After getting back from San Diego last Saturday, and spending Sunday with my wife’s mom for Mother’s Day, I was finally able to get back on my own beloved bike, and get in some miles this week:

  • Monday I did 25 miles, heading up to 151st, west to Gardner Road, south to 199th, then back home. It was a rather fast ride (15 MPH), even with some significant wind and heat (lower 80′s). I hadn’t really intended to go quite that far, but felt good, so I just kept on going.

  • Tuesday it rained, so I stayed home.

  • Wednesday was much cooler (around 70), and I took off in the early afternoon, intending to do about 35 miles. But once out, the days was very pleasant, the wind was mild, and I felt strong, so it turned into a 50-mile ride, my longest of the year so far. I headed south through Spring Hill, then west on 223rd, crossing over the northwest tip of Hillsdale lake where I took the picture below. I then headed north to Edgerton, and there I had the option of either going straight home, or taking a longer route. I opted for the long route, riding north on Edgerton Road to 143rd, then working my way back east, skirting the north edge of Gardner Lake and New Century Air Center, before finally riding the last leg east on 175th. By the end, I was feeling some fatique, but still felt good, and finished strong.

    The Django at Hillsdale Lake
    The Django at Hillsdale Lake

  • Thursday was a 29-miler east on 175th to Metcalf, then south to the convenience store at 199th street, then among the expensive homes and horse farms on Mission Road before I headed back home. As I was turning from Mission Road left onto 191st, a car was coming to a stop on 191st, preparing to turn left onto Mission. As I started my turn, the car pulled out in front of me. I was able to stop in time to avoid getting hit or hitting the car, but if I’d been going faster or paying less attention, it would have been a different story. The young man driving the car seemed like he didn’t even see me until he was midway through his turn, registering a surprised look and then squealing his tires as he sped off. This was a bit of a head-scratcher, as I don’t know how he could have avoided seeing me – I was on an open road, wearing a bright yellow jersey, riding an unusual bike, and had signaled my turn well in advance of the intersection. All in all it was no harm, no foul, but it was another reminder that cyclists always need to ride defensively and not assume anything.

  • Friday I did some investigation into the road closures on 199th street. First I kept riding past the detour signs on Ridgeview Road and continued south to 199th. That intersection is entirely tore up down to bare dirt. It looks like they’re widening the road and improving the intersection in from of the new Spring Hill High School that’s currently being built. I’m not sure of the timetable for this road, but it looks nowhere near completion. I suspect it’ll be done by late summer, as the new schools’ scheduled to open this fall.

    After backtracking, I headed east on 191st, then back south on Lackman to 199th. At this point the road going east is also marked as closed. I didn’t know exactly where the construction was taking place, so I decided to check it out. The road is closed at Antioch, four miles down the road, and once again it’s entirely torn up. I couldn’t get close enough to see what they were doing, but it looks like it’ll be closed for awhile.

    Road Closed at 199th and Antioch
    Road Closed at 199th and Antioch

After 130 miles and about 9 hours riding this week, I have been visited once again by an old adversary. I’m feeling some pain under my right kneecap. This is the same problem I encountered last year on the Biking Across Kansas tour. After the tour I had gone to the doctor and then physical therapist, and had been given some exercises to do to try to strengthen the muscles around my knees. I’d done them for awhile, then tailed off after experiencing no more pain. Looks like I need to start ‘em up again.

This knee pain problem is something I need to figure out before embarking on a really long tour. It doesn’t stop me from riding, but it sure can suck the fun right out of it.

Currently, the pain’s not bad, but I’ll need to start my exercises again, and hopefully get this strengthened before my Katy Trail ride in June.