Kalamazoo Rides

Spent the weekend in Kalamazoo visiting family and managed to get out on two great rides. Saturday afternoon Dad, Joel, and I got in 20 miles on a great loop around comstock and galesburg. Kept a strong 17mph pace in spite of the wind and the hills. Riding conditions were ideal with temps that had to be in the upper 60s and roads that were clear and smooth. Sunday Dad and I rode another 20 miles in even warmer weather. Took a loop I've never ridden in Kalamazoo and had a lot of fun. A strong south wind made riding the flats almost more difficult than climbing any of the hills. The pace was slightly slower due to the wind but also due to a brief exploration we made. Found a small neighborhood area tucked away in the galesburg area that is made up entirely of Frank Lloyd Wright homes. I did some quick internet research on the subject of Frank Lloyd Wright homes in Galesburg and found some cool information. It seems that in 1947 a group of Upjohn scientists got together and wanted to create a community of inexpensive homes that could be simply constructed. Eric Pratt bought 72 acres of land at $65 an acre and commissioned Frank Lloyd Wright to design four homes. These homes can be seen here, although the pictures are not great. Several of the houses looked abandoned and in desperate need of repair which made it somewhat of a sad sight but just being able to see the architecture in person was so cool. Good riding and a great weekend. 1934 miles to the top of the hill.

Quick ride around O'brien loop

Got out yesterday for a very quick ride knocking down only 11 miles but carrying a solid 17mph average despite my poor conditioning. Roads are pretty much dry now so I should be able to get out much more frequently. I'm also trying to change my diet and eating routine to better my situation on the bike. Winter was cruel to me and I was cruel to my body so it is going to take some time this spring to get back down to fighting weight. As for now, only 1974 miles to the top of the hill.

First O'brien Ride of 2007

Got out on this beautiful Tuesday for a 15 mile ride around the O'Brien loop. Temperature was in the mid-forties with a strong breeze out of the northwest. Road conditions were less than ideal with lots of annoying pot holes, gravel, standing water, and the occasional snowy patch on the sidewalks and bike path but nothing that couldn't be avoided. Felt pretty good on the hills, practically floated up the first hill I felt so good but really started hurting towards the end of the ride. It will take some time for me to get back into last season's form. Goal of the season is 2000 miles and I've already knocked off 15 although when you think about it, I'm only going to the top of the hill. [1985]