Multiples of 3

Biking, more than most hobbies or activities, can make a person act in ways that are out of character to say the least. One cyclist tosses $500 business suits casually on the back of a chair or even the floor. But he carefully hangs his riding shorts and jerseys as soon as they come out of the wash. For me, it’s keeping track of things. Most of the time, I’m not good with numbers and don’t spend much time tracking anything, including at work. But when it comes to biking, I record my distance with two devices and on a calendar. A recent experience with a wellness competition showed just how closely I monitor my riding distances.

As a state employee, I participated in the fall Miles for Wellness Challenge, which involved tracking your steps and other exercises for a set period of time. You converted other kinds of exercise to steps and the teams and individuals who had the most steps won some fabulous prizes. The Office of State Human Resources sponsored the event and my team really enjoyed it. The challenge began for me when one of my colleagues sent me an email in September in all caps: THOMAS! YOU’VE GOT TO DO THIS! She went on to explain the contest, being sure that my biking would make me a real rainmaker. To convert biking miles, you divide the miles biked by 3 to get the miles walked, then multiply that by 2000 (steps per mile) to get a total figure for steps. For example, 21 miles on the bike would be 7 miles walked, which converted to 14,000 steps.   

I circled my street twice to get to 42 miles...yet
another multiple of 3.

My goal is to ride at least 200 miles per month. I tell myself that I measure my distance to track my progress toward that goal. It’s certainly not (ahem) about the sense of accomplishment, or, perish the thought, the desire to compare distances with your biker friends.  I use an app on my phone called Map My Ride, which records your speed, distance, calories burned, etc. It also keeps a record of your rides and compares your speed over the same distances and tells you how you’re doing compared to your other rides. The company makes other versions of the app for other exercises, like Map My Run, May My Walk, even Map My Walk My Dog. The funny thing is I don’t keep track of much else in my life, much to the consternation of some of those around me. I work with CPA-types who are smart, insightful and hard-working. Some of them measure everything. They can quote you their own blood pressure, the miles per gallon from their last car and the average amount of data they use each month on their cell phones. It makes them very good at their jobs, but I’ve never understood the measurement compulsion...until I started biking.

This ride to Clayton almost ended with a collision while I calculated
how to end on a multiple of 3.

I went for 32 miles on my first ride during the challenge. Because 32 doesn’t divide evenly by 3, I had to round up. That was too much math, so I decided to ride distances that were multiples of 3 for the rest of the challenge. That turned out to be easier than you think because when I’m riding, I check my speed and distance frequently. I’ve gotten to where I can pull out my phone and check the app without losing a bit of speed, dropping the phone (I’ve paid to replace one spider-webbed screen…never again) or staring at the phone too long so I lose track of where I am. On my next ride, I checked the app frequently as I was coming back home. I was at 40 miles when I made the turn back across the Neuse River to the Mingo Creek trail. It’s a little more than two miles from there to my house, so I quickly calculated how much extra riding it would take to get two more and finish at 45 miles instead of 43. On a short ride a few days later I was coming back home for what looked like 16 miles, so I took the first turn off the Mingo Creek trail instead of the second and finished at 15. These last minute checks were fairly routine during the challenge, except for two that took a little too long. One of those had me ride right into the railing of the Mingo Creek trail boardwalk. I got lucky that I didn’t get tangled up in the rails and pitched over the handlebars. I got away with only a slight scrape on my leg. The other one happened as I turned off the Neuse trail onto the bridge over the river. I checked my distance: I was at 45 miles. I made the mistake of staring at my phone as I calculated how much extra riding I’d need to reach 48. A high-pitched whistle made me look up, and there was another biker coming down the ramp. I had drifted over to the left and we were about to meet head on. The other guy had the look of a serious biker (really nice road bike, clip in pedals, high-end cycle clothing, etc.) and he was yelling at me. I’m glad I had my earphones in so I couldn’t make out what he said, because I’ m pretty sure he broke a few commandments. I pushed my handlebars to the right and we barely missed each other. All I could think to do was raise my hand and yell, “sorry, my fault.”  From that day until now, I’ve remembered to keep glancing at the trail as I check my speed and distance.

 I’m not the least bit surprised when I talk with my biker friends and we can quote our distances, some down to the tenth of a mile.  I also laugh to myself as I look back at the distances I've written down in my calendar, especially those from the wellness challenge and see all the multiples of three and think about the creative ways I reached them. 

Things I Think I Think

The weather this month has forced me to take lots of shorter rides (less than 20 miles). I took advantage of the warm weather on Sunday to take a longer ride. With a sincere salute to Peter King, NFL writer for sports illustrated, here are some things I think I think about it.  (Peter usually list 10 things he thinks he thinks about a football Sunday.) 

