponsorships, my face on a Wheaties box. Long rides like that tend to produce whimsical flights of fancy, and the flights were particularly fanciful that day. I was faster than a deer!

I pedaled on to 401 and crossed the suspension bridge. I took a break and had some water and a granola bar at the end of the trail. After a few minutes I started home, still making great time. I could see myself answering questions in the media tent of a major bike race in my head as I pedaled through the same area where I saw the deer. As I pondered the answer to the question of how I could be so awesome, a deer bolted out of the brush and flashed by about 15 feet in front of me. I didn’t have time to react, but I did sit straight up in my seat and I think a let out a quick, startled scream. I turned quickly to see where he went, but he was gone. I kept pedaling, but the tone of my thoughts changed. Those flights got a lot less fanciful.

A deer like this one taught me a valuable lesson.

That deer was really moving. If he had been 1-2 seconds slower, he might have plowed right into me. No doubt I would have flown off the bike and landed hard on the ground. But he was really fast. And that reminded me that when I had passed this deer and his two running mates awhile ago, they had been in thick brush. In fact, they had been leaping along more than running. That’s why I was able to catch up and pass them. So all that praise I was giving myself for going fast and all those fantasies about earning a medal in the Olympics and appearing on Sportcenter were wasted. In fact, they were silly. Even though I wasn’t taking them too seriously, I was guilty of getting too big for my britches. It almost seemed like the deer knew that and decided to give me a reality check. There’s nothing wrong with striving to improve. There’s nothing wrong with being proud of your accomplishments. But keep it in perspective. Try to improve, but know and appreciate your place. Otherwise, those pants might not fit.

Message received, friend deer. Thanks.

Not The Fastest Ride

Note to readers: this will follow a loose format for posts on rides.

Sometimes when you ride, or do any other form of exercise, it comes easy. You have lots of energy. The weights feel light, your legs are like springs, the pedals glide like they’ve been buttered. You always feel good on days like that. Everyone likes those days. I was wishing for a day like that recently.

Summary of Ride: I started out on the Mingo Creek trail as usual and it felt good at first. After I reached the end of the trail heading toward the Neuse, my legs turned to jelly. The energy seemed to drain out of my legs and I felt myself slow. My original plan had been to try to ride the entire trail that day, which could be 70-75 miles. I’ve done 60 before and am confident I can make it that far. But I quickly realized that I wouldn’t make it that far that day. I turned south and rode up to Anderson Point Park and stopped at the restroom area. I had some water and caught my breath. Several bikers and a few walkers went by. I decided to go south and turn back when I felt like I couldn’t go any more. As I prepared to leave, an older couple pedaled by slowly. They waved and I waved back. A few minutes later I took off. I caught them quickly and announced myself as a I rode by. Again they smiled and waved.

At the end of the trail in Clayton on a hot day.

The first hill on southern leg of the Neuse trail is a tease because it’s downhill. You pick up some speed and cruise along through some woods then pop out into a neighborhood by the river. There’s a sharp turn and you’re climbing your first hill. This is where you usually confirm that you’re going to have a good ride (or in my case, the opposite). As I struggled up the hill I thought about heading home. But, I kept remembering a graphic posted on Facebook by a cycling organization. It says something like, “As slow as you’re going, you’re lapping the people who stayed on their couch.” It sounds silly, but it kept me going.

I stopped at Auburn Knightdale road for another break. That’s usually way too soon to stop, but the bridge offered shade. There was a family there taking a break from their ride. The dad asked me about the trail, and we had a nice chat. Turns out they live near where I lived as a child, so that gave us even more to talk about. Just as they were leaving the older couple pedaled up and stopped. The man asked me a question about the trail and we had a nice visit as well. It ended up being a longer break than I normally take, but it was nice. And I wouldn’t have met those other folks had I not stopped.

The Auburn Knightdale Road bridge is still being repaired.
It made a good place for a break, in the shade. 

There is a steady incline as you ride from Poole Road to Auburn Knightdale Road. It isn’t bad, but it’s perceptible. A little ways past Auburn Knightdale Road there is another good-sized hill. It’s not that long, but there are twists and turns that make it harder than most hills. The trail also veers away from the river. When you top that hill the trail goes through some farm fields with woods on one side. This lasts for a mile or so before you reach the biggest of the hills. That one is hard any day, but it was torture for me. I kept thinking I wouldn’t make it, but I was chugging away. It was really great to get to the top. After that it was almost anticlimactic making it to the end of the trail in Clayton, where I stopped for another break. I was guzzling water from my Camelbak when a guy rolled up beside me and said, “Can I park there right beside you, like I do every day?” It was the guy who literally parks beside me at work. We talked for a few minutes before I started back.

