My Most Recent Ride 2010 (Part III of the series)

Re: My Most Recent Ride - 2010

Hi Mike,

Thanks for the info. I will see how I like the Durangos. I may give the Big Apples a try now that I have two bents also.

 

Re: My Most Recent Ride - 2010

I got so excited finally riding, I forgot to post the pictures I took.

All pictures are of the Will Skelton Greenway in Knoxville. The greenway starts at Ijams Nature Center and follows the Tennessee River through an area managed by the Tennessee Wildlife Management Area.

The second picture of the series of the Tennessee River and a hill actually shows the old Knox County Jail. It was built in 1940s. Though closed in the 1960s, it is now part of the University of Tennessee agriculture department and they do experimental farming on it.

The reason they built the jail here was it is at the end of a peninsula. With water on three sides, inmates only had one way to escape. If you ever want to see what jails used to look like, you should look in the windows of these buildings!!! Rough!!!!

 

Re: My Most Recent Ride - 2010

Nice, Jon!

 

Re: My Most Recent Ride - 2010

It sure looks strange seeing pictures without snow. But we'll be there sooner or later. Actually out in the open areas the snow is pretty much gone but we still have plenty back here in the Woods.

 

Re: My Most Recent Ride - 2010

I rode again yesterday. Had to be a quick ride because of my work schedule. Rode the Knoxville Greenway west to the parking lot off Sutherland and back. About 10 miles.

But I can tell Spring is in the air. I saw FIVE Great Blue Herons along the river. I have NEVER seen that many all at once.

I got a picture of one in flight. Not the best picture. It was overcast so my cell phone took a longer exposure. Plus I took it with my cell phone which is not the best camera in the world, but I do have it with me and I do take more pictures with it than my regular digital camera.

 

Re: My Most Recent Ride - 2010

Jon, still a nice picture of a bird in flight. I went for a walk today and saw a tiny little red blot moving on the ground. I bent down and it was a miniature salamander. It was dark red orange with tiny black spots all over it. It had three bright yellow/orange dots on each side of its back. I'd say it was about 2" long. I'll post it tomorrow.

 

Re: My Most Recent Ride - 2010

Could have been a cave salamander.
http://www.discoverlife.org/mp/20o?guide=Salamanders

 

Re: My Most Recent Ride - 2010

Well, I tried to describe it to based on the selections that they give...but was not very successful. so I have posted a couple of pictures here.

 

Re: My Most Recent Ride - 2010

What pics?

 

Re: My Most Recent Ride - 2010

Rode the greenway today before the monsoon!!! 14 miles. Great to be riding again!!!!

 

Re: My Most Recent Ride - 2010

Hello
First bike rides of the year!
Last Weekend 4 of us did part of the Greenway in knoxville. It could of been sunnier but it was nice and warm. Not sure how far we went but it was a good ride for me. We then stopped at calhouns for dinner and probably ate more calories then we burned. Very pleasent to do that. I tried to loose my cell phone but a nice samaratin took it back to Calhouns so I was able to retrieve it. A good weekend.
Then monday I caught a 10 mile ride to the guard shack and back after work.
With the time changing I hope to ride regularly again.
Have a cold at the moment so I guess I will not be doing much this weekend in regards to exercise except to take the dogs for a walk each day.
Hope everyone is getting out a little.
Sally

 

Re: My Most Recent Ride - 2010

Y'all keep in mind that the lower half of the Va. Creeper is in real good shape. From Straight Branch up is not rideable yet though. I'll be out there this Tues., Sunday is usually a ride day for myself but the weather does not look cooperative.

 

Re: My Most Recent Ride - 2010

Been a while since I posted, thought I should tell about my last ride. Last weekend, I rode the Bell Gardens Lions Club”Tour de Sewer” again (62 miles about 1/3 of it being hills). Last year I rode it with 2 friends from church, this year I rode with a friend from work, George, it was the longest ride he’d ever done, in fact twice as far as he’d ever ridden.

I rode to and from the ride, so I got in 72 miles, my longest distance ever in one day. When I got home I felt like I could do another 30 without a problem.

The weather was pretty good for riding, fairly cool, as we finished climbing Turnbull Canyon (about 4 miles of climb, 19.6 miles Into The Ride) which had the first rest stop, the skies opened up for a short while. The rain slowed down, so George and I started off, stopping soon after starting to put on warm clothes and I also put on a poncho as it got very cold and wet quickly. Within 100 feet I learned something very important about wearing a poncho and riding a bent, keep it tucked in! The wind picked it up and covered my face, I did a panic stop and then tucked the bottom of the poncho into my warm up pants.

The entire 62 miles was very comfy on my ActionBent Jetstream, had quite a few people ask about how it rode. Most were surprised that I did as much climbing as I had done. A few of them had bents they normally rode, but since there were quite a few hills didn’t think they could climb them on a bent. I wasn’t fast, but I made all the climbs. I was passed by quite a few folks when we were climbing, but I returned the favor on the down hills and sometimes on the flats.

I didn’t see any other bents this year, but I enjoyed the ride anyway. If anyone is interested in doing an enjoyable, but challenging ride, this is a good one. The url to find out more info is http://www.bellgardenslions.com/ . There was 3 rest stops on the 62 mile ride, all of them had plenty of fruit, cookies, water, and Gatorade to keep you going. I think my favorite part of the ride is riding along the south side of the Whittier hills, even though you’re in town, you feel like you’re out in the country.

I plan on riding next year, so anyone that would like to ride with another bent, give me a holler!

Curtis

 

Re: My Most Recent Ride - 2010

Sounds like a great ride Curtis

 

Re: My Most Recent Ride - 2010

Happy for you Curtis. Love Ca and sometimes wish I'd never left.
Keep on keeping on. God bless.