Two Wheel Blogs

Route: Marine Loop
Times: 1:51.21
Miles: 32.35
Pace: 17.4 mph

Riding Tunes: Thanks to a malfunctioning iPod,, nothing but the sound of the wind blowing past my ears (some would say "through"). And I was all set to pedal to the hypnotic grooves of the Afro-Celtic Sound System.

I was up early enough to get a ride in this morning, but decided against it. If I'd had coffee to get me started, maybe I would have. But I had ground my last bean the day before, so the first thing I did was ride downtown (on my hybrid) for a pound of Papa New Guineau from our fine local roasters, the Goshen Coffee company. I decided to let the day cool a little and ride later in the afternoon.

I only had two hours to ride, so that's an automatic decision: the Marine Loop. It was still hot when I set out at 5:30 p.m., but I didn't care. When I set my PR for this route (1:45), it was a cool, early morning ride. I had no intention of trying to break that time, not with temperatures in the 90s.

I really appreciated the shade that covered the Quercus Grove trail as I rode out of town. It would be the last I'd see for the next hour or so. While it was certainly hot, it was not oppressively so. As I approached the edge of Marine, barricades blocked the road and I could see firetrucks with their flashers going beyond them. "Severe accident?" I wondered. Then I saw the marching band. "Ah, parade!" Yes, I was riding into the middle of Marine's homecoming celebration. I took the side streets around the parade route, then stopped at the convenience store for a sports drink.

When I was ready to leave, a gap had opened between the firetrucks, which add already passed, and the marching band, which followed. They were both heading in the direction I needed to go, so I inserted myself in the gap. A few Marine residents watching from their front yards waved as I passed. I returned their waves, a 2-wheeled float, and headed out of town.

I tried to keep my pace up as much as I could for the second hour of the ride. I benefited from a couple stretches of shade along Lower Marine Road, though I could have done without the patches of fresh gravel at a number of places along the route -- usually at intersections. Not that I roll through turns like a criterion racer, but I do hate having to give up what little speed I've been able to build up.

I finished the ride in 1:51, and I was satisfied with that time. Again, I never intended to challenge my PR. I was hoping for about a 1:50, and this was close enough. Besides, if I hadn't had to dodge the parade, I would have gotten that minute back. That's it: blame it on the parade. How often do you get to use an excuse like that? It was totally the parade's fault.