The Wake County sign welcomes you back on your way home
after you've ridden to Clayton.   

The return trip was hard and slow as well, especially the long twisting hill away from the river after you pass Mial Plantation Road. But it was interesting how meeting some new people and seeing a colleague seemed to provide a little spark. I took extra breaks again and the ride ended up being 41 miles, averaging only 13 miles per hour. Despite the speed, struggling through a tough ride actually made me appreciate it more than usual. I also have to acknowledge that I’m not the ideal size and shape for biking (short and stocky) and I’m 50 years old. The occasional bad day is going to happen. Like the personal trainers say, you just have to fight through it.

Wildlife Encounters: Geese and turtles are standard on any ride when the temperature is higher than 40. This ride also featured a beaver sighting. There are beaver dams all along the trail, but you rarely see the occupants. The one I saw bolted into the brush as I approached. That made two beavers I’ve seen in close to two years of riding the greenway. Interesting coincidence: several nights later I saw three during a short ride.

You hardly ever see beavers, but I saw one on this ride and
three several days later.

The other interesting sighting on that ride was big black snake. I saw him moving slowly across the trail as I was coming up the large hill where the trail veers away from the river on the way back. I’ve seen black snakes in that area before, so it was no surprise. As usual, I passed him on the far side of the trail and he didn’t bother me.

Nutrition Note: When you ride for more than hour, or 90 minutes or so, you really should take some kind of snack. There are energy wafers and gels available from REI or Dicks. They’re good and they work. I keep a supply of them. But fruit, peanut butter, cheese and crackers and granola bars are also good. Word to the wise: you should try some different things on rides to make sure what works for you. Some people have sensitive stomachs when exercising.

I had an apple with some peanut butter at my first break. This is a good snack because the apple gives you a quick boost and the protein in the peanut butter lasts longer. At the Clayton stop I had an orange, another quick boost. This has nothing to do with nutrition, but the sweetness of the fruit and the juice also give you a lift.

Shameless plug: The temperature was in the mid-80s, so I took my Camelbak hydration pack. It’s a backpack with a water reservoir and a tube for drinking. It’s great for longer rides when it’s hot. It holds a couple of quarts of water. The backpack even has pads that hold it away from your back so air gets in there.  I drank almost all of it that day.   

Dress for Success

When I first began riding, I didn’t go far and the weather was always warm. So it didn’t matter what I wore. Usually I just grabbed the first t-shirt and pair of shorts I could find. Once you start going longer distances, or when the temperature drops, you learn very quickly just how important the right clothes can be.

The first thing I changed was my shirts. Cotton shirts were fine at first, but on longer rides on warm days they would be absolutely soaking wet. More than once I would take off a shirt and wring it out; I could have watered my azaleas. So I found some shirts that weren’t cotton. I first tried an Under Armour heatgear loose shirt. The difference was remarkable. The shirt didn’t hold sweat like my standard cotton t-shirts. It helps a little with heat management as well because the sweat tends to evaporate. I received an Under Armour heatgear compression shirt for Christmas that first year of biking. What made it really fun was the Batman logo on the chest. I wear it often.

Sporting the Batman shirt after a ride.

 
The tight fit does even more to wick the sweat away from your body and let it evaporate. Plus, and I can’t emphasize this enough, the Batman logo looks really cool. If you don’t understand that, you probably never read Batman comic books as a kid. You also probably don’t know who Adam West is. Too bad for you. I have a few other heatgear shirts, some fitted and some loose. I personally recommend the tighter ones because they seem to get rid of moisture faster. Dicks is a good source; they carry a variety of shirts at decent prices.

Eventually I tried a biking jersey. They are made specifically for bicycling. They wick away sweat, usually have full or partial zippers and the handy pockets on the back. Those look weird but are very convenient when riding. You can carry keys, your phone, snacks, almost anything. I was able to do without a jersey for awhile because I would carry a small child’s backpack with the supplies I needed. But the jerseys make the backpack unnecessary. I wouldn’t recommend a jersey when you first start out because they are a bit pricey. I bought my first one from REI. I used my member dividend, a coupon and waited for it to go on sale. They also make great gifts, but you should try them on to let your friends and family know what size you prefer. Some people like a looser fit. I prefer tighter.

