The Truth About Bicycles

I saw this video on youtube and just had to share it.  Its short, sweet, and to the point.  I love my bicycle and so does this young man.  Brush the dust off that saddle and hit the road.

Tragedy Before the Southern Tier

 

This story ought to be known among all cyclists across the United States of America since not all touring rides are happy stories.  The ride of my cousin, Mark Boyd, never started before two thugs lured him away from a bus station in Fayetteville, NC, stole all his belongings, and brutally murdered him in the street.

Although bicycle touring stories are generally positive and the communities cycled through greet riders with curiosity and often times with generous offerings such as food, and places to sleep, it ought not go un-noticed when a tragedy befalls our riding community.

No where, except for this story in the LI Newsday did we learn of my cousin's demise after traveling the world over by foot and by bicycle.  In a time when Fergusen, MO took to the streets and the media displayed support for a bad individual, a criminal, Michael Brown, little was known about Mark Boyd who hurt no one, and who lived a humble life and sought only to enjoy what each day could bring.

I write of this story knowing little about my cousin.  I am 14 years older than he.  I lived much of his childhood life in Florida. I missed many opportunities to actually know him.  When the family celebrated holidays in New York, I was in college or working in FL.  The one time I remember him most was when he was about 12 years old when he visited with his parents to my parents house outside Orlando.  He and his two brothers at the time swam with my oldest son.   Any other knowledge of Mark came from family members who discussed Mark in terms of being "somewhere" in the world.  He lived and worked in S. Korea for a time; he lived and traveled in the Middle East and even in Rochester, NY.  I guess you could say that Mark lived an adventure everyday.

Many of us "grow up".  We "settle down".  He lived where he traveled.  I would say he knew the people because he trusted them.  Some folks may say that his trust of strangers betrayed him at the outset of his southern tier bicycle tour while in Fayetteville, NC.  He had hoped to catch a bus from Fayetteville to St. Augustine and start his journey across America's southern tier to San Diego, CA.  Wow! What a ride that would be although he had completed a transcontinental ride several times before.

I read about cycling the southern tier across country on crazyguyonabike.com a few days after attending Mark's funeral on Long Island.  It takes a strong man to accomplish such a task.  Strong in character-- heart and mind-- not to mention in good health.  Mark had to be strong.  His entire family, parents, brothers, and sister are all athletic and well disciplined individuals.  I don't know any of them to be anything less than accomplished and talented in sport, song, or mind.

What is my point?  My point is threefold:
1.  The world lost a wonderful person, a free spirit who loved and trusted people enough to travel the world without fear.  Yet, he was stolen from us, from our family before we could actually know him as we should have.  It was a loss that no one, other than the LI Newsday mentioned while a criminal like Michael Brown is celebrated by the media through lies and misinformation. It's a shame. Mark, and the people like him, deserve a memorial reminding the world of how we should be; free and able to travel safely in what is surly supposed to be a nation upon a hill.

2.  Cyclists must know that there are bad folk out there on the road although violent crime is at its lowest points in decades.  Be careful. Choose to trust while discerning to stay put when being led astray. Nothing good can ever come of turning yourself over to thugs hoping to survive by doing as they say.  Unfortunately, appearances do speak volumes; after all, we must acknowledge the value of personal safety above offending someone we do not know.  Toss the false idea of racism out the window and hold tightly to the reality of the danger that can snuff the out the light of your soul.  Just be careful out there.  Don't fear others; be aware of bad intentions and take first impressions seriously.

3.  I wanted the world to know that Mark has inspired me to bicycle tour.  I was introduced to road cycling by Mark's dad, my uncle, a few years ago.  Cycling has replaced running as my best form of exercise and recreation.  Although I had always wondered about long distance cycling rides, Mark's story has pushed me to give it a whirl since life is so short.  I want my experience of learning how to bike tour to help me learn about my cousin and to try to see the world in a more positive light rather than through a skeptic's lens.  Ultimately, as a way to honor Mark's legacy of living each day as an adventure and to spread the love of cycling.

Mark's story will not end.  I will carry it every day of my life.  I think about him often.  I think about his adventure in India sitting on the top of a train like the regular folk, who cling on to the rails hoping to reach their destination.  I ponder what it he must have thought about as he rode passed the many natural wonders of the world.  He actually rode a camel and saw the ancient pyramids of Egypt.  I will not accomplish all that he did, many of us won't, but if we can only have a taste and spread that flavor for adventure and shared experiences, it may be possible to make an even safer world.

