Fast Club Ride

Cal--the Legend (also a Librarian like Yours)

 

The Club Rides, all levels, meet at Broken Arrow Park here in Lawrence, Kansas.  Rides are at 9 a.m.  now that its a bit cooler in the mornings.  That later hours means its warmer and I think it gives people the feeling they've gotten to sleep in a bit.  Since I'm one of those guys that gets everything ready the night before--I can sleep and kinda wake up as I'm riding to the Park.  Well let me tell you, Gentle Reader of This Blog, this was a fine morning for a ride indeed!

 

 

The fellow you see up there is Cal--Cal is the most respected rider out on the road.  For one, he is above all, the friendliest, most charming man you could ever met.  Also, I think he's pushing 60 years of age, still he is one of the fastest, toughest, smartest cyclist around.  Cal is a Legend.  I've been out riding by myself into the Wilds, and I've seen Cal and he waves!  He recognizes me and says Ahoy!  I interviewed for a job as a librarian at Washburn University (Topeka, KS) and after the interview, we realized that we had met each other on the road when I came out to visit Little Egypt before I moved to KS--we had a great laugh and he told me later he really wanted to hire me--but with all the librarians being men, well, they wanted the young woman librarian instead.  Whatever--he could have just been telling me to make me fell better--I might not have been as good a candidate as the woman.  What a great man--let me say Great Man, mes amis...



Fast Guys, old guys, and can afford expensive toys...

 

Our two groups took off and the fast guys zoomed out, but we were right with them.  Then for some reason we went a different route, and well, there I was up in this pack of really fast fellows (usually ride in fast group but they're riding with us today) and there I was riding with Cal up front and we were riding 23 mph!  Man, it was awesome--there I was with some of the regulars I ride with, and we're the second group (fast guys are the first) but there's some blokes pulling us along and we are spinning like fire!  Cal and I move up front and do our pull, and then when we drop back, I see that the group I usually ride with are about a mile behind us. 

 

What I've done is somehow jumped on with the pack of the Fast Guys who were running late and now trying to catch the main group. 

 

I must tell you that by the time we were about to Lone Star Lake, I could feel my left leg getting weak.  A cramp was coming down the road--but I did my best to stay on.  The pace had certainly picked up and now a couple of riders were bailing out and getting dropped by the pack.  I held on until the very last small steep hill that is the entrance to Lone Star Lake--I was outta gas...

 

So there I was at the rest stop with all the fast boys.  Mostly they are a mix of fast fix twenty-somethings--and then guys my age or older--oh yeah and the women are well represented too, mes amis!  I saw Rob and Tommy and Brenda and we were like, "Dang how did we get up in this?"  There was no way I was going back with the Fast Guys because I'd be left for dead on the road. 

 

When Brenda saw our group arrive at the other end of the lake, we took off to meet them and go back at a sane pace.  I was still kind of shaking from the bullet ride I was just on.  I still wanted to be able to walk the rest of the weekend too.

 

Brenda was up front and instead of stopping she shot down the hill to go back to Lawrence--Laurie followed her, and then some other woman from the fast group.  I went after them, mes amis and the rest followed--but by the time I caught the three girls we had dropped our group.  Instead of having a nice steady ride back, here I was ripping down the road back to Lawrence with three other very fast and strong riders.  We kept a tight four person pace line and things did not let up until the one Fast Girl pulled off to head home.  Brenda (age 54) still kept the pace fast.  Laurie pulled off for her house, so there I was with Brenda for the last few miles back to the park.  We rode side by side and chatted--but dang, that woman did not even slow the pace one bit! 



Arm warmers needed for the first time this Fall

Although my legs were shaky the rest of the weekend, I have to say that I feel I can ride with the Fast Guys one day.  The trick is to actually get out there and ride with 'em!  They can look intimidating but they are all good people and they welcome all newcomers.   Really the deal is that I'm not strong enough to ride with the Fast Guys in that first group--and the slower group is not that slow--but there is that big gap between the two sets of riders.  There's a handful of us that are somewhere in between--when the Forces that control the Universe place us all together--man it is the best ride to be on my friends!

