2021 mileage: 5329.2
During my ride on the stationary bike yesterday, I watched a big chunk of the 1988 BBC film production of The Lion, The Witch, And The Wardrobe. Today, I watched the 2005 American production of it (which is much preferable, in my mind). This gave me a ride of 29.1 miles in 2:12.
2021 mileage: 5300.1
Winter seems to be here to stay, and I am happy to have the option of riding in warmth on the stationary bike. Today I watched the first four episodes of the 1988 BBC film adaptation of The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe (the first book of C.S. Lewis's 7-book The Chronicles of Narnia). This gave me a ride of 23.9 miles in 1:53. However, this version has not been treated kindly by critics, some of whom have found it to be rather a weak joke ... I think that tomorrow, I will turn to the newer, American movie (2005).
Trailer for BBC version of The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe
2021 mileage: 5276.2
This afternoon I rode on the stationary bike, 24.6 miles, in 1:46. Then when I went out for an errand about 5:30 (with it being already almost dark), I saw that I couldn't have ridden outside even had I wanted to. We got some snow this afternoon, and the walks and trails were impeded.
While riding, I watched an exceptional, superb science fiction movie that my daughter recommended to me a few years ago—The Age of Adaline. Actually, to call it a science fiction movie is slightly misleading ... although it is constructed around a science fiction premise (a woman who for decades does not age), the core of the movie is really about interpersonal relationships.
2021 mileage: 5251.6
Today, the Michigan Wolverines beat the Ohio State Buckeyes, their hated rivals, for the first time since 2011. Michelle and I visited her parents in their home, over an hour away from us, so once we got home late this afternoon, I climbed on the stationary bike, and rode with my heart singing over the football good news, doing 22.3 miles in 1:49 while watching Field of Dreams.
2021 mileage: 5229.3
Having now settled into my routine of riding on the stationary bike, this morning I did 2:56 in there (36.5 miles), while watching The Sound of Music.
2021 mileage: 5192.8
Several years ago, when we celebrated Thanksgiving at my brother's house, he was touting the humor of the holiday comedy classic Planes Trains and Automobiles (1987), When I told him I had never seen it, he said, "Well, we've gotta change THAT!" and we all enjoyed its humor together.
So for this morning's ride on the stationary bike, I decided I needed to revisit it, and did (for a ride of 18.8 miles in 1:28).
2021 mileage: 5174.0
This morning while riding, I watched the movie Shadowlands, which tells the tale of the meeting between C.S. Lewis and his future wife, Joy, when he was in his fifties, and the subsequent development of their friendship and then their marriage. This gave me a nice ride of 28.1 miles in 2:15.
The movie is based on a play, and the title is drawn from one of Lewis's stories (The Last Battle), the final one of the Chronicles of Narnia:
"There was a real railway accident," said Aslan softly. "Your father and mother and all of you are — as you used to call it in the Shadowlands — dead. The term is over: the holidays have begun. The dream is over: this is the morning."
2021 mileage: 5145.9
There may be a few days yet when I'm able to ride outside this year, but I think that for the most part, I've packed it in now and am riding inside. For a long time I was watching musicals while riding, then I watched quite a number of baseball movies. But now I'm working my way through comedies, yesterday beingthe first of these (Monty Python and the Holy Grail). Today I watched Airplane, a 1980 movie filled with atrocious puns and word jokes. This gave me a ride of 18.5 miles in 1:25.
2021 mileage: 5127.4
Though a few years ago, I rode outside on a day as cold as 17°, I'm telling myself that, being older now, it's OK to ease up. Since it was sub-freezing until noon today, I climbed onto the stationary bike this afternoon.
Having watched Titanic and Les Misérables during rides within the past week, I decided to ease up and watch a shorter film today, and a lighter one, too. Having found a list of the 100 All-Time Greatest Comedy Films, I watched one about which I had often heard, but had never seen—from 1974, Monty Python tand the Holy Grail. This gave me a ride of 20.4 miles in 1:31.