 

 

It was good day to ride, even if I had to take my son's bike.

1.       I’m glad my 13-year-old son is my size (yes, you read that right). His bike, like many of his clothes, fits me now. When I got my bike down today, the back tire was flat. So I grabbed his bike, put some air in the tires and off I went. How convenient.

2.       As one of my Facebook friends observed today, you gotta love North Carolina weather. We had snow and ice last weekend and temperatures in the teens. We were one of many neighborhoods that lost power. The high temperature today was 70. Most people out on the trail had shorts on.

3.       My plan today was to go ride after lunch. But chores and other activities pushed my departure time back to 3. The temperature was so warm I wore one of my short sleeve bike jerseys. It worked out great at first. But it is Jan. 31. As the sun got lower and lower, it became much cooler in the shade (and there are long stretches of the trail in the shade late in the afternoon). By the time I got home, I was quite chilled.  A hot shower never felt so good. Note to self: regardless of the temperature, wear the long-sleeved jersey when riding in the afternoon in January. Also think about carrying a pullover of some kind, just in case.

4.       I wrote about all the rain recently, but I didn’t realize the extent of the flooding on the trail until today. The water is gone now, but there’s a thin layer of dusty tan dirt on the concrete everywhere the water overflowed. I rode north on the Neuse Trail and made it almost to Capital Boulevard (33 miles total). There is a lot of dirt on the trail. Some of the splotches were small and some were almost 100 yards long.  

The dirt and leaves show where the river overflowed the trail.

In many places, you could see where the water had flowed from the river to the trail and washed the leaves and pine straw away.  There are even a few spots where water is still flowing over the trail. There’s been a lot of rain, and when you add the snow and ice of last weekend, you realize that we’ve had a lot of precipitation. Oh well…it beats going through a drought.

5.       Hats off to the maintenance people for the greenways. Last weekend’s ice brought down many trees along the trails. I rode the entire length of the Mingo Creek trail and more than 12 miles of the Neuse River trail, and there were no trees in my way. I saw the remains of quite a few trees that were down across the trails. They’ve been chopped into pieces and removed from the trail. The major ice storm was only a week ago and they have cleared the trails already. Nicely done.

Crews have already cut and removed trees that were downed by the ice.

6.       Judging from the number of people out on the trails, walking, jogging, riding and skateboarding, cabin fever has been running rampant. Many walkers had their dogs and many young parents were pushing strollers. Everyone seemed genuinely happy to be out of the house. Enjoy it while you can. The high next Saturday is supposed to be 44.

 

Name That Tune

I take my ipod with me to ride most of the time. I have several riding playlists to choose from. I also enjoy using the FM radio feature to listen to the Carolina Panthers games on Sunday afternoons. There’s an interesting mix of music on my ipod, which reflects my varied (and some say weird) tastes as well as some good communications between me and Jackson, my 13-year old son, the kinds of communications that may bode well for his teenage years.

Side note: for those of you who don’t know, ipods are mini-computers designed to store, sort and play music (as well as videos and podcasts). Most phones play music, and there are other types of portable music players, but ipods are the most common. Most of us older than 40 recognize ipods as a more advanced and evolved version of the Walkman of the 80s and 90s.

Listening to music really adds to a ride.

One of my favorite features of the ipod is the ability to sort your music into various kinds of playlists. I built my first riding playlist with a mix of classic rock and 80s pop. Over time I added some 70s and 80s R&B and some modern music.  I start my riding lists with good songs with strong beats to set the right tone for a ride. I also enjoy hiding a few gems toward the end, a kind of easter egg that you get to hear only on much longer rides. Some of those include Tom Petty’s “American Girl,” and Jackson Browne’s “Running On Empty,” as well songs by Boston (still my all-time favorite band). 70s songs by the Spinners, Boz Scaggs and Earth, Wind and Fire are usually front-loaded because they really get you going. You need to watch your volume so you can hear other riders. That’s an important safety consideration, but music really adds to the experience of a ride.

