To the Edge of the Precipice of Winter

Current Seasonal Total: 2,128.4

On Sunday, with sunny skies, temperatures in the mid-40s, and southerly winds that made it feel more like the 30s, I completed a 17 mile ride that took me on a moderately large loop through the villages of Bartlett, Carol Stream, and Bloomingdale. The highlight of the ride was "discovering" a wonderful little lake within Bierman Park in Carol Stream. I further discovered that this lake (known as Heritage Lake) has a newly-paved 1.3 mile path around its perimeter, which I followed on my bike. It added an additional element of newness and natural beauty to an otherwise routine ride. By completing this ride, I tied my previous record for the latest ride in the season (Nov. 28) and raised my seasonal mileage into the 2120s.

As I look ahead, I see a long-range forecast that looks cold. I don't recall ever riding my bike with the mercury still in the 30s, but that's about as warm as it's likely to get this weekend. Will there be a temperature rebound after that? Stay tuned!

Surpassing 2100

Current Seasonal Total: 2,111.2

Today, I surpassed the 2100 mile mark! With cloudy skies and temperatures in the mid-50s, my ride began a few minutes after 11 a.m. Although I had originally planned to ride along the crushed stone paths of Hawk Hollow and the West Branch Trails, the wet streets that greeted me early this morning changed my plans. Instead, I opted to ride along familiar paved streets in Bartlett, Hanover Park, Schaumburg and Roselle. Throughout my ride, a thin layer of moisture remained on the pavement, stubbornly refusing to evaporate. Thankfully, I felt no rain nor drizzle as I rode.

Today's ride was my 86th of the season. Will there be another day suitable for riding in the next few weeks? Only time will tell. If not, I could easily live with 2111 being my final figure for the season.

Sunday: final ride of the season?

If you believe the weather forecasters, this weekend could be my last opportunity to ride in 2010. If the rain holds off, Sunday's conditions looks much warmer and more comfortable than Saturday's. All I need is 6.2 miles to surpass the 2100 mark.

Temperatures are forecast to fall sharply in the middle part of next week. If so, will they stay there? Or will they rebound once more? Stay tuned for my cycling report late this weekend  . . . and beyond.

Henceforth . . . short, cold rides?

Current Seasonal Total: 2,093.8

It's very likely that any further rides that I take this year will be relatively short . . . and cold. In Chicagoland's fickle weather, it's difficult to say when temperatures will permanently dip into the "uncomfortable zone," but it probably won't be much longer.

Today, for instance, I left the house in the mid-afternoon "heat of the day," but that was still only in the upper-40s. Above the waist, I wore a cycling jacket over a cycling jersey, which in turn was over a long sleeve base layer. Below the waist, I wore my long tights over cycling shorts. I also wore my new cold weather gloves, which actually felt a bit too warm, but I couldn't complain. Overall, I felt quite comfortable, despite a noticeable wind chill. In the end, I rode 11 1/2 miles, bringing my seasonal total to 2,093.8 miles. . . less than 7 miles shy of yet another personal milestone -- the 2100 mark.

I will now set my sights on next Saturday afternoon, when the long-range forecast suggests a slightly warmer afternoon, which could be the perfect setting for me to reach further into the proverbial stratosphere of my own expectations.

Racing the mid-autumn sun

Current Seasonal Total: 2,082.3

Today was one of the few times that my astronomy knowledge proved helpful on the road. In general, taking a late-afternoon ride this late in the season has its risks -- especially if you misjudge the timing of your route and end up too far from home as darkness falls. Keeping an eye on the sun's altitude, I had no such problem today, returning home at 4:28 p.m. . . just seven minutes before sunset. Today, I raced the sun and won!

Although my ride began two hours earlier, at 2:27, it really started this morning, when I realized that because today's only group had re-scheduled their planetarium show, I could take yet another half-day off from work and take advantage of this week's abnormally mild weather. Like yesterday's ride, I added only arm warmers to my warm weather wardrobe of cycling shorts and jersey. I was very comfortable throughout the ride, which was just over 24 miles in length.

Today's ride took me south and east via President Street to the Great Western Trail, then east along the GWT to Kuhn Road, then north and west through the West Branch and Hawk Hollow Forest Preserves. In the last few miles of my route, I took a few camera photos of the long shadows of a late-autumn afternoon, one of which is posted here. [More can be found in my Village Ride Flickr album]. The long shadows are symbolic, for they represent the fact that the end of my 2010 cycling season is on the horizon and fast approaching. This Sunday, with temperatures forecast to be 20 degrees colder (in the mid-40s), I may embark upon my final ride of 2010.

A beautiful November afternoon

Current Seasonal Total: 2,058.1

As I now peruse the various long-range weather forecasts, I feel confident in saying that today will be my final ride of 2010 in which I was able to wear cycling shorts and jersey. To be honest, I did augment my wardrobe with arm warmers, but it was a borderline situation; I could easily have not worn them and still completed the ride, albeit a bit less comfortably.

On this Monday, I took the day off, primarily to have service done on my Honda del Sol, but also to plan a reconnaissance mission to the Apple Store at Woodfield during this four-hour servicing. I returned home around 2 o'clock, and by 2:22, I was pushing off for my afternoon ride . . . with sunny skies, temperatures in the mid-60s (16 degrees above normal), and light southerly breezes. With our return to Standard Time having occurred the day before, I knew I didn't have a long time to ride, but I was sure that I wanted to make the most of this abnormally beautiful November afternoon.

The ride was nothing special (20.5 miles), but the fact that I could ride wearing only cycling jersey, cycling shorts, and arm warmers fueled my already high level of enthusiasm. I rode along familiar routes in Bartlett, Hanover Park, Schaumburg, and Roselle. I made no stops, since I far more desired extra cycling minutes than a sweet concoction at Starbucks. [Plus, I was caffeinated enough from two earlier cups of coffee].

Maybe it was the warm air, or the aftermath of a most enjoyable morning spent at the Apple Store, but whatever the reason, I felt stronger than I had in awhile. This surprised me a bit, since I am typically a little weaker -- not stronger -- on the day following a longer ride. Not on this day, mate! Pumping the pedals at an average speed of over 14 mph, it was my fastest ride in 7 weeks.

When I returned home at 4 o'clock, I chanced upon the early evening weather segment on TV, which foretold a significant cool-down in the middle of next week. This Sunday, I noticed, could possibly be my last ride of 2010. If it is, I will mourn the end of the season, but I will simultaneously be celebrating a season that I will always remember.

A meeting of the elks in Busse Woods

Current Seasonal Total: 2,037.6

Today, with sunny skies and temperatures in the 50s, I made what was likely to be one of my final rides to Busse Woods this season. To break the monotony of the trip to and fro, I planned a rather unusual return route that brought me along the northern spur of the Busse Woods trail to Woodfield Road, then followed paths, sidewalks. and roads westward through the northern parts of Schaumburg before turning south toward home. While I was riding the Busse Woods loop, I came across an especially large gathering of elk in the clearing near the path. A small crowd had gathered to watch, and I turned off the path to the parking lot and played spectator to nature . . . and took a few pictures, too. Chicago has many suburbs bearing names with words like Forest, Glen, and Oak. Of these, Elk Grove Village may have the most accurate name of all. For within its boundaries, and plainly visible to resident and visitor alike, there are elks, there are groves, and there's a village there, too.

By the time I had returned home, I had added another 34 miles to my seasonal total. I will add a few more miles tomorrow, when I take the day off to service my car, visit Woodfield Mall and the Apple store, and take a short afternoon ride in temperatures that will likely be even warmer than today.