I will see you on the road.

Central New York on a Bicycle

I have started reading this book, Around the World on a Bicycle.  The author, Thomas Stevens wrote a few pages regarding his brief ride through central New York that I wanted to publish on the blog because I found it rather cool that he included our region, not only as part of his "most excellent" journey, but as part of his book.

Although Tom Stevens made his bike tour over a hundred years ago, his ride is a testimony that bike touring can be done by anyone.  His bicycle was not a Surly LHT.  He did not wear special clothing nor did he travel with lightweight gear.  All he had were his wits, a few essentials, and the kindness of strangers who he met along the road.  Mountain passes, dirt and stone, or grass was where the rubber tires of his two wheeler rolled upon.  Without a doubt, his record, in volume one, of his journey from the Pacific to the Atlantic is inspiring.  I have read up to his arrival in Massachusetts.  I love it so far.  Its more than just a journal. Its a story of perseverance; its a discussion of a nations culture and its varied peoples.  The concept of diversity today is nothing as it ought to be. Political correctness and the false idea that differences of  opinion and differences in preference as being a blight on America has created an atmosphere of forced similarity (actually a forced denial of reality and truth) and declarations of racism at the slightest comment concerning stereotypes and conversations of American Society.

Thomas Stevens book, Around the World on a Bicycle is free of our modern sensitivities of national differences.  Its a fun, simple read of interactions among people from coast to coast.  I am looking forward for the rest of the story.  So, below is an excerpt concerning his ride through Central New York.

"...Inquiring the best road to Geneva I am advised of the superiority of the one leading passed the poor-house.  Finding them somewhat intricate, and being too super-sensitive to stop people and ask them the road to the poor-house, I deservedly get lost, and am wandering erratically eastward through the darkness, when I fortunately meet a wheelman in a buggy, who directs me to his mother's farm-house near by, with instructions to that most excellent lady to accommodate me for the night.  Nine o'clock in the morning I reach fair Geneva, so beautifully situated on Seneca's silvery lake, passing the State agricultural farm en route; continuing on up the Seneca River, passing through Waterloo and Seneca Falls to Cayuga, and from thence to Auburn and Skaneateles, where I heave a sigh at the thoughts of leaving the last- I cannot say the loveliest, for all are equally lovely-- of that beautiful chain of lakes that transforms this part of New York State into a vast and delightful summer resort.
" 'Down a romantic Swiss glen, where scores of sylvan nooks and rippling hills invite one to cast about for fairies and sprites,' " is the word descriptive of my route from Marcellus next morning.  Once again, on nearing Camillus outlet from the narrow vale, I hear the sound of Sunday bells, and after the church-bell-less Western wilds,it seems to me that their notes have visited me amid beautiful scenes, strangely often of late.  Arriving at Camillus, I ask the name of the sparkling little stream that dances along this fairy glen like a child at play, absorbing the sun-rays and coquettishly reflecting them in the faces of the venerable oaks that bend over it like loving guardians protecting it from evil.  My ears are prepared to hear a musical Indian name-- "Laughing-Waters" at least; but, like a week's washing ruthlessly intruding upon love's young dream, falls on my waiting ears the unpoetic misnomer, "Nine-Mile Creek."  Over good roads to Syracuse, and from thence my route leads down the Erie Canal, alternately riding down the canal tow-path, the wagon-roads, and between the tracks of the New York Central Railway.  On the former, the greatest drawback to peaceful cycling is the towing-mule and his unwarrantable animosity toward the bicycle, and the awful, unmentionable profanity engendered thereby in utterances of the boatmen.  Sometimes the burden of this sulphurous profanity is aimed at me, sometimes at the inoffensive bicycle, or both of us collectively but oftener is it directed at the unspeakable mule, who is really the only party to blame.  A mule scares, not because he feels skittishly inclined to turn back, or to make trouble between his enemies-- the boatmen, his task master, and the cycler, an intruder on his exclusive domain, the Erie tow-path.  A span of mules will pretend to scare, whirl around, and jerk loose from the driver, and go "scooting" back down the tow-path in a manner indicating that nothing less than a stone wall would stop them; but, exactly in the nick of time to prevent the tow-line jerking them sidewise into the canal, they stop.  Trust a mule for never losing his head when he runs away, as does his hot-headed relative, the horse; who never once allows surrounding circumstances to occupy his thoughts to an extent detrimental to his own self-preservative interests.  The Erie Canal mule's first mission in life is to engender profanity and strife between boatmen and cyclists, and the second is to work and chew hay, which brings him out about even with the world all round.  At Rome I enter the famous and beautiful Mohawk Valley, a place long looked forward to with much pleasurable anticipation, from having heard so often of its natural beauties and its interesting historical associations.  " 'It's the garden spot of the world; and travellers who have been all over Europe and everywhere, say there's nothing in the world to equal the quiet landscape beauty of the Mohawk Valley," enthusiastically remarks an old gentleman in spectacles, whom I chance to encounter on the heights east of Herkimer.  Of the first assertion I have nothing to say, having passed through a dozen"garden spots of the world" on tour across America; but there is no gainsaying the fact that the Mohawk Valley, as viewed from this vantage spot, is wonderfully beautiful.  I think it must have been on this spot that the poet received inspiration to compose the beautiful song that is sung alike in the quiet homes of the valley itself and in the trapper's and hunter's tent on the far off Yellowstone-- "Fair is the vale where the Mohawk gently glides, on its clear, shining way to the sea."  The valley is one of the natural gateways of commerce, for, at Little Falls-- where it contracts to a mere pass between the hills-- one can almost throw a stone across six railway tracks, the Erie Canal and the Mohawk River..."