My son is my modern pop music Google or Wikepedia. He knows all about the songs and likes to listen to pop stations in the car. Anyone who drives with a teenager knows that they invariably break down your resistance at times and get you to listen to those stations. One of the first songs I recall hearing on one of his stations was “Treasure,” by Bruno Mars, followed by “Get Lucky,” by Daft Punk. I asked him about those songs and was rewarded with a full description of the music, as well as bios and habits of the artists. I asked him about other songs by artists including Taylor Swift, Macklemore and Taio Cruz and got the same result. I then downloaded the songs on my ipod, added them to my lists and thought no more about it. Then a funny thing happened.  One day he came to me with his phone – yes I was one of those parents who said no phone until he was 16 or 18…yeah, that was going to happen – and said he wanted to play a song for me. I had an errand to run or something and started to say so, but his earnest manner convinced me otherwise. Okay, I said, and he did. It was a Justin Bieber song, but not the bubble gum pop version of Bieber who burst on the scene 5-6 years ago, but a more mature-sounding song with an interesting beat. He thought I would like it, and he was right. We talked for awhile about how Bieber had evolved and developed a different sound.  He played me another Bieber song, and that one was good too. I ended up adding both to my ipod. A few days later he brought me another song. Same result. Before I knew it, it was happening on a regular basis. I liked most of the songs, a few weren’t my cup of tea. But they would always spark some really interesting conversations. One song referenced using a bottle of liquor to “loosen up.” The resulting conversation gave me the opportunity to hear his thoughts on drinking and to impart a little parental wisdom in the context of an “acceptable” discussion. Some of the rap songs have “interesting” takes on women, which led to more good discussions.

I’ve always told Jackson that he could bring up any topic with me and that we could talk about it without any trouble. I’ve calmly given my opinion about such weighty matters as whether he should attend a certain birthday party or what color to paint his Pinewood Derby car. We’ve also talked about more important topics such as how he should respond when a teacher calls him down. But as he entered the teen years, he became a little more reticent. I think this is understandable and normal. But we’ve uncovered a cool new way to spark some conversations and keep the lines of communication open (which any parent of a teen will tell you is a constant concern).  It also reminds me of a communications dynamic that I’ve encountered at work: a good way to encourage two-way communication with a specific person is to take a genuine interest in what’s important to a person. That encourages them to take an interest in what’s important to you.  

Then there’s that other benefit: I’ve added a steady stream of good modern music to my ipod and my riding playlists. In addition to my classic rock and R&B, artists like Justin Bieber and Calvin Harris now lead off my playlists or are inserted as the gems near the end. When I hear them I smile, and not just because they’re really good songs. 

Plan B

There’s been too much rain lately. Way too much. It’s been difficult to ride. Even when the rain finally backed off a bit, it still managed to mess up a perfectly good riding day and force me to pursue a Plan B. On the plus side, it also reminded me about the importance of having a good plan b in more important circumstances.

December gave us unseasonably warm weather. Unfortunately I couldn’t take advantage of it and ride because it rained so much. Between the holidays and the rain, I went almost two weeks without riding. We experienced some real monsoons during the last week of December. I finally got to ride on Saturday, Jan. 2, for about an hour. There was some residual mist and drizzle, as well as lots of water and mud on the trail, but I neeeeeeded to ride (t had been awhile…other riders are nodding knowingly as they read that). It took about 20 minutes to clean my back when I finished, but it was worth it. One of the things that kept me going was the forecast for actual sunshine on Sunday. I was looking forward to stretching my legs with a much longer ride before the Carolina Panthers game. 

Sure enough, Sunday dawned bright and grew brighter through the morning. I started out after lunch (bagel with peanut butter, carrot sticks and an apple, a good preride meal) and did my usual warmup on the Mingo Creek trail, which had standing water leftover from the rain in the usual places. I made it down to the Neuse trail and turned north. After rain, the northern part of the trail tends to dry out much faster than the southern part, probably because there’s much less shade on the northern leg. I was pedaling at a very good pace, almost 18 miles per hour. Everything felt great. Even the water splashing up on my back as I rode through the puddles was wonderful. I kept looking at the river, which was higher than I had ever seen it. The ride was uneventful until I crossed the rickety bridge behind Hedingham. The river was right up beside the trail (you usually can’t see the river from the trail there, especially in the spring when the trees and bushes are full of foliage).

The water was right up next to the trail behind
Hedingham.

At one point the water covered the trail for 20-30 yards. I hopped off my bike and walked it around the water back to the trail and kept going. Shortly after I passed a few bikers going the other way. I told them to watch out for the water. Their expression of reply wasn’t what I expected, but I shook it off. I passed a few more, offered the same warning and got the same unexpected response. I couldn’t put my finger on why it was so unexpected, but it just didn’t “fit.” I found out why soon enough.

I crossed the suspension bridge – again noticing how high the river was – turned back onto the trail and pulled up short after just a few yards. The river had completely overflowed its banks and the trail was under water for as far as I could see.  The water was deep, with only a few footprints leading out of it. I realized that the other bikers had already been here and turned back. That’s why they didn’t react as I expected when I told them about the other submerged trail. I was livid! The rain had finally stopped, but it was still ruining my rides! Arghh! 

The trail was under water as far as you could see.

