15th outdoor ride of 2021 - Tuesday, March 30, 2021

2021 mileage: 2104.4

During Michelle's spring break this week, we are doing our first travel since COVID arrived and shut everything down just over a year ago. We are very excited to be leaving at midday today to drive over to South Haven, on Lake Michigan in the southwest corner of our fair state, renting a condo unit that we got through Air BnB, Since we are not coming back to Ann Arbor until Saturday,  and thus I'll have an extended stretch away from riding, I was eager to get out early today and do a ride.

It was a particular joy to ride with my friend John Huber. We have been trying to pull off a ride together since last summer, but have had to defer our plans several times due to weather, mechanical, or health issues. However, today our plans came to fruition. John had to leave his car at the shop to have some work done, so he did that and then  rode the several miles over to our home.

We got pictures of one another before starting out, and then pushed off.

We rode the Platt/Packard Square (13.8 miles in 1:40. The skies were clear and sunny, with a bit of wind from the southwest, but nothing too difficult to deal with, and brisk temperatures (40° at the start), which, however, warmed up nicely by the time we were done (54°). We also got action pictures of one another while riding, agreeing that pictures of us while riding are hard to come by. As we rode, we were able to have some (limited) conversation, as well. I told him about my "wind catcher" on the back of the trike, that he had admired, and how my grandson Danny calls it my 'tornado.' He laughed, and thereafter kept joking about having to dodge my tornado.

John is Head of Michelle's school (Emerson), though he has just recently announced that he is leaving. I don't know what impels this move for him, and I can't pretend that we have been close friends; nevertheless, I regret to see him leave, and will miss him.

We also got a selfie of the two of us after we had finished, and just before he pushed off to go pick up his car.

Relive video of today's ride

14th outdoor ride of 2021 - Monday, March 29, 2021

2021 mileage: 2090.6

This afternoon I went out at 3:00 and rode the Packard/Platt Square (13.7 miles, 1:43) in lovely weather—sunshine, climbing from 48° to 60° during my ride. I was glad to work in the ride, as this will be a light week—Michelle and I are leaving at midday tomorrow for a little expedition to western Michigan during her spring break week.

Relive video of today's ride

Sunday, March 28, 2021

2021 mileage: 2076.9

Today, because of weather (rain, and high winds) and schedule considerations, I had to ride our stationary bike, Early this afternoon I climbed on it, and did 24.7 miles in 1:34, while watching the 2004 movie The Passion of the Christ, which was very appropriate seasonally on this Palm Sunday, at the beginning of Holy Week. The movie was very controversial for the alleged anti-Semitism of director Mel Gibson. What struck me most forcefully, however, was the graphic depiction of the violence that Jesus suffered at the hands (and whips) of those who crucified Him. Critic Roger Ebert called it  "the most violent film I have ever seen." In an interview with Diane Sawyer, Gibson claimed, "I wanted it to be shocking, And I wanted it to be extreme ... So that they see the enormity, the enormity of that sacrifice; to see that someone could endure that and still come back with love and forgiveness, even through extreme pain and suffering and ridicule."

With dialogue entirely in Latin, Hebrew, and Aramaic (said to have Christ's first language), the movie was eventually released with English subtitles, though Gibson's first inclination was to avoid subtitles and "transcend the language barriers with visual storytelling."

Trailer for "The Passion of the Christ"

13th outdoor ride of 2021 - Friday, March 26 2021

2021 mileage: 2052.2

Going out a bit past 1:00 today, I started in 48° cloudy conditions and finished up at 54°, and rode the Platt/Packard Square (13.7 miles in 1:37). I was encouraged to be at an average speed of 10 mph through the first 10 miles, but then the stretch along Packard and Eisenhower always knocks me down badly, and today I faced the added challenge of riding it into a (modest) wind.

Relive video of today's ride

12th outdoor ride of 2021 - Thursday, March 25, 2021

2021 mileage: 2038.5

Operating on the principle that you ought to get right back on the horse that threw you, I set off at 10:30 this morning to ride the same route I had tried to ride yesterday—the Packard/Platt Square. However, unlike then, I glided smoothly right past the spot where I had the flat, and from which Dan later extricated me from my misfortune.

Today's weather was pleasant for riding: starting at 53° and climbing to 58°, all under partly cloudy skies. I ended up riding 13.7 miles in 1:39.

Relive video of today's ride

11th outdoor ride of 2021 - Wednesday, March 24, 2021

202t1 mileage: 2024.8

Today was a disappointing day for riding. The weather was fine, but perhaps the last non-rain day to allow me to ride outside for a few days, so I set off at 12:45 under 63° cloudy skies (and spitting just a little very light rain when I began), intending to ride the Packard/Platt Square. And I was encouraged by the recent repair that Jack's Bicycle did to my right front wheel which had had several flats. Still, when I checked the air pressure before beginning today, and found that particular tire WAY down, I was puzzled.

Still, it was going fine for a while. But then, almost 4 miles into the ride, that same tire went flat again. I took Uber home, and contacted my good friend Dan Cogan, who has gone far beyond the call of friendship in helping me on numerous occasions, to see if he might be available for a consult tomorrow. When he indicated that today would be better for him, I explained that Michelle had our car today, and the trike was locked up about 4 miles from home and I had no way to get it today. He then volunteered to help me transport it on his car.

After we got it back to my garage, he helped me with the tire, first examining the rim and tire, and could find nothing that was causing the puncture in the tube. Anyway, we got a new tube put in, along with a new, more durable tire that I had (a Marathon Plus), which I hope will hold up better.

Relive video of today's ride

10th outdoor ride of 2021 - Tuesday, March 23, 2021

2021 mileage: 2021.2

Riding today at 1:30, I was pleased to enjoy lovely weather once again ... 67° and mostly sunny, up to 69° by the end ... but for the second straight day I made the error of wearing a hoodie, when I would have been much better served to have worn a t-shirt. Oh well ... I'm sure I sweated off some pounds.

My knee and back pain seemed to have abated somewhat today (though they hadn't disappeared completely), so I rode slowly but just kept going to ride the Platt/Packard Square (13.8 miles in 1:44).

Relive video of today's ride