There it is.  A short excerpt from Thomas Stevens Around the World on a Bicycle.  The writing is not spectacular and the sentence structure is not perfect, but it communicates a nice tale of a man's trek across country, in this case CNY.  I hope this excerpt may provide a glimpse of motvation to step outside your home and begin a personal journey in your neighborhood.  Run, walk, or ride.  I can't wait to start my journey along the Erie Canal and then the Adirondacks State Park.  Riding my Surly LHT around the state, maybe the USA one day.  You never know where curiosity may guide you, but you will never know until you take that first giant step.

See you on the road.

Winter Cycling

I love running in the snow, but cycling can be just as much fun... slipping, sliding, and reason to get some new gear.

Be safe out there and wait for the snow to stop and the roads to be clear.

Til then, run or spin. See you on the road.

Highlights from the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route

Rear Rack and Vaude Panniers

I slowly woke up this morning and anticipated receiving my rear bicycle rack and panniers today; I was not sure when they may arrive, but I knew they come since the tracker said so. 

Guess what?

They came about 30 minutes after I crawled out of bed.  Yes!

Upon opening the box, I noticed one problem, the panniers were blue, not black as I thought I had ordered.  Not a big deal since I like the blue.  I will stick with the blue.

I digress.  As you can see above, I installed my Tubus Cargo EVO rear rack.  Although I am not much of an installation guy and usually cannot make heads or tails of manual instructions.  This rack was simple to install, however.  The instructions were lame, but the diagram helped.

I needed an allen wrench and a screwdriver head shaped like the Star of David.  The allen wrench turned the brazon bolts on the Surly while the "Star of David" screwdriver turned the bolts supplied by Tubus.  All in all, a simple process with few hiccups.

The rear rack, as you can see, fits perfect. It looks great. It can carry up to 88 pounds.  My Surly LHT is coming along.  Now the Vaude Panniers...

Wow!  Look at those panniers.  I decided to purchase the Vaude rear panniers because the reviews were as good as Ortleib, and the cost was slightly less.  Like the Ortleib panniers, these are rollers and 100% waterproof.  These are 48 liters vs. 40 liters with the Ortleib rear panniers. I wanted to spend less money and attempt to tour this spring without front panniers so going to the 48 liter size may accommodate that plan.

The Vaude rear roll top panniers, aside from being waterproof, offer two inner pockets that I thought may help organize the smaller items I place in my bags rather than having them lay willy-nilly on top or on bottom of the panniers.  I like the roll top design which I think will make overloading these panniers easier since there is not a lid to pull over a FULL bag.  There is also a small cord that allows for the pannier to be locked to the bicycle.  I t may be easy to cut, but it offers some piece of mind knowing the crook wold need to have a wire cutter to take them.  I also like the design of strap locks on the side to anchor the roll enclosure and the over the top strap lock to assure a secure roll top seal.  Its very clean.

The panniers also come with a detachable shoulder strap.  A nice convenience for carrying the bags when necessary, but they will be stored in the pannier inside pockets.

