Ridin’
(Tentatively subtitled: On One Man’s Journey Through the Suburbs as it Relates to Hades)
As some of you may have noticed, I mentioned that I am going to try to get back in shape by riding a bicycle. So on Saturday, I took my bike out of the storage shed (it hissed at the daylight…) and brought it to get it tuned up at Rich’s. (Rich would have a link, but he’s too lazy to blog.) After an hour of tinkering and teaching, the bike was deemed temporarily road-worthy.
Sunday rolls around, and V and I are going separate ways to cover Father’s Day, so I decided in my finite wisdom that I should ride my bike from my place to my mom’s place in Warrenville. Now if you drive from Casa del K to the G Compound, it’s a little over 10 miles. But to bike there, along trails such as the Geneva Spur (see the map here ) might take me way out of my way.
And out of its way it did take me. I picked up the Geneva Spur on Kirk Road, right near IL-38 (Roosevelt) Keep in mind that I could SEE Roosevelt from where I decided to go east. I wound through several great parks and marsh areas, through the DuPage Airport, and next to Prairie Landing Golf Club. Now please remember, gentle readers, that I haven’t been on a bike in a year and change. I have no stamina. I’m tired 35 minutes into it, because that’s how long I usually am on the elliptical in the clubhouse. And, I don’t really know where I’m going, because I figured I would have to make it up as I went.
Back to the trail. I’ve been riding in relative solitude, down shifting whenever I’m tired, when all of a sudden I run back into normal civlization. What all the research fails to tell me is that a good chunk of the Geneva Spur goes through downtown West Chicago, including through back alleys and around firestations. It is not the prairie path that I am used to. Thankfully, someone spray painted blue arrows to show unprepared people like me where to go. I was also surprised to see the downtown of West Chicago, since I didn’t really know it existed. So, to be a man, I have to ride my bike, and not take a break, and not walk with it, even though I was tired. Very sleepy. After about 10 minutes of navigating through the downtown area, I made it to IL-59 and Main St. (who knew there was a Main St.?) I regained my stamina and continued on. The path continued to wind through the neighborhood, eventually spitting me back out onto the peaceful crushed limestone. (Thank you, blue arrows for getting me there!)
Since I didn’t know where I was really going, I wasn’t paying attention to the direction that the path was taking me. After about an hour of riding total, the path spit me out at Geneva Rd. and Winfield Rd., which is TWO MILES NORTH of where I started. (I MapQuested it.) Needless to say, I went way out of my way, and started biking through downtown Winfield. (all sidewalks) I gave in when I saw a big hill. My body was Very Angry with me, and told me in no uncertain terms that I’d better walk for a bit. The conversation went something like this:
Brain: We’re getting closer. Just get through downtown Winfield and we’ll be 3 miles from home.
Body: NO. Stop or I will kill us.
Legs: Ow ow ow ow ow ow ow
Brain: Should I lay down in the fetal position?
Body: You will never get up.
Legs: Ow ow ow ow ow ow
Brain: Ok, I’ll suck it up and lose face by walking my bike.
Body: Then I think we will live.
Legs: walking, walking, wal-King!
So I became the sally fat guy that I like to make fun of as I’m driving; The Guy Who Had to Walk His Bike to Recuperate.
Finally, I got to Winfield and Roosevelt, and got back on my bike. I was determined to finish the last 2 and change miles with my butt in the saddle.
It hurts to get back in the saddle.
Somehow, someway, I made it. Once I got to Butterfield and Winfield, it was easy. The last mile took me maybe 5 minutes, because I knew I was in the home stretch. (Also, possibly because it slants ever so gently downhill, the whole way.)
Things to do next time:
Carry water with me.
Don’t bring giant backpack.
Know where I’m going better.
Overall, it was worth it, but I need to be better prepared, and have a more direct plan. This made me think…
My great idea for the month:
There needs to be a website that can create directions for bike trails. It would incorporate forest preserve, city, and county trails, and keep people on trails or rideable sidewalks. I think I figured out a better way to get there next time, but there should be a BikeQuest.com to plan it for me.
Either way, it was good to ride again, even if I did have to be a sally in the middle. I went by three public libraries. (West Chicago, Winfield, and Warrenville) My legs aren’t sore today, for some very odd reason. Now if I could just shave a mile or two off of the 17 plus miles that I did, we’d be in good shape.
Back to The Plan today. 
Filed under: General, Exploring