Cheers!

Bruce

53 Miles

Riding the Super Grand Prix

 

I’ve been riding with The Bike Club the last few weeks.  As I’m trying not to get dropped and staying in the pace-line, it’s hard to have the camera out for a few shots—but I will try next time.

I just want to comment that I went out with the Club and there were about ten or twelve of us.  The plan was to stay together until the “Llama Farm” and then people would decide it they wanted to go out further, and do 45-50 miles—or turn back and head into town. 

For me I chose to keep going, mes amis.  I wanted to see how far I could push my leg and my heart.  One thing that has been slow to return is the cardio—cardio that was so awesome after spending the winter in Celebrity Spin Class.  So at the Farm, I said I’d go, and it turned out that there would be just the four of us—the three other riders being faster ones.  There was a guy Ed, Aagje (from Amsterdam), and Brenda—power-house woman, oh and Yours.  I told everyone that as long as I could see them up ahead, I’d be okay.  We’d be in an area I didn’t know, and well if I got lost I’d just use the Sun to get my bearings and head northwest back to Lawrence—it would be fine.  We were off and we were off fast!  On the hills I got dropped but the guys waited for me at the stop signs—after two long slow climbs (and in a headwind) then on the flat prairie, we were four fast riders making our way to Gardner, Kansas.  Hey all I did was stick on my pals’ wheels and try to take my turn doing a pull—which was not often as any hill punched me out.

The Day was beautiful and cool with thin autumn clouds over us as we rode.  Me I felt stronger as we went further and faster.  The roads were new and I liked staying together as a group.  The bike club has fast people and slow people.  We tend to really spread out and people get dropped.  There are always the five or six people pushing a fast pace—a few in the middle a bit back—and then the slower group.  We really don’t ride together much.  Since my injury and recovery, I’ve been back in the slower group—and hey it is fun!  You get to talk to people and make friends!  No one’s trying to out-do you and stuff. 

Now I had a chance to work hard and stay with faster riders—being in better condition I know I’d be up there right with ‘em instead of struggling to keep a wheel--them looking back to make sure I was not dropped. 

We made it to Wellsville, Kansas, Gentle Readers of This Blog—a beautiful place and on a lovely Sunday morning while the villagers of said town were in the large old church that we came upon.  This was God’s Country—pick-ups and mommy vans neatly nestled in the church’s parking lot—one hundred years ago it would have been the same except for maybe a few saddle horses tied up in the shade trees that lined the brick Main Street.

Water bottles filled and then with Aagje and Brenda wanting to get back, we thought we’d go back and skip Gardner—saved for another day, mes amis.

With a strong tail wind and a slight descent, the miles went by quickly.  I got to talk to Brenda for awhile and things seemed effortless even with the fast pace she kept.  As we neared Baldwind City, there were a few climbs to tackle, and I got dropped but could see everyone up ahead--I was able to gain on them as things flattened out, but even with a tail wind they were a group and the inched ahead.  We regrouped in Baldwin and filled our bottles.  We would have a bullet fast downhill waiting just ahead outside of town on Palmyra Hill--I usually max out at 40 mph and that sets the pace for the return to Lawrence.

A few miles from town I had a puncture and I told everyone to just keep going.  I fixed the flat in a few minutes and then was on my way again, and then rolled up to the Little House at 1 o'clock.

The best thing about this ride was the fast pace, but still better the recovery time.  After my other rides with the club I'd come home and be shot the whole rest of the day.   This time I didn't feel too bad--it did help that later I got to have a two hour sleep.

I'm just feeling better every day, and every ride stronger and better on the bike. 

Thanks for stopping by, Gentle Reader of This Blog...