The bar grabs that are activated by the bag handles clip on easily.  The bottom of the bag has a clip which adjusts on a circular track to attach and secure the pannier to the bottom of the bicycle rack.  I found this clip needed some force, after loosening the screw, to make the adjustment for a secure fit t the rack lower tube. Now that it is adjusted and attached, its not an issue any longer.

I am looking forward to gong for that first trip along the Erie Canal.  My thoughts are to camp at Delta Lake State Park in Rome, NY.  Not too far from home.  Stay in a one or two person tent and cook on a Trangia stove and return home next day.  There are many sights to see along the way following the original canal path.  Each piece of gear gets me closer to my ultimate goal of riding to Fayetteville, NC.  Well, I will keep you all posted as to my plans and outfitting.  Til then, I will see you on the road.

A Rainy and Windy Ride to get Some Fenders

Well, Monday has arrived.  It was an exciting day.  The air was warm and the sky was blue.  A few clouds floated in the sky; some white, and some not so white. The only question was, how long would it last?  Would the rain hold off?  Could the sun shine another hour?  Could I get home in time to climb aboard my Surly LHT to make a dash for The Bikery?  I needed to get those Cascadia fenders installed. The installation of the fenders is the next step of preparation for a finished touring bicycle.

I made it home and things started to become ominous.  The air grew just a bit cooler, and the sky darkened.  I quickly changed my cloths and climbed aboard my LHT and started for The Bikery.  Just as I hit route 31, the wind blew strong.  My bike was pushed back and forth while the head wind held me back.  I pedaled on regardless.  I wanted t get the fenders.  I rode up the hill passed the Budweiser Brewery and approached the car crowded village of Baldwinsville.  I was a bit scarred.  The wet roads, traffic, and overly cautious drivers always make me nervous.  As soon as i was able, I turned off of route 31 and headed for the high school.  This slight deviation would give me an opportunity to add distance to my ride and get me to the main intersection with less cars buzzing by.  It ended up being a nice detour because I could listen to the Baldwinsville Marching Band practice for the Macy's Thanksgiving parade.  As a matter of fact, as I approached the band  riding down the school driveway, I was forced into a patch of muddy, wet grass.  The first adversity for the Surly to overcome; the surly did an awesome job cutting through the muck and returning me to pavement.

Well as I reached the intersection, the sky opened up and poured rain from Syracuse St all the way to The Bikery.  I was soaked.  Even my wind breaker soaked through.  I was cold from head to toe.  Yet, I made my destination.  Without fenders, the ride was wet and dirty.  The back of my jacket was mud splattered.  The chain and cranks were mud splattered.  My cycling shoes were a mess.

I made it and gave the Surly LHT to Mark, who proceeded to install the fenders.It took about 20 or 30 minutes.  Once installed, I climbed back aboard the bike and headed home, the long way since the rain stopped and the sun was out.

I cruised down Canton Street and turned just beyond the supermarket toward the Riverside Cemetery and the Erie Canal Lock.  I followed the canal around St. Mary's and turned back onto Syracuse Street which I followed back to Smokey Hollow and home.  It was a nice ride, almost 18 miles.  Now the surly has fenders and looks more like a touring bike.  Soon, I will order he rear rack and panniers.  I can't wait.

Til then, I will see you on the road.

My Surly Long Haul Trucker

Today was an exciting day.  I finally went to The Bikery in Baldwinsville and picked up my Surly LHT.  Mark, unfortunately had to order the fenders since the fenders in the store did not fit properly.  But, I did get to ride this gem of a touring bicycle home after Mark installed clipless SPD pedals.

As you can see, its a green LHT.  No other store had this green available since it is an out of stock color; i believe its a 2012 model.  The 2014s have a cappuccino light brownish/white color or you could get black, which was sharp to, but not exactly what I wanted.

The good news is that I was able to pay cash rather than using a credit card or financing as a coupleTubus rear rack and Ortlieb rear panniers.

of other stores wanted me to do. So, on Monday I will ride back, have the fenders installed.  On Friday, I will order a

Each week pay check through the winter, I will add another piece to the bike or an item necessary for my first bike tour which I plan on taking in the early spring of 2015; a simple overnight tour, s24o.   My first tour is in the early planning stages, but it will be an Erie Canal ride.  I will head east from Syracuse and head toward Rome.  Not sure how far I want to go or wear I will camp, but I am excited.

