Bike: Day 2
I’m no longer intimidated by the prospect of commuting over Cobb’s Hill. With Pinnacle Hill under my belt, no problem.
But that’s getting ahead of the story. When I popped-in this morning, the guys at the bike shop were surprised and concerned to see me back so soon. I assured them that there was nothing the matter. Just an adjustment or two.
I had them show me how to make the adjustments myself, and I bought a small pocket tool set. I’ve already found that, outside of basic height, seat adjustment needs aren’t immediately apparent to me. I need some time and miles in the saddle. I don’t want to go back to the shop every day for a week while I get the thing fine-tuned. Especially since some of the fine-tuning is me, not the bike.
It was better on the way home and I tweaked a little more out on the fire escape. Interestingly, the fire escape seems to be made for this bike. I’d been concerned that there would be too much space between the “slats” on the “floor” of the fire escape and the bike’s wheels would slip through. Fortunately, the tires are just wide enough that this doesn’t happen and I can even make the bike stand up by itself between them.
The ride to the hospital took 25 minutes—my longest bike ride in at least 35 years. I met my goal of halving my commuting time there as compared to the bus. Google estimates the drive time at 13 minutes, so I’m pretty pleased.
Especially since that includes a rest stop.
It was only sheer stubbornness that kept me out of the lowest of low gears on Pinnacle Hill. I had one more to go, then it was down the other side, which, much to my consternation, includes a stoplight halfway down at Highland Ave. It was green, but still some braking and scanning for cross-traffic made the difference between “Ah, downhill,” and “Wheeeee!”
A mile or so further on after having turned on Elmwood, and I was cursing myself for thinking in only two dimensions. I completely forgot about the long uphill between the old psych center and the Al Sigl Center at the corner of South Ave.
It’s not all that high or steep, but it is long. I moved from the road to the sidewalk and struggled until coming upon a telephone pole conveniently close to the sidewalk. I stopped, panting, and took five minutes or so to drink some water and rest my legs.
It’s not far from the hospital from there but there are several busy intersections and I was grateful for the rest at each one. Then suddenly, it’s downhill on Crittenden Blvd all the way past the hospital to the Behavioral Health building at the extreme western end.
I pulled into the driveway opposite Helen Wood Hall (The School of Nursing) and backed my bike into the rack, locking the rear wheel and frame with the U lock and stringing the cable through the front wheel.
I’d experimented and practiced at home, so I’m sure that when I took off my helmet and strapped it to my backpack, then put on my hat, I looked much more experienced than when I was fumbling with the lock.
I thought walking the halls in the psych ward wearing a helmet might not be the best idea, you know? Anyway, I’d had time for a smoke and to sit in the sun a while before heading to the sleep lab in the basement. I noticed there was considerable bounce in my step as if my legs were having trouble switching from pedaling to walking mode. Ah well. All things in time.
I’ve changed my appointment time for the next three weeks since I’d made the original time so that it ended at rush hour so that I had a wider choice of bus departures. The traffic just before 5:00 was much heavier than I ever remembered, so I kept to the sidewalks on the way home.
I varied the route to avoid traffic too. I took South Ave to Reservoir Ave, returning to the pavement as I rode uphill through Highland Park. The downhill on Bellevue Dr from the reservoir to Goodman St was lots of fun. Steep, winding through a little ravine, and, except for a errant squirrel or two, no traffic whatsoever. It is marred only by the need to stop at the intersection with Goodman St.
I’d come out of the park right between clumps of traffic, so I didn’t have to stop completely before turning left and continuing downhill. I don’t think I pedaled at all before having to stop at for the light at Clinton Ave.
From there it was sidewalks again for the rest of the way home. There’s a chokepoint on the bridge over I-490 where there’s not really enough room for four lanes of cars, let alone four lanes of cars and a bike. And the streets are wide enough when traffic is light and cars can swing around you, but in rush-hour gridlock, there’s no room for anyone. Despite the bumpy sidewalk, it was nice that I could cruise past so many cars.
And when I got home, I had enough strength left to carry the bike up the fire escape before collapsing in a steaming heap on the couch.