2021 mileage: 5106.9
Having watched a couple of heavy, epic movies in recent days while riding on the stationary bike (Titanic last Wednesday, and the 2012 film version of the musical Les Misérables today), I think that if I have to ride inside tomorrow (which looks like a good possibility, with a forecast high of 34° mid-afternoon), I'll choose something both shorter and lighter. Today's movie was significantly shorter than the 3-hour plus running time of Titanic, but it was still substantial, giving me a ride of 32.4 miles in 2:30, and pushing me past another yearly mileage milestone (5100).
2021 mileage: 5074.5
I knew I would have to ride early today, as I wanted to watch the noon football game between Michigan State and Ohio State, followed up by the 3:30 game between Michigan and Maryland. I was quite conflicted about the first game, as I can never root for the Buckeyes, but it has been pointed out that since Michigan States beat Michigan a few weeks ago, an Ohio State victory over them would actually be beneficial to Michigan.
However, it seems that I needn't have concerned myself with this issue. As I write (at 1:15), it has been ALL Buckeyes so far, as they lead the Spartans 35-0 a short way into the second quarter.
I had considered trying to ride outside this morning, but when I was ready to begin, at 9:00, it was a bit below freezing, and though I have ridden in much colder weather (17° is my record), I did not feel like fighting this battle today. So I climbed on the stationary bike and rode 25.4 miles in 1:56. As I rode, I watched the baseball movie Eight Men Out, which I had first watched during a ride on October 21. It deals with the throwing, or fixing, of the 1919 World Series by the Chicago White Sox ('Black Sox'). After watching the movie, I got the book by Eliot Asinov (on which the movie is based) from the library about 10 days ago. My interest engaged by the book, I decided I wanted to rewatch the movie.
2021 mileage: 5049.1
Today I rode at 1:30 in chilly (40°), clear sunshine, blessedly absent the high wind that dogged me yesterday. I settled for a single round trip to Marsh Park (10.0 miles in 1:16), and was pleased to see my friend Doug Franklin during the early part of my ride, on his daily walk.
As I rode, I listened to my beloved Acoustic Eidolon—a brilliant husband and wife duo (both are exceptional musicians). Joe plays a custom-designed, two neck instrument that he calls a guitjo (cross between a guitar and banjo), and Hannah plays traditional cello.
Just over a mile from our home, there is this odd and unique tree, which must have taken the shape it has because of having been pruned so it wouldn't grow into the power lines.
Shortly after that, though, as I was finishing up, I almost got mashed. Less than a mile from home, as I ws headed north, at the intersection of Lohr Rd. and Ellsworth Rd., I was crossing Ellsworth (in the crosswalk, with the light) when a man in a big old maroon SUV hurtling south at an excessive rate of speed decided late that he wanted to turn left (east) onto Ellsworth. He threw on his turn signal at the last minute, and came careening around the turn right towards me, evidently not seeing me. At that point, I was in the right (though it would have done me no good if I ended up dead), but was totally helpless at that point to do one single thing. But then, thanks be to God, he saw me at the very last moment and swerved and missed me.
2021 mileage: 5039.1
I had not ridden outside since a week ago today, so I challenged myself to do it today, and succeeded—riding the Platt/Packard Square (13.6 miles) in 1:43. However, it was a cold day (40° when I started at 1:30, and dropping off to 37°), and very windy —17 mph out of the west, which meant I was riding right into the teeth of it in the second half of the ride. Glad to get it done, though!
2021 mileage: 5025.5
Yesterday I took the day off, feeling tired and unmotivated—so I made up for it today! I hated to waste the warm weather (61° now, at 3:30), but as we've been experiencing light rain pretty much all day, I was disinclined to battle it, and so climbed onto the stationary bike. Ambitiously, I watched the 3-plus hour movie Titanic while I rode, and this gave me a ride of 41.1 miles in 3:07, putting me over my goal of 5000 miles for the year: a GOOD feeling!
2021 mileage: 4984.4
Our cold remains ... today it barely reached 40° mid-afternoon, on a very moist, raw day. And on top of that, I rose this morning at 3:15, unable to get back to sleep. The combination of these two factors led me to ride inside today, doing 25.4 miles in 1:50, while watching a movie I like a lot: The American President (1995).
