Welcome!

It's a new year and time once again to give a new look to this blog. New graphics and colors. Same bike writer!



This blog is created not only to track my own progress on my biking journey but it is intended to also assist others who have either osteo or rheumatoid arthritis or both like I do. I hope as you read about the progress I have made that it gives you inspiration and hope that you can overcome the dibilitating effects of these conditions.



If your doctor agrees that you should be capable of expanding your limits read on and don't be afraid, just listen to your body and give it challenges. Biking is a great non-impact form of exercise and greatly enhances flexibility and range of motion.



It's not a substitute for Doctor visits, taking your meds or otherwise getting off your health plan but it auguments what your Doctor does for you and can give you a better quality of life. Go for it!





Thursday, May 2, 2013

Kicking Spring Training Up To The Next Level

My longest ride yet this year and it was a doozy, with an epic hill (for Michigan) thrown in for good measure.  Today's ride took me from Downtown South Lyon, north up the SL Rail Trail which becomes the Huron Valley Rail Trail.  A spur jutting off the trail about 5 and a half miles into it veers off to the west and serves as a connector to Kensington Metro Park and Island Lake State Park.  The connector is short, about 3 and a half miles but the catch is the hill that travels over the old landfill.  It's wickedly steep and long.  Travelling the hill takes up most of the connector.  Heading west it's sharp and steep, heading east from west it's a longer climb with steep sections that creep up around twists and turns.   The view from the top overlooking I-96 and all of Kensington Valley is pretty awesome.  There is a pictorial below.

Huron Valley Rail Trail with spur to the west to Kensington and Island Lake

Way in the distance on the upper left you can see the patch of trail near
the top of the hill, this portion of the trail goes parallel to I-96.

Not what you want to see on a bike path, the radiation symbol looks
similar but this one looks like it represents some kind of toxicity
and since the trail goes alongside the top of the landfill I'm certain that
there are plenty of toxins here.  I found those markings in three places
along the portion of the trail that goes right over the old landfill.

Triple juncture where the Huron Vally Rail Trail, Kensington Metro 
Park and Island Lake trails all come together.  To the right is back to 
Downtown SL heading home, shadows are getting a wee bit longer, 
and next up is contending with that hill again on the ride back.  

Looking out over the grassy hills in the 
landfill I can't help but chuckle at what
lies underneath.  Where ball diamonds
and soccor files now exist was the trash 
dump.  The remains of two homes that I 
demolished/tore down/dismantled lay 
buried under there.  If those hills could 
talk!

 o
The view from the top heading back to the car. Near the water tower
in the distance, take a right on the trail and about 5.5 miles later
is downtown South Lyon.   
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2 comments:

  1. Deb AndersonMay 2, 2013 at 10:43 PM

    Nice pics! We rode this trail from 8 Mile to Milford and back and tomorrow, weather permitting, we'll try it again. We rode there last fall.

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  2. Deb MozurkewichMay 4, 2013 at 12:49 AM

    Thanks Deb, did we ride this trail together last year? I thought we did but am not sure. I could have sworn we rode up that monster hill together? When you rode it to Milford, did you ride it till it ended? I've done that section of it too, however my start point is usually Witches Hat Park or the Ace Hardware. The first time I rode this connector was from Island Lake to South Lyon, same thing just reversing the order.

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