This was my first time riding the Monon since my injuries. I got my bike ready, aired the tires up, washed my water bottles, put on my Team Lighthouse jersey, Hypoxia socks and then I headed down the street to my first big ride. Before I got to the end of the street, I noticed my seat felt low. I'd had a tool box on the rack at a weird angle and when I went to dismount and check the seat level, I cut my leg on the tool box probably about a 6 to 8 inch heavy scrape. So I turn around, clean it up and start over again.
I hadn't eaten much before I left so I stopped for a sandwich on the way to town. I rode all the way to the White River Greenway. I wanted to avoid some of the heavy construction on Washington St heading into town so I followed the Greenway to New York then to town.
I caught the bus to take me to Broad Ripple so that I could ride the Monon. After I got off the bus, I took one of the side streets that head to the Monon and I saw that there was a group of people painting a mural on a building. I stopped to take photos.
I got to the Monon and headed north. It was an incredible feeling to be back on the trail. It was congested in Broad Ripple, but it's normally like that especially on the weekends. I rode to The Bike Line in Carmel and surprised my friend and bike guy Jimmy. I looked at new lights and panniers for my bike and I'm going to wait until the better priced sets come in a few weeks.
After I left The Bike Line, I headed back to the Monon and Broad Ripple to catch the bus home as I was approaching 20 miles and didn't want to push my luck any further than I had. While I was waiting for the bus, I had a couple guys with bikes approach me to see if I had a patch kit they could use. I got the kit and my frame pump out and let them use them to repair their tube.
All and all, I'm exhausted, but it's a GOOD exhaustion. I had a fantastic ride on a great day, warm and a bit humid but not bad for July AND I got to help someone on my first out of neighbourhood ride. YEAH!!!
20.04 miles @ 9.1 avg mph 02:12:00