2021 mileage: 4959.0
As the cold persists, today joined by the prospect of light snow all day, I climbed on the stationary bike again this morning (7:30) and rode 1:48 (22.9 miles) while watching my all-time favorite movie, On Golden Pond. In celebration of its 40th anniversary, there are going to be a few showings in theaters in early December, so I'll soon have the chance to see it on the big screen.
I love several things about it, including (1) its utterly magnificent score by Dave Grusin; (2) the way the male lead, Norman Thayer, Jr. (portrayed by Henry Fonda) reminds me of own father; and (3) its depiction of the intergenerational relationships between its characters, and the whole process of aging (to which I felt I could relate, somehow, when I first saw it in my early twenties, and now can much more so at age 64).
2021 mileage: 4936.1
Yesterday, being both cold and tired, I opted to take a rest day from riding. And this morning it was 36° at 8:00, so I chose to climb aboard our stationary bike and ride in warmth. (I certainly could have challenged myself to ride outside, as my record cold for a ride is 17°, one fine February day 3 years ago; but I didn't feel the need,) I ended up riding 20.2 miles, in 1:30.
Michelle refuses to watch horror movies or anything that might be "scary," and I never watched any before we were married. Consequently, there is a whole genre with which I'm completely unfamiliar. So during my ride today, in order to see what I was missing, I watched the 1978 classic Halloween. Having done so, my opinion is that I wasn't missing much. Of course there was nothing remotely wholesome about it, but on top of that, I didn't really find it to be entertaining either. So I now feel no need to repeat the experiment.
2021 mileage: 4915.9
Today, though sunny and mild, was terrifically windy, and thus quite a challenge to ride. Nevertheless, I managed to church my way through the Packard/Platt Square and a concluding lap in our complex, to give me 13.8 miles in 1:44. I left just past 11:00 in unseasonably warm 59° conditions, that climbed to 64° by the time I finished.
2021 mileage: 4902.1
This would been my mother's 98th birthday (though we lost her in January 2020, at the age of 96). So I rode with love in my heart and countless happy memories of her.
After riding my 20-mile round trip to Baker Rd. (Dexter) each of the last two days, I backed off today and settled for an easier ride, just going down to Stonebridge and riding a couple of laps in there, for a total ride of only 7.6 miles in 53 minutes. This ride, while not lengthy, enabled me to pass the last remaining mileage milestone for the year (4900) before reaching my goal of 5000.
It was unseasonably mild, but still cool enough (in the mid-fifties) that a hoodie felt good, so I rode proudly in one from St. Olaf College, my alma mater.
On the stretch back towards home, after leaving Stonebridge, I passed my friend Doug Franklin on his daily walk, and as always it was great to see him. However, whereas I usually recognize him far off, because of his bright yellow/jacket, today the weather had induced him to remove it and carry it, so I couldn't tell it was him until he was closer.
2021 mileage: 4894.5
Today, leaving at 11:00 and riding in completely cloudy but mild (54°) conditions, I rode a round trip to Baker Rd. for the second consecutive day (the first time I've done it on consecutive days since September 1-2 of 2020), for 20.2 miles in 2:41.
2021 mileage: 4874.3
I took yesterday as a rest day, and then today I really did not want to ride. But the gorgeous weather was calling to me to do a longer ride, and I heeded the call, leaving at noon to ride a round trip to Baker Rd. (19.2 miles in a slow time of 2:45). That weather was really magnificent, though—58° and sunny, with only a gentle breeze when I began, climbing to 64° when I finished.
When I turned around, I texted my wife Michelle, my daughter Christy, my sister Marianne, and my friend Stephanie, as I always do. I said it was a GREAT day (though I didn't want to ride), and Marianne quickly reminded me, "as our Mom would say, 'I push myself.' " Mom (1923-2020) would have been 98 this Wednesday, and I can only hope to resemble her.
As I finished up the ride (less than 3 miles before I got home), an incident occurred that reminded me of the need for a mechanical adjustment. Coming down a hill on the sidewalk, I rode up behind a rather surly, gruff man walking two dogs. I slowed to his walking speed, and when he eventually noticed me, he snarled, "You need a bell on that thing!" I have a bell—a good one— but it is on the left handlebar, and I couldn't ring it because I had to brake with my left hand to avoid hitting him, as the right brake has slipped out of adjustment to the point where it's nearly useless. I envision the adjustment as not being difficult, and probably not requiring more than a screwdriver, but nevertheless I have no idea what to do.
