Single Speeding in Illinois

Miles 38.91
Time: 3:08 hours

Well not exactly 27 hours and 320 miles on Iowa gravel roads. I spent a couple hours putting on my wireless bike computer, calibrating it to the 29 inch wheels, and putting on a bottle cage. Had to check with my Colorado bike mechanic to make sure the sensor was supposed to be attached to the fork. It was he said. Ultimately, everything worked.

I filled up a bottle with some sugar filled orange drink. Turned down my insulin pump, checked my blood sugar. It was too low. Starting reading was 67. So lucky me I ate a cheese sandwich, drank some orange juice. Took a little insulin. Waited a little while for the blood sugar to start up and then took the out the rig.

This single speed is a source of never ending interest. I have a road bike with lots of gears and another mountain bike with gears. But since I bought this Fisher Rig on Ebay, all I want to do it ride the single speed. I have a 50 mile Strawberry Festival ride coming up which I normally use my road bike, but I don't know, this year it might have to be the single speed.

Troy Illinois is up on the bluffs above the Mississippi bottom land about 20 miles from St. Louis. With helmet and gear, I started riding west to get to one of the 80 miles of bike trails that cross Madison County. About two miles east I got onto the trail and starting riding at a good clip for a single speed. (13 mph) The trail winds its way through Maryville, down the bluff onto the edge of the Mississippi bottoms in Collinsville.

The trail then continues west across flat horseradish fields for miles until it reaches Horseshoe Lake Park on the edge of Granite City. Here the trail parallels the park and runs another six miles or so all the way to Eagle Park which is in Madison Illinois. From here you are very close to the St. Louis Arch.

While riding along the trail I kept thinking about building a parallel light rail line. I planned the stations. I redeveloped cities and did my best to create the community that I wish we had instead of the car infested, gasoline addicted society where people drive to their neighbors house one block away. I did this all in my mind while peddling on and on.

At about 19 miles, I turned around in one of the poorest communities in Madison County (Eagle Park) and started back east. I thought about diverting to a different trail taking me to Glen Carbon rather than reversing my path. Unfortunately, it was starting to get dark and the Glen Carbon Trail would be longer and I would end up on some busy roads with no light so I just road straight back over my path up the bluffs.

I continued my day dreaming. In the next dream, I wrote letters to the Mayor of Troy accusing him of "treason" and being unpatriotic because he refused to put sidewalks on this huge road into Troy. My letter said that he was furthering the terrorists plot to keep us addicted to Middle Eastern oil. I said that fighting with a gun doesn't work, but building a society where people ride bikes, walked and took buses and trains would destroy the terrorists. I am sure he would think I was a crackpot, but I know that I am right and he is wrong.

By the time I got up the bluff and into Troy, it was dark. I had no lights. Poor planning I guess. So I was really spinning to get back home.I wondered if the police would pull me over for having no light or reflector. Luckily, they weren't interested in some old guy on a bicycle.

By 8:30 pm, I was home, hungry, and feeling really good. Exercise to an insulin dependent diabetic, as long as you have not dropped too low in blood sugar, is almost like a narcotic. You feel great or at least I do. When I think about retiring, I think about exercising all day. Swimming early in the morning, Biking to and from the pool and adding some tennis or running to the routine later. Other than eating, which I will do a lot of, I will spent my remaining time at the library. Well that's another day dream because I will be working for many more years.

Finally, Chris, you were correct about my non standard brake cables. I had the handlebars on backwards. I fixed that after your comment to my blog. Thanks. I felt sort of foolish.