The “fashion” question I get most often from friends and coworkers is whether or not you need the tight, padded shorts. The answer is…probably, and eventually. I started out wearing regular gym shorts and ran into the same cotton and sweat issue I did with t-shirts. So I switched to non-cotton and it got better. I didn’t need the padded bike shorts at first because I wouldn’t go very far. It didn’t take long for my inner thighs and butt to be very sore after rides. But your skin toughens up fairly quickly and the seat on my bike is designed for comfort. It prevents a lot of the rubbing that causes the soreness. Eventually, though, I needed to try a pair of bike shorts. That shopping trip was quite an adventure.

Bike shorts have pads right on the spots that get sore. That’s the plus. The minus is how they look.  They are designed to be tight, and let’s face it, most people shouldn’t wear shorts that tight…me included. There are even some shorts that are part of essentially skin-tight unitards. I took one look at those and just walked away. Fortunately I found biker shorts that come with an outer shell that looks like regular shorts. Problem solved. Assets covered. I tried them on a ride and they worked great. Actually, they worked okay the first time because I wore underwear. Hint: don’t do that. Underwear worsens the friction that causes discomfort in your sensitive areas, regardless of the kind of shorts you wear. Plus, bike shorts are designed to be worn without underwear. Bottom (no pun intended) line: if you start taking rides that are longer than 8-10 miles, invest in a pair of bike shorts.  

The layered look on a cool, not cold ride. Note the lack of ear
muffs and the ice on the water.

When you get in the habit of biking, you don’t want to stop when it gets cool, or cold. You learn very quickly to dress in layers and to avoid cotton at all cost because it holds moisture and makes you colder. The best thing is to start with a base layer, like an Under Armour coldgear fitted or compression shirt. On top of that you put another long sleeve layer like a non-cotton sweatshirt or hoodie. I have some polypropylene underwear left over from my army days that works great. It’s thick and warm and it doesn’t absorb moisture. Your outer layer should be wind-resistant, like a windbreaker. I received a quilted riding jacket as a gift and it’s perfect. It’s thick and the quilting holds in your body heat while the outer shell is wind-resistant. Windsuit tops or jackets also work well. I would start adding layers any time the temperature drops below about 63 or 64 degrees. It may seem like overkill, but when you ride you’re going at least 10 miles per hour and often faster (I average 16-17 on a really good ride). Your speed creates a cold breeze on you and you need to protect yourself. If it’s in the 50s or low 60s, you may need only two layers.

For your legs, a pair of padded tights are ideal. They offer the same protection as the padded shorts mentioned earlier, plus they keep your legs warmer.  If you try windsuit pants or sweatpants, they will move around and cause friction and discomfort. Stick with the tights. Your legs may be cold at first, but they contain the largest muscles in your body, muscles that will be working very hard during a ride. They’ll warm up.

Finally, when you’re riding, the wind you generate will affect any exposed skin. So don’t expose much. If you do, it will get so cold it stings or burns in the wind you generate. Get a pair of good athletic gloves, again, not cotton. Pay a little more for the better gloves because you need the use of your hands while you ride. They also come with special material on your pointer finger that allows you to operate the touch screen on your smart phone. You should also get a pair of ear muffs. I like the ones that wrap around the back of your head because they don’t interfere with the fit of your helmet. Wear tall socks that reach up over the bottom of your tights, again, so no skin is exposed. You’ll be glad you did.

I haven’t talked about shoes, but that’s a whole different discussion. If you don’t use the shoes that clip to your pedals, most any comfortable athletic shoes will work. Keep in mind: they will get dirty, especially if the concrete is wet or muddy.

This can all add up to a significant hit on your wallet. However, the right clothes are worth every penny whether the temperature is in the 90s or the high 30s. I noticed that I mentioned the Under Armour brand several times. They make great products, but there are other companies that make good clothing too. You can find good stuff at Dicks or REI. If you time your purchases with their sales and use their rewards, you can reduce your cost even more.  

The Creeper Trail

In honor of my son’s first boy scout camping trip one year ago, here’s a look back at our ride on the Creeper Trail in Virginia.

