I went out to Allamuchy yesterday and did the Road Scholar route. It was a beautiful day but cold, and windy, and snow squalls blew through at times. I was dressed for it though, and fairly comfortable.
While I was out there, I also did a bit of exploring on the new section of the Lehigh-Hudson rail-trail. We’ve been using the first completed section as an alternate return path for the past few Road Scholar rides, but this new section doesn’t seem to fit anywhere into our route — it connects the older part just at our access point, but goes the opposite direction for about a mile before rejoining the main road. Maybe in a few years, when they have more of the trail completed, we can incorporate more of it, but in the meantime I at least know where it goes.
New Bike: More Impressions
My first impressions of the new bike were that it’s seriously comfortable, and very stable, and though it feels fast when you sit on it, the more upright position (despite the drop bars), the extra weight of the rack and fenders, the easier gearing, and the wider tires all conspire to encourage a more sedate pace — the bike can move, but does not reward attempts at hammering the way my road bike would.
After another ride I have to say that the situation is more nuanced than that: the bike is fully capable of being cranked up to a good pace, and can hold that pace just fine, especially on flats and gently rolling terrain, and tucking into the drops is perfectly doable on the descents. Still, the bar-end shifters make rapid progressions through the gears a little difficult though, so there’s no speed-shifting through short steep rollers — most of the time you pick your gear and change it when you notice a need, and in the meantime the bike is just so comfortable anyway, that it feels great to just cruise along without pushing too hard, no race pace necessary, just enjoy the scenery…
Today is a fasting day, and it’s cold outside — blustery, more flurries — so today is also a computer-and-cello kind of day. (Last night was cello ensemble, and tomorrow is duets with Donna.) The racket continues outside as the gas company replaces all the lines in our neighborhood, but it looks like today may be their last day on our street. Lets hope so, they like to start earlier in the morning than I do.