Cheers!  Bruce

Fresh Milk from the Farm

 

 We've had some rain, Gentle Readers of This Blog, but not enough to help out the farmers and ranchers around here.  I've been riding to work by bike, as you can see above, and I've had my last few session of physical therapy.  I rode to my sessions twice a week early in the morning before work.  That actually gave me 10 to 15 minutes extra with my therapist, Dorian, as I was already warmed-up.  Will, my personal trainer (whom I credit getting me stronger which lessened the impact of my accident) met with Dorian for one of my last sessions so she could just show him what she was trying to do--this will certainly help me when my knee is better and I'm working with Will at the Jim.

 

All I can say is that I was a bit impatient and wanted to heal faster.  Things just take time--and I will have at least another two months before I can really be 100%.  That is a hard pill to swallow--there have been times when I've been pretty angry and depressed this whole affair.  I cancelled my NYC trip twice on account that I just could not walk more than a few blocks without pain and an awkward limp.  I guess what I'm trying to say is that I've had to accept that I am older and there have been changes.  I'm not as fast and as strong--some things are harder.  I'm only human--I have and will make blunders--I'll be faster than some--I will get dropped.  But happily I am still riding and still find new roads and new challenges.  And as I ride with bike club I'm getting to know some fine people--makes me miss my friends in Tucson terribly...

 

 I get home from work and Little Egypt wants me to go get some milk.  Why drive (still rush hour traffic) when I can bike the half mile (or less) to the corner Dairy?

 

 So there is this small dairy operation not far from Lawrence, Kansas, USA and they have this tiny store on the corner.  The milk is so freakin' fresh mes amis that really I should by two of these.  One to drink there in the store and one to take home.  You'll see that they have chocolate milk too.  I got a sample and I was very tempted to buy one--by like I told the young woman working there--it would be drunk up in a few hours, possibly that very evening.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Well, there is this part of the old street that will not stay paved.  They repave and then a few weeks later the bricks are back.  There is as a stop sign before a bit more busier street (Barker the one I take to Haskell) I don't know why or what happened here but the bricks have a story.  It will give you a jolt when drive over it--I do not ride over either--gives me goose-bumps.

 

 Milk and me are home!  That super fresh milk will taste divine with my Wheaties tomorrow morning mes amis!

 

Cheers!  Bruce

De Soto ride

I went out with the Bike Club for a 40 mile ride out to De Soto, KS and back.  It was a beautiful morning, Gentler Readers of This Blog!  and the miles we put in were some of the most scenic I've seen in KS yet!  I stayed in the group (mostly) which meant I could ride faster and work on getting my legs stronger.  Since I've lost all of my cardio fitness it was good to stay in the group--otherwise I'd be struggling in the winds.

We stop for a quick water and snack break just outside of De Soto.

Just about everyone I'm riding with I met in Celebrity Spin class.  Here we're riding from De Soto to Eudora, KS, in some pretty nice country.  Its mostly corn and soybeans out here--and as you can see, there's not much left of the corn crop.  Typically the corn would be emerald green and 9 feet high.  Looks to be only four feet--not much of a crop!

Often the women keep a much faster pace than us fellows--so the get to talking and suddenly they're up ahead of us!

No traffic out here at all--only deer, wild turkey, and thousands of birds chirping and singing. 

 

I'm feeling okay, but by the end of the ride I must be honest and tell you that I got tired.  Wind picked up and a few times on the hills and I was getting dropped--and I couldn't catch up with the pack.  A few of the guys stayed back and pulled me back up to the group.  I was able to ride back with everyone home to Lawrence!

Cheers!  Bruce

Far From Home

Many "Free Staters" came from New England to settle Lawrence.

Riding my bike to physical therapy this morning, I took some of the new bike path that's just west of Iowa Street, or Hwy 59.  I came upon the often mentioned and read about Pioneer Cemetery by chance, and as I had a few extra minutes I stopped in to look around.

The cane I'm using for physical therapy collapses and rides with me.

 

There were a few commuters out--this woman was in a hurry--and dressed for Winter!  It was a cool 50 degrees this morning--nice after weeks of 100 degrees, mes amis!

I will take the bike route rather than ride the narrow sidewalk up the hill that's next to Iowa St.

Busy Corner, USA--lots of construction on the sidewalks so I took the bike path--which I found to be mostly under construction as well.  I had to dismount several times and walk--but that was okay because it lead right to the Pioneer Cemetery.