2021 mileage: 4855.1
Today, I got to enjoy a gorgeous fall day, by waiting until 3:00 to ride. It was then brightly sunny and 53° with just a hint of breeze. I rode a single round trip to Marsh Park, augmented very slightly by a loop on Bicentennial Pkwy. on the way to the park
2021 mileage: 4843.9
It was below freezing early this morning, so I decided to wait and let it warm a bit before riding. When I set off, a little before 1:30, it was 45°, and that climbed to 49° by the time I finished. I rode (slowly) the Platt/Packard Square (13.7 miles) in a slow time of 1:53.
Two aspects of today's ride were especially pleasant. Early in the ride (about 2 miles in), I saw my friend Doug Franklin on his daily walk (striding northward on the Lohr/Textile Greenway); and then, in the second half of the ride, I was happy to see that the substantial stretch of sidewalk along Packard (west of Platt) has had its reconstruction completed and is now accessible once more.
Relive video of today's rideelive.cc/view/vZqNYBgG236
2021 mileage: 4830.2
Today I waited until 1:00 so it could warm a bit (4o 43°), and then rode to Marsh View Park, and to Saline on the way home (first past Saline High School, then north along Maple Rd. to Woodland, and then up past the Rec Center to Lohr Rd.), for a total ride of 14.9 miles in 1:50. Not pushing myself especially hard, but still, I'm glad to be done and home inside and warming up.
2021 mileage: 4815.3
For today's ride, by waiting until about 1:30 to start, I achieved a kind of weather trade-off. The bright unbroken sunshine of early this morning was gone, as substantial clouds had moved in, and continued to increase throughout the ride.
However, this also allowed the temperatures to climb from the low thirties to the mid thirties, so overall I have to say that the delay was definitely worth it.
I set out to ride the Platt/Packard Square. However, partway through I remembered that much of the sidewalk I ride along Packard is currently inaccessible, being reconstructed, so I did a shortened version of it (that I might call the Platt/Ellsworth Rectangle), which gave me a ride of 11.8 miles in 1:27.
As I rode, I listened to David Lanz, a keyboard artist to whom my sister Marianne introduced me during our family vacation in Florida back in June.
2021 mileage: 4803.5
Today, like yesterday, featured conditions in which I would much rather have taken the day off—chilly (43°), windy (14 mph from the west), and bleak, with a couple of patches of the year's first snow, highlighted by small ice crystals bouncing off my face. But then, I told myself, colder days surely lie ahead, so I'd better toughen up for it. Leavina a bit past noon, I rode the Packard/Platt Square (13.6 miles) in 1:45, to take my past another mileage milestone for the year (4800), as I close in on my goal of 5000.
2021 mileage: 4789.9
I am considerably later than usual today in completing my blog post.
After rising and beginning my day a bit before 4:30 this morning, I was kept quite busy doing errands of various sorts and getting our dinner started in the slow cooker. When I was finally able to begin a ride early this afternoon, I strongly did not want to go today, on a cool (46°), windy, gray day when I was quite tired. Nevertheless I managed to push myself out the door and go through a single round trip to Marsh Park with a slight augmentation on the way home (I turned left, or west, when I got to Ellsworth Road, and followed the walk over to Arcadia, which I took up through the Kirtland Hills subdivision, up to Oak Valley). This gave me a total ride of 10.8 miles in 1:25.
Also, I was happy to see Jim Alvey in the latter portion of the ride as he rode south on the Lohr/Textile Greenway, a little over a mile from home if I had gone straight there.
At any rate, by the time I finished, I needed to head straight over to Emerson to pick Michelle up at the end of her school day. And when she saw me, she was quite alarmed ("I've never SEEN your eyes so red!") and insisted I go right in for a nap once we got home. Having slept hard and untroubled sleep for over 90 minutes, I rose feeling much more human.
2021 mileage: 6002.0 I am seeing the old year out with a day off -- something I hate to do. But a combination of factors brings it about: (1...
