First Ride of the Year on The Trace

You may wonder what has been happening since not many blog postings. Over the last 2 months, I had a CT scan that showed a mass in my left lung. Eight nights in the hospital for a biopsy - which showed the mass to be lung cancer.

My doctors let me make my trip to the mountain bike festivals - I needed the break. On return, it was more tests (MRI, PET scan, Pulmonary Function) and doctor appointments. We (doctors and I) decided to treat the mass with radiation.

A week of heavy, pin-pointed radiation treatment and all of the trips to the doctors took it toll on me.

The Spring was rainy. When I felt like riding, it was a pavement ride. Today, I decided it was time for this year's first ride on the Wabash Trace. While it was a bit windy (from the North) the temperature was perfect (mid 70s) with filtered sunshine. Parked the car in Silver City.

Mounted the GoPro camera on the handlebars of the mountain bike (my Trek 4300). Since I knew I would be battling the wind on the way back, I rode non-stop from Silver City to 305th Street. Ended up with a little over 40 minutes of video.

My original plan was hoping to make it as far as the Silver Creek Bridge. When I crossed the bridge, I felt pretty good, so continued another mile to 305th. This made the ride 5.5 miles one way. Figured that was plenty for this ride, knowing I will be riding into the wind on the way back.

Shut down the GoPro at 305th and stopped several times on the way back, taking still photos. This gave me time to rest at times on the way back. By the time I got back to Silver City, I was exhausted.

Lots of folks riding their bikes on The Trace today. Don't think I have ever seen so many along this section of the trail. Had to be 20 or more that I met on the trail in my 11 miles ride. Think everyone had the same idea - could not pass up a day like this without spending part of it on a bicycle.

Today's photo was taken about 1/2 mile North of 305th St. The foliage along the trail is very lush, not surprisingly with all of the rain, humidity, and heat over the last couple weeks.