The Creeper Trail is a 35-mile trail that runs through southwestern Virginia. We started out from the campground at Whitetop. There were 15 scouts and 7 adults. We pedaled up a very short hill before the trail tilted over to an 18-mile stretch...that is all downhill. The surface is smooth gravel and was so steep in places that we had to ride the brakes. The first half of the ride was very steep. The second half leveled out to a pleasant downward slope that required some pedaling but not the constant attention to your brakes. It was also cold. My son didn’t wear his gloves (against my advice...sound familiar to parents?) and begged for mine at the first stop. I reluctantly gave them to him. Fortunately I found a little general store down the mountain that had gloves. Best $4 I've spent in a long time. Please don't tell him, but I would have paid a whooooole lot more.  

Train stops are scattered along the trail.

The boys at the first stop on the trail.

 

The Creeper trail used to be a railroad. There are old stations along the way, as well as track markers and bridges. The scenery is spectacular. There’s a river running along much of the trail. Several bridges cross it from varying heights, creating some of the best views.

A view of the river from the bridge.

One of the bridges.



The trail is a converted railroad line, complete with old markers.

I ended up riding with one of the younger scouts, who wasn't a strong biker. We reached the town of Damascus after the other scouts. The boys left to enjoy the Trail Days festival while some of the other dads and I found a good lunch spot. Riders can take shuttles back to various points on the trail, and the boys rode one back to the campsite. One of the other dads and I rode our bikes the 18 miles back. We started out from Damascus and the first half of the ride was great. It was slightly uphill, but not too hard to pedal. Halfway through it got much steeper and the pedaling much harder. Sweat was pouring off me and I stood much of the time. I normally do 18 miles on the bike in just over an hour, averaging 15-17 miles per hour. I managed a sizzling 6.9 miles per hour on that uphill return trip. It was an accomplishment. I've felt more relieved at the end of some rides...but not many.  



The scenery is fantastic.

I recommend the Creeper trail to anyone who enjoys biking on greenway trails. The gravel is smooth, residents and locals are friendly and good rental bikes are available, as well as shuttles if you just want a one-way trip. The scenery alone makes it worth the trip. I would advise researching the route before you leave and travel in daylight if you can. Cell service is spotty and you'll spend lots of time on twisty two-lane mountain roads.

Learn more about the Creeper Trail: http://www.vacreepertrail.com/

 

A Change In Perspective

Robin Williams (R.I.P) was on to something in Dead Poet’s Society when he had his charges get up on his desk to see things from a different perspective or angle. They showed appreciation and support for him when they stood on their desks as a kind of salute when he left the school at the end of the movie.

Biking, like driving, requires you to watch where you’re going. On the greenways, however, there are lots of long, straight stretches where you can (safely) enjoy the scenery and otherwise (safely) look somewhere else besides straight ahead. On one of my early rides on the Mingo Creek trail I happened to be looking down as I was climbing a hill. I was not in the cycling shape I’m in today and that particular climb was tough that day. About halfway up the hill I noticed an odd shape outlined on the surface of the trail.  I stopped to investigate and saw that it was a screwdriver partially sunk into the concrete. It almost looks like a fossil. I remember trying to imagine how it could have gotten there. It has become a welcome and familiar sight early in my rides on the way to the Neuse trail.

I took an afternoon ride not long ago and turned south out onto the trail. I went through Anderson Point Park after crossing the 264 bypass and crossed the bridge over Crabtree Creek. The weather was warm and sunny, so there were plenty of bikers, runners and walkers out there. But it was autumn and the leaves were falling and the foliage was thinning out. I reached Auburn Knightdale Road at a good pace. I passed a group of bikers, an older couple walking, then a mother pushing a baby in a stroller. The baby was a bit fussy. A few minutes later I was chugging along and starting to think about turning back. It was late in the afternoon and you don’t want to get too far away from home on a bike as it gets dark. I was looking down, concentrating on my pedaling pace (don’t worry, there was no one coming toward me) when I saw a flash of white that turned out to be a pacifier. I kept going for a few seconds before I realized why the baby might have been a bit fussy. It was a good time to turn around anyway and I came back to pick up the pacifier and take a quick drink. I was only a mile or two past the woman and the baby, and there were no entrances to the trail near her, so I had time. I caught up with her a few minutes later, slowed down and handed the pacifier to her. She smiled warmly and thanked me profusely. The baby had indeed dropped it and was not happy. His face lit up when she showed it to him and washed it off with water from her bottle before giving it back to him. He popped it in his mouth and grinned at me. It was hard not to grin myself as I pedaled on toward home. Since then I’ve had a few similar instances, including one with a nice lady’s keys.

