Up and At 'Em

7:02 am Cross Country Road 9/16/23 dwm

 Saturday morning started with a lot of cloud cover as I headed east for a weekly ride.  It was 50 degrees, cool enough for a jacket but since I expected to warm up I went with my short-sleeve bike jersey.

 Madison has a different feel on Saturdays in the fall when the Badgers are scheduled to play an early game like yesterday's 11 AM start.

 At the gym there was a guy I'm used to seeing when I arrive before 5 during the week but comes in later on the weekend.  When you tailgate before the games, like he does, arriving three hours before kick is more difficult.

 There weren't as many runners, walkers, and cyclists as the previous Saturday when the Badgers played at night.  I don't know but suspect there is a cause and effect relationship.

 I planned to follow the game but not from the stands. 

 It wasn't windy, in fact, I don't think there was a breeze other than what I created by riding.

One stretch of the ride is familiar since I ride this path frequently.  The last couple times I went over it I realized the subtle incline (or descent depending on direction) is more than a mile.  The slight grade slows my speed a tick or two but I wouldn't put this near the class of 'character-building' hill climbs.

8:05 AM Lower Yahara River Trail. 9/16/23

This specific trip is one of the flattest I take.  On this trip after crossing the boardwalk into McDaniel Park I added a city block before turning around with 16.3 miles on the odometer.

Depending on the day, I've ventured further into McFarland to add some miles, then head either directly home or getting there with a detour to the Isthmus in downtown Madison.

A short distance from the west end of the boardwalk is a maple tree that is usually first to turn color in the fall.  Its bright orange leaves called for a picture, the last one of the ride.

Photos are content for the blog but I also use the photos to log my rides by adding that day's ride into the folder holding the pictures.  I'm short of 1,000 miles but it isn't out of reach if I can add a couple trips and/or put some additional miles on the wheels.

This ride was very quick - reaching 32.2 miles in under two hours, averaging 16.6 miles per hour.  That's one of my better rides this year.