Well, I shall post more as I collect more items for the LHT and for touring.  Until then, I will see you on the road. 

What is BikePacking? From BikePacking.US

This is what I plan to do.  From running to road cycling and bicycle touring.  This video explains what bicycle touring is.  I have my bicycle and fenders are being installed.  Soon it will have its rear racks and panniers.  I can't wait.

See you on the road.

My Longest Ride to Date Outside

This morning I woke up tired.  I was just dead to the world.  My wife, Pamela had gotten up, got the kids together, and picked up her sister from the airport and went to breakfast while leaving me alone.  I took that as the time to finally roll out of bed, toss on a few layers of clothes and hit the road for a ride on my Caad 8.

I checked the temperature n my ph which displayed 39 degrees.  I selected a tight fitting base layer that had some insulation, followed by a half zip under armour jacket followed by a short sleeve cycling jersey which I used to keep a face mask in case the temp dropped any lower while riding. a bright yellow windbreaker/rain garment was the last item to cover my upper body.  The lower back zipper pocket held my wallet and a spare set of keys.  I wore running gloves on my hands and a NY Mets ear warmer beneath my cycling helmet.  I was (in the words of Larry David) "pretty, pretty, pretty," warm.

Well, I rode out of Radisson and headed into the village of Baldwinsville and down Budweiser Highway to Route 370 and made my way to Onondaga Lake Park.  I love riding in the park because its simple, one yo arrive.  There are no cars; the pavement is smooth.  The only things to lookout for are leashes and dogs.  The walkers (not the walking dead kind) don't realize that allowing their pets to roam on a fully extended leash wrecks havoc on us cyclists who are not always expecting a cord extending across the path.  I smoothly rode from the dog park passed the boathouse to the Wegmans playground and started my journey into the village of Liverpool across Tulip and up Morgan Rd when my left big toe started to get cold.

When wearing cycling shoes, you cannot move your toes very well.  Keeping your feet warm must come from extra insulation or cover.  I wiggled my toes as much as I could, but it did nothing to generate the required circulation to make my little piggies warm or, at least, warmer.  I knew by the time this ride ended, I would be driving to the bike shop for a few items.  The priority would be some shoe cover to keep my tootsies from freezing.  I also bought a cap to wear under my helmet to keep my head and ears warm, and a chain cleaner to remove the gunk and extend its life as I increase my riding in the cooler weather.

Bottom line, I rode 28.25 miles this morning.  Burned 1,382 calories.  Bought some new gear.  All in all its was a great day.  I look forward to my first winter riding as weather permits.  Next Friday I will be picking up my Surly LHT for bike touring.  I am very excited and I will take picks and write a tale or two about my Surly as I start adding touring components.  Until then, I will see you on the road.

From Running To Cycling

I have not run in over a month.  My body just aches way too much after a run, especially the morning after a run.  The only thing I needed to figure out was how to lose and maintain weight while cycling since I have always had trouble keeping weight off whenever I tried transitioning to the bike.

This latest transition began while meandering around Barnes and Noble.  I looked at novels and classic literature (which I always love to read) and found myself on the sports isle seeing what may catch my eye.  Boom, there it was a book on cycling... Bike Your Butt Off.  I grabbed it and started to read the first few pages; it was very simple to read. It made sense. The price was right. I bought it.

It is definitely a beginners guide. Although I am not new to biking, it was nice to know that there are cyclists who know less than you.  The book talked about cycling shorts with the butt padding. I learned I was still a newbie in this area because I wore them like a newbie, with underwear.  Now I know that no underwear is best for cycling in these tight fitting shorts and has made my riding significantly more comfortable.

The book reviewed basic riding skills. Warm ups, exercises, braking, and maneuvering (turning, avoiding cars, and anticipating slowing down and how to stop quickly if necessary).

The most important items Bike Your Butt Off led me to is an app called My Fitness Pal and a heart rate monitor.  I do not believe that an inanimate objects can provide motivation. The objects don't generate action. The action must come from you, on the inside to get up and move.  However, with that being said, if it weren't for My Fitness Pal and the Polar heart rate monitor, I would have had no idea how to lose weight while cycling.

I set up my profile and created a goal weight in My Fitness Pal (I wanted to lose at least ten pounds) and followed the daily calorie count I should eat each day.  The heart rate monitor allowed me to rude and know his many calories I burned after each ride.  Those calories I burned cycling could then be added in so I could eat a little mire. I lost ten pounds in four weeks and two more a week later after reaching my goal.  So 12 pounds. I am sold. Knowing what you can eat and how much your activity burns is crucial.