The good feeling lasted as I passed more people on the trail. There are a number of benches and trail signs along that stretch, and most of them were occupied by walkers and families with children. My usual speed through there can reach 18, even 20 miles per hour, so I make sure to announce myself as I’m coming by. Almost everyone makes room and I wave as I go by to express thanks. Most people wave back. I checked the time as I got to the point where the Walnut Creek trail intersects with the Neuse trail. I had plenty of time, so I treated myself to a little detour. The Walnut Creek trail begins near Lake Johnson in west Raleigh and goes across the southern part of the city and ends by intersecting with the Neuse trail. It offers more interesting scenery – including views of downtown Raleigh when you come out on South Wilmington Street – but in parts has lots of twists and turns so you can’t go as fast. I rode it to where it goes under the I-440 beltline and turned around. On the way back I approached a sharp right turn near the back of a neighborhood that is, of course, a sharp left turn from the other direction. When you’re coming back you see it for some distance before making the right turn. Most of the time when you pass, you can’t really see anything because the leaves on the trees and bushes block your view.  But on this day most of the leaves were gone, and I had a grand view of what looked like three old buses, painted in a variety of colors. They looked like rejects from the Partridge Family (I suggest Google if you don’t recognize that pop culture reference). You don’t see the buses at all when you’re riding toward the beltline because of the angle and you barely see them for most of the year when you’re coming back because of the leaves. I finished the 25-mile ride that day in a little under two hours. That’s a little slow but not bad.

Finding keys and pacifiers on the trail is nice. Seeing those colorful old buses is interesting. Together they serve as a great reminder about the importance of looking at things from a different perspective or angle. You’ll often notice something you’ve overlooked.  Or perhaps even get out of a rut.

A Little History

I first rode on the Neuse River greenway in the late summer of 2012. Several people in my Knightdale neighborhood recommended it to me and told me how to find it. I rode over to the Princeton Manor subdivision where the Mingo Creek trail started (back then). It went back behind the neighborhood and dead ends near the river. There was a gravel path leading off to the right, but I thought that looked like a path to a storage area for construction equipment used to build houses in the subdivision. So, I turned around and rode back home.  

One of my friends told me later that the gravel path led to another segment of trail that took you to a bridge across the river that ended with a turnout onto the Neuse River trail. So I tried again and made it onto the greenway for the first time. The trail runs parallel to the Neuse River. It was nicely paved for about a mile but came to a stop where they were building a bridge over a swampy area. You could take a muddy path around the swampy area and pick up the trail on the other side, but only in dry weather. I think you would have sunk in the mud there after it rained. The trail went on for several miles, under New Bern Avenue then behind the Hedingham subdivision and stopped where they were building a suspension bridge across the river. That was the extent of the trail available for the next five months.  I rode it every few weeks or so and could see progress on the suspension bridge. The total round trip was about 10-11 miles. It made for a nice ride.

The suspension bridge under construction.

 

Finally in December there was enough progress on the bridge that you could sneak across despite the signs and yellow warning tape strung across the entrance. There was no railing on the sides of the bridge, so a slip or a false step would have meant a fall and a swim (note to readers: please don’t mention this to the Raleigh Parks and Rec Staff, even though there were others who “took advantage”. The staff does a great job planning and maintaining the trails, and I don’t want to get on their bad side.) The first time I went across I found the trail blocked by more construction just a few hundred yards past the bridge. So I waited and tried again in January. The bridge was complete and open, even though there was still no railing on the sides. The weather was on the warm side and I was able to ride all the way to Highway 401, where I once again ran into ongoing construction. The total ride that day was 24 miles, or about 10-15 miles further than I had ever gone before. When I got back to my house I was beat, sore, hungry, thirsty, you name it. My lungs were threatening to go on strike, my legs were like soggy mac and cheese and my butt felt like it had been kicked, many times. My inner thighs were giving me a 24-hour reprieve before they made themselves known. But I had such a sense of achievement. I felt 10 feet tall. I injured a knee in my mid-20s and was left without an ACL. Consequently, I had not been able to do much in the way of physical activity on my legs since then. It felt absolutely wonderful to get out and ride. It reminded me of the long meandering runs I used to take. It was a great, great day, one of my best ever.


