[/caption]Beautiful weather was the main story this weekend. Perfect June weather, temperatures in the 70s and 80s. That's the kind of weather that makes everybody want to head for the Madison County Transit trails system and ride and walk and jog.
Traffic was heavy on the trails both days. On Saturday I rode with my wife, CJ, and we did a little less than 20 miles around Edwardsville and Glen Carbon. We were on our mountain bikes, and rode slowly and tried our best to be careful and stay out of harm's way. But I did end up with some road rash when I slowed down inside a tunnel to let a walker with her dog get clear, only to be passed by another rider. I was pretty startled and reacted by running into the right side wall in the tunnel. My pride was more hurt than my arm, but I did get scraped up and bruised a bit.
I'm glad the tunnels are there. I've cheered every time a new one opened and I could avoid traffic crossings. But I always cringe at riders who tear through them at regular trail speeds and pass.
Part of my problem with the tunnels is that I suffer from a bit of night blindness. Especially with sunglasses, when I enter a tunnel I don't adust to the reduced light very quickly. So my rule is to take it slow and easy, and I generally don't pass.
So I'm going to have to keep in mind that there are a lot more people out there, and a lot more situations are going to arise during nice weather than on the crappier days. Maybe it's time for me to do some road riding instead.
On Sunday I took the Fantom Cross bike out and decided to tackle that same tunnel first thing. It was a little overcast, and I didn't wear sunglasses. I didn't have any problems, and I had a pretty good ride overall. I'm going to have to look for a good pair of modular riding glasses that allow prescription inserts.
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"All hail, here comes forth the young princes in the double jog stroller. Behold them as the light reflects fairly from the royal crowns upon their royal heads! To one side, commoners! The royal couple require most of the trail, on both sides, to go forth and display the royal personages. Smile gladly and yield!"
Then look as a 20-something speedster dashes forward, colliding with the jog stroller hanging over the center line and tears the young princes asunder (ooh, my phrase for the day). Oh well, they'll make more young princes when they run out of these.
* * *
Phew! Just had to get that out of my system. With the good weather has come the people who don't honor the center line. Mostly cyclists riding two-up who don't move when they meet you. And yes, the jog stroller-ing family I met on Sunday who wouldn't get over. Biggest head-slapper to me is the mother with tiny cyclists on training wheels who walk 40 feet behind their kids. I had one youngster with his head straight down riding right across the line at me. I was only going about 3 mph trying to avoid him, but even missing him at that speed was tricky. It was like watching a squirrel head one way, then the other, then back again. The mother smiled and managed a weak "honey, watch out…"
Yes, watch out indeed. Lest the young prince be torn asunder.
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