 

I stood for a few minutes, steaming. I strained to see if the trail emerged from the water. It didn’t. It finally occurred to me that if I didn’t want to go swimming, my only option was to turn back. I did, and decided to make the best of it and ride south. I turned off the trail and rode through Hedingham to get some extra miles. There were a lot of people out walking, enjoying the sunshine. I also detoured over the bridge at the Old Milburnie damn.

Water was overflowing the Old Milburnie Damn.



The island under those trees was underwater
for several weeks.

 

Water was flowing over the damn and a small island near the bridge was completely submerged. I made my way to Anderson Point and rode south. By the time I topped the hill in the neighborhood past Crabtree Creek, I was in much better spirits. After all, even if I had to change my route, I was riding. I picked up speed as I passed under the Poole Road bridge and surged past the Walnut Creek trail turnoff…and hit the brakes when the trail disappeared into the greenish brown river water. Again! The water had overrun the banks here and extended much further into the woods. If anything, it looked deeper than it did on the northern leg. I uttered a few colorful (but unprintable) expressions and glared at the offending water, hoping against hope that it would immediately recede. It didn’t. So I stood there fuming.


Ran into more water going south. I was sure
it was a conspiracy.

 

After several unproductive minutes, I turned to look back at the Walnut Creek trail sign. There was a couple there studying the trail map. Evidently they had observed (and possibly overheard) my reaction and I noticed the trace of a smile on the woman’s face as she turned away. That burst my bubble and I  started laughing. Obviously it was time for plan b. So I turned and took the Walnut Creek trail out to the softball complex.  There was more water on that trail as well, but nothing impassable. There were more bikers and walkers and everyone was  happy just to be back out on the trail. I came back to Anderson Point Park and pedaled home, for a total of 38 miles. Not bad for so soon after so much rain. It also reminded me of the importance of a good plan b. I’m writing this post during our state’s first winter storm. Our power has been out since about 3 this morning. So, we’ve gone to plan b, which included packing a cooler last night with ready-to-eat food and drinks, then putting it outside on the porch in the cold, just in case. It also includes heating water for coffee over the gas logs. I’m trying to help my 13-year-old son appreciate a plan b when the electronics are limited. But that’s a different kind of challenge for another day.

Epilogue: I took another ride the following Sunday and encountered more water, along with a few bikers heartier than me.

The water receded the next week, leaving slimy mud.

I enjoy swimming, but no...

Genuine Respect For Veterans

Editor's Note: this draft was left over from Veteran's Day. As explained in the Christmas post, it was one of several that were delayed by a very busy November.

I love the fall. The weather gets cooler, football season is in full swing and it has my favorite holidays: Halloween, Thanksgiving and Labor Day. It also has Veterans Day. I appreciate how schools, businesses and other organizations recognize veterans on their special holiday. I also like how the month of November has morphed into Veterans Month. I’m a veteran myself, and this year I was reminded of the very genuine respect that’s out there for veterans. 

I sported patriotic colors on Veteran's Day.

 

For the past few years, I’ve attended a special Veteran’s Day lunch at my son’s school. We agreed last year that I would not attend this year, giving me the day to myself. So I decided to fuel up with one of the special free lunch offers then hit the greenway trail. Golden Corral started this tradition of providing a free meal or other service several years ago and it’s really caught on. I went to the Applebee’s in Knightdale and sat at the bar between an Army Reservist in uniform and an Air Force retiree. We all had a nice conversation while we waited on our food. The staff couldn’t have been nicer. There were even boy scouts at the door handing us additional coupons. They were friendly and polite, and really made all the veterans feel welcome. I’ve got a pretty good bs detector, but these people were genuine. I tanked up on chicken strips, thanked them profusely, drove home and got ready to do a little biking, or PT (physical training from my army days).

Shameless plug: the Applebee’s in Knightdale serves good food and has friendly service on other days as well.  

I started out north on the Neuse River greenway trail. The weather was almost ideal for a ride. It was clear and cool and it felt great to be out pedaling. I had limited time, so I decided to turn back at the bridge near the Buffalo Road park. I stopped for a break on the bridge. There were lots of other riders, joggers and walkers enjoying the trail. An older couple out walking with their grandson stopped so the toddler could look at the river. I noticed that the man carried himself with a familiar and distinctive air. I made eye contact with him and – taking a chance – said “Happy Veteran’s Day.” He regarded me for a second, then said, “To you too, young man. Where did you serve?” We had a very pleasant conversation. He had served in the Navy during Vietnam and for several years after. His wife joined us in between explaining to the boy that it was too cold to go swimming in the river.  They had been married while he served and started their family after he got out. They asked about my service during Desert Storm. We talked for about 15 minutes. As I got on my back to return home, we shook hands all around and the woman said, “Thank you for your service.” A lot of people say those words. She really meant them.