I did not take the above photo today. This picture is from April 18. It’s the monthly comparison photo which I will try to take as close to mid-month as possible.

I would have used this photo on the 18th, but the turtle photo was much more compelling.

If you’re paying attention to the monthly updates of the Fox River boardwalk, this month shows green grass. The trees and area under the boardwalk haven’t changed since March, though I expect big changes by May’s photo.

Today’s ride covered a very typical ride area which, by mid-summer, could prove problematic for finding interesting photos on each ride. So I figured today’s ride would be a good opportunity for this photo substitution.

Good news, the rest rooms are open at the trail stop in Wales! This means the summer riding season is officially here.

For today, Bryn and I just set out to get 20 miles. We’re getting ready for the Chocolate City Bike Ride in 3 weeks. Since we plan on riding 40 miles that day, it would be nice to ramp up before then.

I typically have some time to ride during the week, but Bryn is mostly limited to weekends. Therefore we might shoot for 30 miles next Saturday.

20.29 miles today. 326.61 miles YTD.

Riding to the Fox River Park on the south side of Waukesha started out chilly because of the wind. It seemed that most of the time it was a crosswind.

But as the trail descended the hill, approaching the 90-degree bend near the condos, I noticed that I was picking up lots of speed without pedaling.

While it is down hill, it’s not a steep drop. I do not usually notice such a speed increase. Suddenly I realized that the wind must be giving a substantial boost. In that moment I was not looking forward to turning around.

Bryn was with me today on her second ride with her new bike. The fit was adjusted since last time and she had an even better riding experience. Yay!

The photo above is a tiny painted turtle. Bryn wonders how I even managed to see it on the asphalt trail since it blends in so well.

The answer is simple. I have traveled over that part of the trail so many times that I notice even the slightest change. It’s the subtle changes day-to-day and week-to-week that keep familiar territory exciting.

Fortunately I had a quarter in my pack so you can see a size reference. After taking the photo I moved the little creature off the trail so it would not get run over.

Not even 100 feet later there was a toad about the size of the palm of my hand on the trail. I wanted a photo of it too, but it was a bit frightened with me stopping so close. So I just shooed it off the trail.

15.00 miles today. 306.32 miles YTD.

OK, they’re not really everywhere at this point. But this was a nice grouping.

I also found a patch of bluish-purple flowers in another place and was going to get a picture of that on my way home. But I zoomed right by that spot when I got back to it. Oops.

Today I rode the Glacial Drumlin Trail to Dousman. On longer rides that’s often where I exit the trail because it converts from asphalt to crushed limestone going west from Dousman.

Since this was my first trip to Dousman this year, and the longest ride of the year so far, I was content to make it to Main Street.

There has been road construction with Main Street dug up for a long time. The work doesn’t look completely finished yet, but at least there was no gravel.

The restrooms at Cory Park are not open yet so that convenient option is not available. There’s a gas station north on Main Street that easily serves this need however. And Bicycle Doctor is right on the trail at Main Street so that works too.

I typically go to the gas station because I can take my bike in with me. At Bicycle Doctor I have to leave it outside. I’m more comfortable doing that when others are present so that the bike is not left alone. I don’t want it to feel abandoned. 🙂

28.19 miles today. 291.32 miles YTD.

I encountered the sign above. It’s along the Fox River Trail on the south side of Waukesha.

The sign goes up and the fence gets closed when the river rises above the usual banks and flows onto the trail.

When I see this notice I always check to see what the water level really is. Often times the path remains passable.

Today I was encouraged when I saw the debris at the high-water mark. The water was already way down. It did not cover the path.

However, there was a layer of wet, slimy mud making the route quite slick. I would either walk through and get my shoes sloppy, or I would ride through it and end up with splatter all over my bike and probably my back.

I turned around and rode streets in the area. Since I don’t often veer off the trail at this point I was able to travel some roads I have not been on in some time. Nothing wrong with that!

15.35 miles today. 263.13 miles YTD.

It was too nice out today to stay indoors. I got out on the Glacial Drumlin Trail and the Cushing Park Trail to create my longest ride so far this year.

The photo above shows a sign of spring. There are new leaves on some of shrubs growing alongside the trail. Not all shrubs and trees are showing signs of new growth yet, but these are. It was exciting to see.

During my ride today I got a call related to a ride coming up at the end of summer. It’s the Outreach For Hope ride.

This is an annual ride with a family ride component along the Glacial Drumlin Trail between Dousman and Wales. And a longer road component that follows a loop through Waukesha and Jefferson Counties. It’s a beautiful ride.