I am not perfect. I slip often, especially since I hit  beyond my goal weight.  But that is ok. If you don't eat the fun food (for me that is ice cream and chocolate chips ahoy) you go nuts.  I have returned to wearing my rough style khakis and my favorite pair of jeans.  I am a happy camper.  The new suits I purchased for my son's wedding in China are loose.  Ahh, comfortable at last.  The time has come to hit the weights and build some muscle.

This blog is still about running around Syracuse, but running on a bicycle.  I enjoy riding my bike.  On nice days I hop on my Caad 8 road bike, and on cold rainy days, I spin while watching television. Unfortunately, the spin bike is broke.  The computer went bad and is awaiting a replacement.  Soo, I will be ready for winter riding indoors.

My next post will be about cycling and my research on bike touring which I hope to begin doing in the spring.  Until then, I will see you on the road.

The Road Less Travelled

Wow, its been quite a while since my last post.  Life over the past few years has gotten in the way, as it does for many of us.  I have been finding time to run, but not as often nor as long as I had before.  As a matter of fact, I have only run in one race in the past two years, the Mountain Goat in 2014.  I trained three days a week, by running short (4 or 5 miles) twice a week and once long (6+).  I pre ran the Mountain Goat course twice to find a comfortable pace.  I needed to know that I could finish without being in pain, which leads me to this post.

I have decided to reduce my running even more.  Although I was able to complete the Mountain Goat race feeling well, the pain of running is becoming unbearable for me to run without several days in between each run, no matter how short or slow I run.

I ran two days while in Myrtle Beach.  It was an awesome feeling running barefoot along the ocean for 4 or 5 miles.  The sun was warm. The sand was cool under my feet as the waves rolled in then out and provided the necessary splash to cool my body.  I walked on the two days I didn't run.  Unfortunately, I cannot run the beach in Syracuse, NY; there isn't a beach worthy of running.  The forgiveness of the sand allowed my body, my knees and back, to feel less of an impact although my feet took a slight beating from the packed sand.  I developed a blister on two of my toes.

I will run.  I will always run.  However, my primary workouts will be cycling.  I can ride a road bike 5 or 6 days every week and feel significantly less pain in my muscles and joints.  The only drawback to cycling is that I must go further and use more of my time, and time is in short supply these days.  I shall do my best.

I purchased better cycling shoes and a supply bag to carry some CO2 cartridges and a spare tube with a few tools I may need on the road if something happens... Oh yeah, something did happen.  The reason why I had to get those items and why I never really cycled more in the past.  After planning my ride, I left the driveway and started for OLP; I really wanted to get some miles in and check out the new trail.  My trip was short, thank goodness.  My tire blew out a mile and a half in.  I ended up walking home in my socks because you cannot walk in cycling shoes.  I did run the last half mile when I finally hit smooth pavement (no rocks or stones on the street).  It really sucked, but it is a story for the ages and a lesson learned.  Be prepared and choose your roads more wisely, straight, smooth roads make for an enjoyable, safe ride.

Yesterday's ride was perfect.  I drove to the OLP and rode 16.5 miles.  I rode each side of the lake.  The new trial is beautiful. Its shady, its close to the lake. Its straight, but not flat.  The trail rises as you ride closer to the Fairgrounds.  The views from the several rest ares along the trail are spectacular.  The lake and the city are breathtaking.  However, while riding you must be aware of the others who are on the trail.  There are many walkers (not zombies), runners, and children on bicycles.  Its necessary to watch your speed, especially riding around a curve in the trail when your cannot see what may be in front of you.  Its very important to tel the walkers and runners, and the small children< that you are approaching.  Tell them, "I'm on your right." or "I'm on your left."  It will make for a safer ride for all who want to take advantage of this new trail.

One more annoying thing about cycling the OLP, you must walk your bike over the one lane bridge.  I found this annoying.  Getting off the bike stops my groove and forces me to walk, which as I said earlier, walking in cycling shoes is not a good idea.  I rode over the first time since no one else was on the bridge, and I walked over the second time because there were several people walking over in the opposite direction and the fit would have been to tight.

So, run bike or walk.  Have fun out there.  Get some exercise and eat well to be well.  And maybe, just maybe, I will see you on the road.