Bicycle and Train Vacation?

This picture is of sunrise along the Katy Trail near Marthasville, Missouri. Mrs. Bicycle Bill and I are planning a vacation to Missouri for sometime in May that will include riding a train to St. Louis and riding about 100 miles along the the Katy Trail by bicycle. We'll stop at a different town about every 25 miles and stay the nights in a different Bed and Breakfast at each stop along the way.

The Katy Trail is an old railroad bed that was made into a trail for hiking and biking. Since it was an railroad bed it is relatively flat, and the surface is crushed limestone, so it should be relatively smooth. We won't be in any hurry from town to town along the trail, and there are a number of historic sites and other things to see and visit along the way.

The train trip is overnight, and with four days along the trail, we'll be gone for about a week. Why don't you dust off your old bike and come along?

ON TRACK, SO FAR!

Eight days into the new year and a there are a little over 86 miles on the bikes. I hoped to get a little further ahead this week with the weather about to turn really bad for a few days, but maybe I can bundle up enough to stay with the program.

Today I rode 20 miles on Tonto. It was a little chilly, but it is such a joy to ride this road bike after riding heavier bikes on the early morning rides and on the commute during the week. Tonto seems to not even notice the hills!

I have seen several people out walking this week on the early morning rides, and there were some out there this afternoon. Keep those new year resolutions going, my friends!

What I Should Have Done

I think I can be where I want to be if I can average about 10 miles a day on the bike. Today I rode Old Sam about 8 miles. I had to squeeze the ride in before the Cowboy game started...but as I sit here watching the game, I wish I had stayed on the bike longer. It looks like a pre-season game; though it is the final game of the year for the Cowboys. Philadelphia has many of their starters out of the game, protecting them for the playoffs, and Dallas is down to their third string quarterback due to injuries.

I should have known better...next time I'll just ride.

MY VERY FIRST BIKE RIDE...of the year!

I don't remember the first time I ever rode a bicycle. I do remember my sisters helping me learn, running along, holding on, turning loose, watching me fall, and helping me get up again. Eventually I kept pedalling away, and I "got it". Today was nothing like that, but the first ride of the new year is significant, because I set the odometers on all three bikes to "00000" to get a fresh start recording the miles for 2011.

I chose to ride my road bike "Tonto" today because it was cold with a north wind, and Tonto has lots of gears to make the riding easier. This is the bike I ride at rallies of 30 miles or more. Today I rode a little over 11 miles.



We (Tonto and I) paused after about 8 miles at the park at the end of Baldridge Street for a drink of water before making our way back home. From the picture you can see I had some extra clothing on today, ear muffs, fleece gloves, a wool jersey and a light windbreaker. The cold wind obviously dried out my skin, making me look older than my 55 years, deepening the wrinkles. Or perhaps I'm just getting old.

Nah!