It’s too early to start promoting this ride, but if you are in SE Wisconsin, get it on your calendar for September 12 this year.

26.88 miles today. 247.78 miles YTD.

We went bike shopping yesterday. Bryn brought home a new bike! It’s a Lexa model from Trek.

Today we didn’t go too far, just a bit over 15 miles. But it was Bryn’s first ride of the year.

The interesting thing, when Bryn and I ride together, is that we start out riding together, but I always end up in the lead. Not so much today! Most of the time we stayed side by side.

At one point Bryn got ahead of me by 100 yards or so. I continued to pedal at normal speed for a while because that’s all I have ever had to do to catch up.

Not this time, we were staying nearly even. I had to work to catch up. That was fun.

I don’t know if Bryn was just excited to ride a new road bike, or if the much-lower-weight of the new bike means she will always ride faster. Regardless I enjoyed her bike almost as much as she did.

Bryn’s knees began to hurt during the ride, so we resolved to get a better fitting.

15.15 miles today. 220.90 miles YTD.

Not much time for a ride today. It’s Easter Sunday. I carved out a little time between church and lunch because it was too nice not to ride.

By the time I got to the point of taking this photo, everything was going nicely. I needed a photo and this seemed like a good one.

From this point, as I was heading toward home, my bike seemed a little too bouncy at one point. I looked down, and sure enough, my rear tire was riding low.

I stopped and gave the tire a squeeze. It’s low, but I think I can ride a bit farther. Then I went over a little bump and felt it more than a little bounce. Darn, losing air fast enough that I cannot make it home.

OK, well, maybe if I fill the tire it will hold. So I pulled out the little pump that I picked up last year, after too many spring-time flat tires, and proceeded to inflate the tire.

When I came to a red light, I reached back and felt the tire. Not bad, I can keep going. Then I came up behind some friends and had to chat for a few minutes. Unfortunately, I was thinking about how my tire was losing air while stopped.

I rode on. Stopped a little while later to feel the tire. Still OK to ride. Rode some more. Then the bounce returned, and the bump. That was a couple miles since my last fill. Maybe I could make it home on one more good fill.

Nope. Didn’t make it very far before I had to stop again, and again, and again. I got home late, and had ridden hard enough to require a shower before resuming the day’s plans.

As we left my mother-in-law’s house after eating far too much food, we noticed that the front passenger-side tire on the car was quite low. Bad tire day!

15.05 miles today. 205.75 miles YTD.

April first might be a Fool’s Day, but it’s also an excellent day on the Glacial Drumlin Trail biking calendar. This is the day that Fish Park, along with its restrooms, reopens for the season.

I am grateful for this because it means my riding range is increased.

If you look at a map of the Glacial Drumlin Trail, you will see no mention of Fish Park just west of Waukesha. That’s because it is officially called Sunset Park.

In the photo above, you see the playground. What’s harder to see is that the big yellow part of the playground equipment is in the shape of a fish. When our kids were young they new it as Fish Park.

We could put trailers on the back of the bikes and say we’re going to Fish Park. They new exactly what we meant. It was years before I even bothered to learn the real name.

Regardless of what playground equipment is there now or in the future, it will always be Fish Park to me.

17.38 miles today. 190.70 miles YTD.

Just west of Wales, WI, there’s a new subdivision, as pictured above. All last summer there was work going on–clearing a field, moving soil, random activity. I wondered what they were doing.

There has been a lot of road reconstruction nearby so I thought the work might be related to that. The last time I went past here in the fall, it was still unidentifiable piles of dirt.

Now, it’s spring, and there are houses. And not just one or two, but a half dozen or so. They grew like weeds, if weeds can grow during the winter.

I guess I have to get out more often. But it is difficult to get to this point on the Glacial Drumlin Trail during the winter. There is usually too much snow to make it to Wales, let along further west.

20.29 miles today. 173.32 miles YTD.

The second attempt is good. Perhaps it’s better that I missed this shot yesterday.

Here is the Fox River Trail Boardwalk looking north from the parking lot on Sunset Dr. This time it’s a sunny cloudless day. Not quite warm, but I’m not complaining even though I had to add more clothing than yesterday.

The snow is gone, though some is forecast for this weekend. I think rain would be better. Instead of adding more salt to the roads to melt the snow, it would be nice to start rinsing the salt off.

Though I try to minimize the miles on roads, aiming instead for local trails, my bike is still getting coated with salt and other debris with each ride.

18.15 miles today. 153.03 miles YTD.