Bicycle riding

[JVShocker]

No miles. Sucks to have to work late. Like come home eat dinner and then go back to work till 9pm work late. I plan for 5 days on and 2 resting each week, so this is one of my rests. Tomorrow is a fast ride day. I'll try and get a few late evening pics.

[MadDog]

No riding for me today, but saw something good! Construction on the Redbud has extended pavement from 159th clear to 143rd. That means they’ve added the last quarter mile this week. Yea!

Prairie Spirit trail tomorrow and plan to try out that new Redbud pavement Sunday.

[JVShocker]

No riding for me today, but saw something good! Construction on the Redbud has extended pavement from 159th clear to 143rd. That means they’ve added the last quarter mile this week. Yea!

Prairie Spirit trail tomorrow and plan to try out that new Redbud pavement Sunday.

And the bridge? Any progress at all on the bridge between 127 and 143? Any at all, please....throw me a bone....

[MoValley John]

I'm doing 25 or so after dusk. Hotter than a ***** in church here. Doing the downtown loop and up towards the airport. Worked out at 9 AM. Arms. Should effect the ride.

[WstateU]

I'm doing 25 or so after dusk. Hotter than a ***** in church here.

That reminds me of the “Is that Nookie Green?” joke...

[MadDog]

Ok JV, but there ain’t much meat on these bones...

So I drove down 127th and looked back to the west. Still a lot of heavy equipment between 127th and K96. It did look like they added some limestone to the path base. But no, not a lot of progress seen from my quick drive by.

Last Sunday I rode down to look at the big bridge between 127th and 143rd. It looks like they had one big pillar poured. That was it. Still looks months away to me.

it’s going to be great when it’s done though!

[MoValley John]

21 miles tonight. Rode from the North to downtown and across to Council Bluffs then back. First time I ever tried this path. It was 95° when we started with a headwind, so we kept to about 11-12, MPH. A little faster on the ride back but we were unfamiliar with the trail and kept a rather leisurely pace. It was a surprisingly fun ride. Screenshot_20200827-213838_MapMyRide.jpgScreenshot_20200827-213900_MapMyRide.jpg

[JVShocker]

Great ride tonight. Fast and furious at first and then nice and relaxed the last 45 minutes. 2 hrs 10 min. 27.5 miles. Some pics:

1: sunset looking west near Armour Bike Path and Redbud trail



Further out, they have done a little work. Looks like they have forms on one side of the 96 pth at redbud.



But there are many bridges left to work on, so it will still be a bit.





Beautiful newly paved section of trail as maddog was talking about, full mile now between 143 and 159. Fun and fast stuff.



The "spillway" or falls at Wilson Estates at night. No wind, quiet and peaceful. Still lots of diners at one Bradley Fair place on the patio.




And finally, the most important photo: a screenshot of next week forecast.



If we don't get these temps Saturday thru Thursday, is there any way to get a refund?

(appropriate photo attached, anyone recognize it?)

[MadDog]

Nice pictures JV. Thanks for posting! I do have a question for you. That first bridge picture, where is that? I recognize the 2nd bridge picture as as the bridge between 127th and 143rd, but not sure where you took the first one.

[MadDog]

34 miles for me today. Rode the Prairie Sunset trail from Hoover road to Garden Plain and back. Very enjoyable. Got everything wrapped up before it got too hot.

Now a question for you guys that do a lot of your own maintenance. When I got my new bike back home after this mornings ride my front tire was flat, as in blew out the inner tube flat. It certainly wasn’t flat when I was riding, nor when I loaded it in the truck, but totally flat when I got home.

I pumped it back up to 40 psi and it seems to be holding air. I’ll see what it looks like in the morning. Anyone have an idea what happened? Do you think it’s safe to ride on, or is it a blowout waiting to happen? Thanks!

[MoValley John]

34 miles for me today. Rode the Prairie Sunset trail from Hoover road to Garden Plain and back. Very enjoyable. Got everything wrapped up before it got too hot.

Now a question for you guys that do a lot of your own maintenance. When I got my new bike back home after this mornings ride my front tire was flat, as in blew out the inner tube flat. It certainly wasn’t flat when I was riding, nor when I loaded it in the truck, but totally flat when I got home.

I pumped it back up to 40 psi and it seems to be holding air. I’ll see what it looks like in the morning. Anyone have an idea what happened? Do you think it’s safe to ride on, or is it a blowout waiting to happen? Thanks!

It could be anything. I would pull the tube, check for a leak and inspect the tire to make sure there aren't any protruding nails, glass or thorns in it. With Presta valves, I would also check to be sure that they are closed all the way. It only takes a few minutes and can save you a big heartache.

It is also a good opportunity to highlight the importance of having the ability to fix a flat anywhere. I carry a small bag behind my seat. It contains Allen wrenches, patches, rubber cement, tire levers, a spare tube and three CO2 charges. I can fix any flat anywhere in five minutes. I run tubeless, but once destroyed a sidewall. Had I had a tube with my kit, I could have made it home. Now, even running tubeless, I always carry a tube just in case.

[MadDog]

Good thoughts MVJ. Thanks!

[JVShocker]

Nice pictures JV. Thanks for posting! I do have a question for you. That first bridge picture, where is that? I recognize the 2nd bridge picture as as the bridge between 127th and 143rd, but not sure where you took the first one.

There are (I think) three "bridges" between K96 and 127 on the redbud. Let's just say they still have a lot of work to do One bridge appears complete, the other two not so much. I could have posted pics of all 3 but it might have gotten confusing. It did seem like the "gravel" sections on much of it (dirt?) had recently been scraped of a lot of debris. Less gravel, harder surface, but the surface was fairly wavy in places. It was kind of tricky in the pitch black night, some places I had to slow down, I know (gasp!). Tomorrow and Sunday should be fun relaxing rides, but still carry distance (with wife in tow).

[JVShocker]

It could be anything. I would pull the tube, check for a leak and inspect the tire to make sure there aren't any protruding nails, glass or thorns in it. With Presta valves, I would also check to be sure that they are closed all the way. It only takes a few minutes and can save you a big heartache.

It is also a good opportunity to highlight the importance of having the ability to fix a flat anywhere. I carry a small bag behind my seat. It contains Allen wrenches, patches, rubber cement, tire levers, a spare tube and three CO2 charges. I can fix any flat anywhere in five minutes. I run tubeless, but once destroyed a sidewall. Had I had a tube with my kit, I could have made it home. Now, even running tubeless, I always carry a tube just in case.

Could be a valve stem? I carry everything with me on my rides, even loose wire to tie things down in emergency. Once saw a guy using heavy bladed grass to give his worn tires some extra ooomph so the tube would still be protected. On the mtn bike I have a shrader valve tube I carry in my back pocket. Extra tube ALWAYS. I have to carry a crescent wrench because its not a quick release on the rear wheel. Road bike is quick release and 5 minutes switch on any tube, just prefer to do so in the shade. Oh, and I usually carry a small roll of electrical tape for some stupid reason.

[MadDog]

Thanks JV. More good ideas.