Close to home can be beautiful.

       It seems that Spring is arriving as late as winter did.  Now that it has finally stopped snowing (at least for the day) I took a little 20 mile ramble through town to just enjoy the milder weather.  Trees are blooming around town

and it reminds me of the trip I took on the GAP/CO trail a few years ago.  It was early April, I had always wanted to get to Washington on the day the famous Cherry blossoms were full.  I hit it that day, but was totally underwhelmed and couldn't figure out why.  It was a few weeks  before I realized that home is surrounded by flowering trees every year.  So it's not surprising I wasn't WOWED by the sight in the capitol.  

      What's even more impressive is the fact that I could pedal along enjoying the sunshine and mild temps without being on the street.  I made a 20 mile loop through the city with 18 of the twenty on cycling infrastructure.

In the process, I got to see the newest addition.  Last year's improvement is finished and Cork St has been dieted and repaved pristine perfection.  There is only about a mile and half link left to complete another East to West bicycle thoroughfare through the city.  Things just keep getting better.

 

Happy Bicycle Day!

      Don't forget to celebrate!  It's April 19th, International Bicycle Day!

It's the day that Albert Hoffman accidentally invented LSD and took a ride on his bike after having a few drops.  Forever after known as International Bicycle Day.  

 

Found a place to lose myself

       It doesn't take a whole lot to make a person feel brave these days.  A couple weeks after Covid vaccines and a lift of the travel ban by the CDC will make anybody want to get away for a day or two.  Didn't get around any people though.  We're all just going to have to fight isolation now that it's become a habit.  I found a real place to lose yourself, no phone reception, not internet, no electricity (at the campsite) and damn few people.  About 50 miles SE of Lexington is such a place.  

       I decided to take a few days just to get away from home.  No other reason.  The Daniel Boone National Forest is only a 6 hour drive and provides a lot of isolated campgrounds. It was time for a little "spoke 'n hub" tour.   It was about 10 degrees warmer there and 

      I spent a few hours each day climbing what the locals call "hills."  They looked like mountains to me.  There were plenty of challenging grades to climb and the roads were excellent pavement and well maintained gravel.   I found a couple places to cast a line out.  The fish are safe here.

The forest was just coming alive with the spring.   With no electricity, phone or internet, I was forced to relax and enjoy the sound of wind and birds.   One little bunch of critters at a time were getting active and putting the springtime puzzle together.

One is more likely to find horseman than cars on the roads.

The climbs were rewarded with beautiful views.

      Easter I had lunch at the general store/lunch counter as the church rush came in.  I was standing outside by my bike when a well dressed man who looked a few years older than me asked where I was from.  We chatted a couple of minutes and I said this looked like a place where a guy could just be forgotten if he pleased.   "Oh, that happens."  He said,  "I'm ninety this month, been here my whole life...except for twelve years in Louisville.  It's a good place to ignore stuff."  I said, "I'm sixty nine, I hope I am as young as you when I'm ninety."  He smiled, nodded at the bike and said, "That'll do it."

Faux Spring

      Here in Michigan we have found our first teaser of springtime.  Mid sixties in mid March is a real treat and a chance to get the real bikes out for a little shake down.   I had the Buena Vista out today, I added a small basket on the rear to see if I like it better than a plain Pletscher rack.  So far, so good.

It's holding my wind jacket and the new saddle/handlebar/sling bag that I have been using.  Everything is great on this ride, I'll be upgrading the wheels and tires on this guy later in the month.  With it's racy geometry and light frame, it's a gas for getting around town.  If the Covid mitigation keeps working, it'll be the fair weather commuter of choice if I get to go back to work.  

       In other "shake down" news, I said to hell with tubeless tires for the last time.  After 3 months of hanging in the garage the tubeless setup on my Hillborne failed to stay sealed.  So the idea of the maintenance (that people had warned about) was all it took for me to back to tubes.  Seriously, the ride was luxurious but the real advantage people talk about is the elimination of pinch (snakebite) flats.  That's happened to me once in 50 years.  I'll leave it to the MTB racer crowd.  It's just plain simpler to use Flat Attack tubes with sealant, I've had 3 bona fide flats in 5 years with them.  

 

      The experiment was not a failure, I really like the Gravel King tires.  They may become a staple.  They seem a little stronger and faster than the Paselas I have loved for road tires, and ride just as well.  I liked the lighter tan sidewalls of the Paselas but the darker brown must be hot on the runways of the bike shows these days.