Greenway trail spectators watching as I go by.

I continued to ride north over the next few months, sometimes going all the way to the end of the trail just past 401 and sometimes turning around earlier, usually based on time. Eventually I turned south and rode across the bridge over the 264 bypass to Anderson Creek Park. The trail makes a wide circle around the park and ended at that time at Crabtree Creek. The first time I rode down to the creek I could see where they were building a bridge across the creek and  extending the trail.  That was as far as you could go for several months. I rode that stretch for the first time in the spring of 2013 and followed the trail all the way down into Clayton, where it joined up with an existing trail. That total distance was about 36 miles. There’s even a neat little welcome sign by the trail when you enter Johnston County; it reminds you of the signs at the state lines on the interstates. I felt that same sense of achievement after that first ride to Clayton because of the increased distance. It wasn’t quite as magical as that first long ride north, but it still felt pretty good.

There is one key difference between going north on the trail from Knightdale and going south: hills. There are none going north, just a few rises. Going south, however, there are a number of large hills that require downshifts and hard, hard pedaling. That took longer to get used to. You also break away from the river on the southern route and don’t spend as much time going behind or near neighborhoods. The open areas and woods are lonely at times. So lonely that you can almost imagine a new t-shirt being added to those quirky catalogues you get in the mail at Christmas: Pedal faster! I can hear the banjo music. So if you’re a beginner on the greenway, stick to the northern route. You’ll need to build up your endurance before tackling the southern route.

The last phase of the greenway opened in 2014 when the trail was connected just past 401 near the WRAL Soccer Park and ran about eight more miles to Falls Lake. I found that the connection was complete on a ride in November of 2014. Now the Neuse River greenway runs from Falls Lake all the way south to Clayton. The place where I get on the trail near Knightdale is almost dead center. With the addition of the now-completed Mingo Creek Trail in Knightdale, the round trips to the ends of the trail are both about 40 miles. There are also connections to the Walnut Creek, Crabtree Creek and Abbott’s Creek trails (more on them later). There’s plenty of opportunity to mix and match your routes. There are even more greenway connections in the works. To learn more, I recommend the City of Raleigh’s greenway website: http://www.raleighnc.gov/parks/content/PRecDesignDevelop/Articles/CapitalAreaGreenwayTrailSystem.html

Checking Things Out

One of the most interesting things about riding on the greenways is the cross-section of people you see. Some of them are hardcore, year-round athletes, particularly runners and bikers. In fact, the trails are surprisingly crowded on sunny winter days, even when it’s chilly. I’m not sure about the hardcore part, but I ride year-round. I received a really nice quilted riding jacket this past Christmas, and it works well in temperatures from the high 30s to the 40s. That, along with gloves, ear muffs of some kind (the ones that wrap around the back of your head work best because they don’t interfere with a helmet) and long riding tights make colder rides almost pleasant (emphasis on almost).

Bundled up for a cold ride.

Other greenway users are more casual. You see them more on weekends and in warmer weather. They walk (mostly), often in groups, and some of them maintain a steady jog. They’re wearing either the latest fitness clothing and shoes fresh from the store or older stuff that obviously hasn’t been used in years. I think it’s great for anyone to get outside and move around, and I definitely agree with the saying that no matter how slow you’re going, you’re lapping the people who stayed at home. But, it’s easy to chuckle a bit when you see someone wearing brand new trendy workout gear on their first foray on the greenway. I may have even looked the same way on my first few rides (probably not, but one never knows). With spring rapidly heading toward summer, more of the casual greenway users have been out lately.  

At the beginning of a recent ride, I passed some of those casual greenway users at the entrance of the Mingo Creek trail in Knightdale. As I went by I overheard them saying that they had wanted to check out the trail but had been waiting for spring. That reminded me of some friends at work who had said the same thing: they wanted to “check out” a nearby greenway trail when the weather became more conducive. Without realizing it, I had created a theme for that day’s ride.