Click to make the photo lager and you can read about the cemetery.   This is were the 150 or so men were buried originally after Quantrill's Raid, August 21st, 1863.

 

Here's a headstone--I read that Mr. Sargent was holding his infant son in his arms when he was shot and killed--the Raiders spared his son.

I found two of the four headstones, the rest are at Oak Hill, which is not far from where I live in Old East Lawrence.

Civil War Soldiers buried here.

Physical Therapy.  I rode here by bike to warm up and loosen up my legs for my physical therapy workout.

After physical therapy I ride back through Old West Lawrence--mostly on top of Mt. Oread--to get back to Haskell for work.  I could tell I was near Sorority Row because of the speeds at which the women drove through the neighborhood.  The bike route is the back way in to the Houses--and those young women drive super fast--super fast in big expensive shiny cars!  I will avoid this area when ever possible, Gentle Readers of This Blog...

Back on roads I know well--here I am on top of Mr. Oread, which is the KU Campus and my old office.  That's Fraser Hall with the flags.

This is looking East down 14th Street, the street I would ride up every morning to go to work.  I'll cut down 14th then to Barker, and be to work at Haskell in no time.

Back home after work!  Thanks for riding along!

Cheers!  Bruce

Un-learning How to Walk

I had a set-back today on the road to recovery--I've a torn quadriceps tendon in my left knee--2/3rds--and the surgeon said it would heal back just as good as if he was to go in there and stitch it up.  Not bad and I was feeling pretty lucky.  Surgery meant a longer recovery by many months.

After I got off crutches and gained confidence walking--albeit with an awkward limp--gradually that limp faded and I felt normal.  But still there were times where my leg just seemed to want to give way.

Today I had an errand on the KU Campus and I had to walk about a quarter of a mile--I almost didn't make it mes amis.  About half way through, my jerky limp began to return and I was getting tired.  Really the limp never went away; it just became less noticeable.  I think I ignored or tried to be as normal walking as possible.

I made it to my physical therapy later in the afternoon after the errand, described the situation to Dorian, my new physical therapist (my other ones have moved to the next town) and, well, after running me through the exercises and resistance moves--she had me walking in the halls to diagnose the problem.

So now I'm walking with a cane.

At first I felt this was a bit of a shock--but after a bit of explanation and coaching, yeah she was right--things were out of whack.  Other stronger muscles are making up for the still weak quads--and hip muscles.  I was walking with a slight jerk and locking my hip and knee--doing this automatically and causing muscle that  needs to be strong, to fade and shrink.  Not good says Dorian and she explained I'll blow my knee out if I continue to walk like I am.

I have to un-learn how I'm walking.  I have to use a cane to engage the right muscles and walk with a normal gait.  I need to take that slight bit of weight off my hip and transfer it to my right wrist.

I was amazed how much easier it was to walk with the cane, Gentle Reader of Blog, after I saw and felt the mechanics of what was happening to me.

Just not quite there with the recovery.  But it did feel better to walk normal and without the jerky movement I had been trying to cover up (compensate for).  I was at the point in my recovery where other stronger muscles were taking over and giving me the appearance of walking normal--but at the same time, this kind of walking was wearing me down.

But I am able to ride my bike to work--I'll be able to go out and ride the weekend with the club--that matters to me a lot...

Cheers!  Bruce

Back on the Road Bike

No pictures from my group ride this Sunday morning, mes amis.  But just want to make note of a great day here for me in KS--I went out with the bike club and put in 30 miles at Perry Lake.  It was a cool, clear, and fantastic morning.  I drove out to the lake and met a few people there, as well as a few that rode in from Lawrence.  All total there were ten riders in our group!

I am happy to report that I was able to clip in, and out--without any pain or difficulty with the knee.  Muscles have appeared again, ever so slowly in the injured leg, and my limp is pretty much gone.  Things still feel stiff, and maybe I think I look like I'm limping along but I'm not.

