First Ride of the Year

 I made my first ride of the year to work today, about a month earlier than the past few years.  It felt great with the temp about 52-53 degrees at 6:55 am when I pulled away.  A very bright day with a strong reflection off of the Lake.  It takes only a few minutes to ride to the bike path and it was only moderately busy this morning with joggers and bikers (no roller blades).  Belmont Harbor was beautiful with most of the boats already in their slips and the birds singing – the cardinals with their cheery songs, some robins, and even a few red wing blackbirds with their shrill calls.  Later I would hear geese flying overhead and even some birds of the meadow on the South Side.

The ride seemed a little easier than other first rides, perhaps because I have been warming up with rides to McFetridge to play tennis for several weeks.  The traffic on the path reflects the diversity of the City, even on a day like today.  There were all sizes of folks, all ages, men and women, recumbent bikes, racers, numerous nationalities & races, and so on.

The first part of the ride tends to be a little downhill and helps getting momentum started.  When I get to the first beaches they are being groomed and look like farmers’ fields with rows neat and straight.  The posts are in place for all of the volleyball nets – I imagine that the leagues may have already started and when I ride home this evening many games will be underway – nothing better than a little sand volleyball!

Approaching the S curve the Lake is relatively calm, only a few whitecaps here and there.  There are a few straightaways along here and I can get my speed up to about 18-½ mph.  I go by the Oak Street beach and there are no long distance swimmers in the water and I am a little surprised.  Usually they would be doing their laps in their wetsuits by now, getting ready for the Chicago Triathlon, which is in August, and other events. 

I go by Navy Pier and under the Drive on the lower part of the bridge and see all of the tour boats parked and ready to go for today’s tourists.  Pass the Monroe Street Harbor and about half of the boats have arrived.  I hear the familiar clink clank of the mooring chains saying good morning.  When all the boats arrive it will be quite a beautiful sight.

Since there are not that many folks out this morning, there are not many who are pealing off as we reach Grant Park to head to their work in the Loop.  In a few weeks there will be dozens getting off of the route here.  At Grant Park I reach the longest straight and flat stretch of the ride.  Again I try to get my speed up, as there are not many folks out running, walking, or riding.  The City added a crosswalk with stoplights on the Drive right across from Buckingham Fountain so that spot will be a little congested on the return trip.

As I gain speed going down the hill by the museum campus I notice a vestige of the NATO meetings with some metal barricades on the path.  Luckily there is a wide enough space to ride through and I try to keep my speed up as I ride around the Aquarium.  I hit ahead wind there, as I usually do.  The wind is almost always coming off the Lake there.  Riding around the back I look for the dolphins and their trainers, but they are not there this morning.

Next comes Burnham Harbor and the other reminder of the safety precautions of the weekend.  There is not one boat there.  Since it adjacent to McCormick Place, it is not a surprise that they were banned.  I expect by this afternoon some boats will have trickled in. 

The South Side is always a quieter ride in terms of traffic so I push on trying to keep burning calories as fast as I can.  The construction is still going on from last year on the 31^st Street Harbor (I don’t know if the City has given it a formal name yet) and I am pleased that I can ride through an underpass at one point where a hill existed last fall – it saves a few painful pedal strokes.  Much of the path is still a “detour” waiting for the harbor work to be completed, but I still get to ride through the Police and Fire Memorial garden areas, the latter being on of my favorite parts of the ride.

I always try to be as observant as possible on these trips as there is so much to see and it is a different part of the City from where I live or work.  As I get to the 47^th Street exit from the drive I notice some building architecture that I never saw before and then again near the 53^rd Street exit I see some more interesting building designs that I never bothered to see previously.  Beautiful old buildings that have seen a lot of history in their years.

I am in the home stretch now, the last couple of miles and I usually try to speed up to “get a good time” for this ride.  One last big hill to climb, from which I see the South Shore smokestacks and those over in Indiana quite well.  I also get a good look at the sole working pumping station in the Lake that provides our daily drinking water.

Finally off of the path and off onto 57^th Street and ride past the Banana and Orange Man.  I didn’t stop today, but on another ride I will pick up some of his fresh fruit to keep me supplied for the week’s snacks.  He is there almost every day all year round selling his produce to those who stop at the light, waiting to get onto the drive.

I ride a little west, cross the Midway Plaisance, where the Midway was for the 1893 World Exposition, and end up at my building at 61^st and Kenwood.  I note that I made the fourteen miles in 53 minutes, not a bad time my first ride of the year.  I store my bike in the basement, take a shower, and am ready to work by 8:15 am.  I feel great (and a secondary benefit, according to my source on the Internet, is that I burned about 750 calories – hoorah!!)

Take care.