I rolled down the access path and turned onto the trail. The Mingo Creek trail is about three miles long and I find that it’s the perfect warm up for a longer ride. It is a bit curvy compared to the long straight stretches of the Neuse River trail, but most of the turns are wide enough that you can pick up some speed and get your heart pumping. Five minutes or so into the ride I encountered a snake. You see one about every 8-10 rides when it’s warm, mostly black snakes with the occasional copperhead and the even more occasional green snake. Usually they are crossing, or have stopped on the trail. My rule of thumb is to leave them alone. I figure that when I'm out there in the woods I’m on their territory, so I give them a wide berth. They generally leave you alone, although they sometimes coil up as you go by them. This one, I swear, was just checking out the trail. His head and a little bit of his neck were on the concrete, with the rest of his body trailing off into the grass. He didn’t move as I approached and it really looked like he was just looking around…or checking things out. So I drifted over to the other side of the trail and went by him quickly.  I passed a few walkers and one runner as I made my way to the Neuse trail and turned north. Several of them were looking around somewhat wide-eyed, a sure sign that they are first timers, or more of those casual trail users. No doubt they were checking things out.

If you follow the Neuse trail north from Knightdale, it goes past the Hedingham subdivision and crosses under Buffalo Road, 540, 401 and Capital Boulevard, ending at Falls Lake. It makes for a great ride because the trail is mostly flat and straight. Just past 401 the trail goes by the WRAL soccer park, where you can park your car and enter the trail. There were more walkers near that entrance, enjoying the scenery, reading the little trail signs that point out beaver dams and other features, and exploring. Later I passed a baby deer. He was peacefully munching on some greenery less than 20 feet from the trail. He didn’t appear exactly relaxed, but he didn’t exactly appear vigilant or alert either. He was just watching people as they went by on the trail…checking things out. I saw an adult deer about 4 miles later down the trail. It was doing just what the baby did: nonchalantly eating and watching people go by. I can’t read deer expressions, but they looked like they might even be enjoying themselves.

I pedaled all the way to Falls Lake, where there’s a restroom and water fountain, and turned back. That made the ride 46 miles, in just under three hours. It was great fun and great exercise. During the entire ride, however, I kept noticing those other people enjoying their first trips out on the trail, and I had the feeling they were having a better time than I was. Riding has become something I really love to do, but it has lost its newness. My goal is to ride 200 miles each month, so I’m out there a lot. When we get used to something, even when we love it so much, it can lose some of its luster. This can happen in relationships, with a new job, a new car. You can see it with children and new toys. It's important to remember why we enjoy things. The enjoyment may evolve, but don't let it fade. It was nice to be reminded by newer trail users, two deer and a big old black snake just how wonderful it is to get out there on the trail, and just ride.

Welcome

Hello and welcome to my blog inspired by bike riding, mostly on the Neuse River Greenway trail in Raleigh. I hope you enjoy my musings about riding (the good and the bad) as well as some of the thoughts that occur to me while I'm riding, which range from the mundane to the off the wall to the truly bizarre. I enjoy biking very much and regularly bore my friends with stories from my rides. Some of them seem interested (or, more likely, they're just tired of listening to me) and have suggested creating a blog for the stories. Hence, the Writing Rider.

Biking as an adult began for me several years ago when I rode a bike while on vacation at Holden Beach. The house where we were staying had an old but serviceable bike I rode to the store to get the Raleigh newspaper each morning. It was a great way to start the day. The following Christmas I received a bike as a gift. As the weather allowed I rode it around my subdivision, going maybe 2-3 miles each time. All I remember is huffing and puffing up the hills and being very sore afterward.

In addition to biking, I'm a regular at the Planet Fitness at the shopping center at the top of my neighborhood. Bad knees limit my cardio to the stationary bike, and one day at the gym I was grimly pedaling away, watching ESPN. I remember thinking, "Man, I wish I could ride my bike up here." There was a pause -- you could almost here a voiceover saying "wait for it" -- and I thought, why not? It's only a little more than 2 miles from my house. So weather permitting, I began riding my bike to the gym. It didn't take long before I had to double back and circle through my subdivision several times to get any exercise. Soon after that I began riding to do errands.

My neighborhood has several short walking trails that go between rows of houses. One of them runs by a little creek. I would regularly take those trails on the way to the gym and they were my favorite part of the ride. About that time I heard about the Neuse River Greenway. The first time I found it I could only go about three miles on it because it was still under construction. Now I go 20-30-40 miles at a time. Last year (2014) I rode more than 2,700 miles. That gives me a lot of time to think. I look forward to sharing some of those thoughts with you.