I've had physical therapy for about three weeks now.  The one thing I will say about it is that both my therapists, Sandy and Michelle (Michelle from Tempe, AZ and doing an Internship) is that what they were having me do I thought pretty conservative--however the last session I got worn out trying to go through all the things.  It showed that I have a ways to go, Gentle Readers of This Blog!

Both of them thought that I should only up my bike miles by a little bit--I've been riding 3 miles a day, a few more when I was riding to work-out with Will at the Gym.  The Jim (Jim Thorpe Fitness Center at Haskell) was closed all of July but is now open.  Anyway, going for 3 miles to 30 miles they said would be too much to try so soon.

Saturday night I committed to meeting up with the club and packed up my gear and laid out my clothes, etc.  I brought up the Mighty Trek from the basement, put air in the tires, and packed her in the car.  I went to bed early--and actually still got to sleep in as the ride didn't start until 9 o'clock!

Sunday was cool and the air perfect.  The weeks of 100 degrees or more has let up here and there for a few days.  It was only about 85 or so when we all started out and I clipped in for the first time in months!  Gwen, one of the bike club ladies said that the last time I had ridden with everyone was April--wow!

All I have to say is that after a few seconds of spin, I was just fine.  I felt safe riding in the group (just in case I needed help or had a problem) and everyone was happy to see me.  My left leg got a great work-out and even this evening as I write this post, the knee is not swollen and does not feel stiff.  I believe what will speed my recovery is to ride more!

However, I've lost, my cardio power I felt I had gained from the spin class this winter--and from the fast rides I did with the club, riding up front with the faster members.  I would ride great with the group but on the hills out at the lake, my heart heart a few time quickly climbed to almost the Max (172 BPM) and I got dropped.  So we start up a modest hill, my HR would climb to like 165 to 167--and I would slow way down--it was work to get up the hill mes amis!  And then, luckily, it would fall quickly when things leveled out and I'd recover--but I would have to work hard to speed back up and catch the group.

All in all it was a good day!  I know that I'll only get stronger as the days go by and I get out and ride!

Cheers!  Bruce

Historic Haskell Institute

I'm riding to work--through the drought as they say.  It is hot here in KS, mes amis!  Over 100 degrees for weeks!  This day I decided to take a few photos for you because we did have rain and things cooled down a bit.

This is the corner of 23rd Street and Barker Ave.  23rd is also K-10--a busy hwy to Kansas City.  At this busy intersection a cyclist has to be careful.  Even with a green for me to cross, people run red lights without the slightest care.

Also, on the way home, people turning left never stop for me in the large cross walk, even as its been recently painted and stands out.  People are at the light (usually on their cell phone) and I'm crossing when it turns green--even though I have the right away, most people speed through and will not stop.  I have to firmly hold out my arm as to say, "Stop!"  It has helped that I have a huge bright white flicky-light on my handle bars, and I aim in the faces of the motorists so they notice.  That usually works.

All the football players are back and have started practice--not outside yet but mostly in the weight room.  I see them all walking from the dorm over to Curtis Hall to the cafeteria to have breakfast as I ride into work.

I used to be able to take the cross-town bike and running path from The Little House right to Haskell.  K-10 ran right over the path.  But right when I started working at Haskell in early January, construction started up--so--I had to ride down busier Barker Ave.  The original bridge was a WPA project, and that bridge stood for many years!  It was getting quite old however, and I could see the wear and cracks as I rode underneath on my way to visit Little Egypt.

Click on to see a bigger image of the 1926 Haskell Stadium.  Olympian, Jim Thorpe, was here to play an exhibition game to dedicate the stadium.   I read it was packed full for that game--about 10,000 people.  Also, Haskell Stadium was the first lighted stadium west of the Mississippi.  A good chunk of the funding came from Oklahoma Oil Money--Indians that gained enormous wealth from oil and gas leases on their families land allotments.  A few of those Indians that donated about 2/3rds of the money (from Oklahoma) had attended Haskell.  A lot of funding also came from World War I Veterans--students also did a some of the work building the stadium.  It was a big deal, and I try to imagine what those days were like around here...

