Bicycle Diaries
30 years riding, 15 years writing
Warming up
Ooh, what a great day. Went for a walk in the morning and then hopped on the bike for a speedy ride in the afternoon. The trails were dry and other than the new dirt being laid down under the Monroe Rd. bridge, they are nicely compact.
MTB: distance 18.93 miles, average speed 14.1 mph.
Chilly day
The rains have stopped but the cloud cover persists. The sun peeked out a very short time, then promptly hid again. The trails are drying out but it’s a bit chilly in the woods, though after a few miles, the body does warm up.
MTB: distance 19.19 miles, average speed 13.3 mph.
Felt like a sheep
Chased by a huge Sheep Dog.
Finishing up today’s ride, just cooling down, in low gear, and I come upon a couple of women. I ring my bell to let them know I’m coming around and out of the woods comes this Sheep Dog.
The hairy one decides he likes my bike, so much so that he starts running next to me. I start going up through the gears to pick up some speed, so does he. I’m doing 20+ mph, very tired from my ride, he keeps up, he looks fresh. The women are yelling at him to come back, eventually he decides he’s had enough, he turns around.
I don’t know if he was playful, or wanted to eat my leg, either way, there are leash laws in the McAlpine, for the protection of people and pets.
MTB: distance 19.24 miles, average speed 12.6 mph.
Drying out
The trails are starting to dry out, making for a speedier ride today. In about a month, the rains will have made their mark when the tree canopy is filled in.
MTB: distance 19.20 miles, average speed 14.0 mph.
Soggy
The sun peeked out at 3 pm.
4 days of rain, much needed, has left the McAlpine a rather soggy place. Soggy or not, when the sun came out this afternoon, I was out there on my bike.
MTB: distance 19.22 miles, average speed 13.0 mph.
Winds from the East
Headwind out, tailwind in.
Cold and bitter day, the winds didn’t help the situation but I wanted to go for a ride. Not too many people were out there today, just a few bicyclists braved the winds, walkers were nonexistent, only the die-hard runners were out there pounding the gravel trails.
MTB: distance 13.90 miles, average speed 13.2 mph.
Eighty
By the time I got out, it was 80 degrees.
The mornings are cool, but by mid afternoon, the temperatures have risen quite a bit. It was quite warm on today’s ride, glad I had a tailwind riding out towards the lake. The trails are full nowadays, everybody out trying to get fit, burning off those holiday calories that have lingered for months.
MTB: distance 13.59 miles, average speed 13.9 mph.
New dirt
The city workers have been busy.
Over the Winter, the Charlotte parks department has been busy fixing up the trails in the McAlpine. Laying new pipe where a major creek crosses the trail and adding much needed dirt in many of the sections. I really like the wider paths, there’s room for us all, walkers, runners, bikers and deer.
MTB: distance 19.16 miles, average speed 13.2 mph.
Spring time
It’s here, warmer weather!
MTB: distance 14.87 miles, average speed 12.8 mph.
Out of shape
Two months off the bike and I felt it today.
Starting my second lap around the McAlpine and I come upon a tandem being ridden by a husband and wife team. They were just entering the trail and getting up to speed, so naturally I picked up my speed to draft up behind them.
A few miles of 15+ speeds behind this pair of riders, who appeared to be sight seeing, and my chest felt like it was about to come out onto my handlebars.
Oh the agony, the pain, all over again, what fun.
MTB: distance 14.77 miles, average speed 11.4 mph.
Charlotte, NC
Spent 10 years in Charlotte, a block away from an entrance to the McAlpine Creek Greenway.
Switched to a mountain bike from the road bikes I was accustomed to riding for 15 years.
The time spent on these trails was most appreciated.
Trek Fuel 70