I'm riding my bike on the road that runs next to the stadium.  This is the back view of the main campus buildings.  From the far left to right--Tecumseh Hall, about 1906, in the middle is Hiawatha Hall built  in 1889, and then last on the right is the Auditorium, build in 1930 (as a WPA project.)

Here I am at the Haskell Library--not a very interesting building really.  Besides the collection of books, there's several classrooms, the main computer lab, and a large TV production studio.

My office--one of the hats I wear here is Catalog Librarian.  Those big red books are Library of Congress Subject Headings--still sometimes faster to use 'em rather than the web.

Besides the regal Red Tail Hawks that claim Haskell Campus as their territory, there are several pairs of small falcons.  If you're on campus and you're patient, you can often spy a quick glimpse of one on the  hunt.  Since it was a cool morning, they were out and enjoying the calm breeze.

Hiawatha Hall--has been unused now going on 20 years but recently I've heard rumor of a restoration.

This is the practice field, which was a brilliant emerald green from the over-night rainstorms we had here in Lawrence!  Now its starting to get muggy!

I have seen historic photos of ivy growing on the walls of Hiawatha, much like this one--I have no doubt that this ivy is well over 100 years old.  It gets cut and they try to get rid of it, but still parts of the root system survives and lives to grow another year--and another!

Olympian Billy Mills came from South Dakota to go to Haskell when it was a high school.   He was a high school track star then and State Champion as well.  He visits often and is revered--I hope I get to meet him some day!

Barker, the street I ride on to work, used to go through campus through the early teens, but here it remains as it has for over 100 years--a dirt road.  Haskell Institute, when it was a boarding school, had large farms on campus and the boys worked this land with horse and mule teams and later with steam tractors.

I believe this is an experimental plot maintained by the biology dept.

From here I'm walking out to the Medicine Wheel.  I'm feeling stronger and physical therapy has been helping my knee.  Since it was cooler today (like I said, weeks of 100 degrees!) I went for a walk over the noon hour.

Out here, or very close by--before there was a Haskell Institute (1884) both the Santa Fe and Oregon Trails passed over this part of campus--more so the Oregon Trail as I believe there were until recently (like 30 years ago) Oregon Trail wagon wheel ruts on the KU Campus.  Travel had ended on both trails almost 20 years before Haskell Institute was built.  By the early 1900s, the memory of the trails, and the route, were fading--being plowed over by farming.   The Nat'l Park Service, and the Daughters of the American Revolution, re-marked the trail with historic markers.  The NPS again remarked both trails in 1968.

Later, a swamp formed (now called the Baker Wetlands or the Wakarusa Wetlands) and Indian families would camp out here while visiting their children.  It was also the escape route to which run-away Indian children attempted to flee Haskell Institute--when it was a boarding school.  

Today, after walking a bit, Gentle Readers of This Blog I am suddenly out of the confines of my office and treading in the prairie grass.  There is a cacophony of birds and insects calling, singing, buzzing, jumping and flying.  Swift falcons dart over me and give me a piercing glare.  

Callie would love it out here!

Cheers!  Bruce

New Gear for Commuting

I had a back rack and a folding basket put onto the commuter bike.

I bought these on close-out sale at the local bike shop so I got a good deal!

Here it is un-folded--I think its very clever!  Made by Wald, in the USA!

I will be able to carry a few more groceries this way.

I've been biking to work and to physical therapy, mes amis--he's a photo of historic Haskell Campus--the Gazebo and Hiawatha back there in the distance.  It was 108 degrees a few days ago--a record for Lawrence and also the hottest spot in the nation.  Not much green left as we've had a drought now for several weeks.  Almost 70% of the corn crop in Kansas has been lost.  It is hot here Gentle Readers of this Blog--hotter than Tucson even!

I enjoy the ride to and from work--mostly my route is under a canopy of trees so I stay a bit cooler.  The commute is only about 8 minutes, and that's bearable in the 100 degrees plus heat.

Thanks for coming along for the ride!  Cheers!  Bruce