There goes Evan on our route to school. What an enjoyable difference to ride in something other than rain and wet! Really enjoyed riding, chatting and being out in the fresh morning air.
We spun along fairly easily, not being in a great hurry to get anywhere, we have the route timing down pretty well these days, so no rushing around. Funny, when I drove we always seemed to push the time to the last minute, I guess it seemed like we should get there faster than we usually did. You'd think we would figure that out and leave earlier. Must be something about cars that makes one feel faster or to be far more lax and leaving with enough time to not be rushed. Go figure.
Loving being back on the road bike and the backpack is working out nicely. For me, I am also making my return from work trip over the edge of Mt. Tabor park so I'm working a bit harder, which has been good training.
Today's ride was also nice and I do feel I am beginning to build up the strength. This morning, instead of riding on the flatter Division St. to 52nd Ave then cutting over to Lincoln/Harrison, I decided to ride Harrison over the southern edge of Mt. Tabor Park. I've often been reluctant as I sort of felt intimidated to start my ride with a slow climb. Anyway, the climb was not too bad and I just took it easy and focused on how my legs were feeling or was it yelling back at me?
Once I made the intersection where the road drops back out of the park or continues up into the park I decided this is not a bad way to go. From the intersection it is all down hill until a brief flat section to SE 60th. Then I am basically on my regular Lincoln/Harrison ride into downtown Portland. I felt very good, maybe it was the climbing warm-up, the legs felt strong, I was in my big chainring all the way until MLK.
Home bound I also had a good ride, felt strong, and even climbing the 2 miles up Harrison/Lincoln from 21st to 60th was not bad. Climbing is getting easier, I am spinning in higher gears. Nice to have the hip healing, only some limits with my right side, but not too bad - actually feel better riding than walking.
Gear in Review
This is my Lowe Alpine backpack with the air zone, which places an air space between the pack and your back. It is small, but can hold my lock and cable, tool kit, space for clothes and my small purse. There are not too many dangling straps and there are two side stash pockets that are handy. This pack also comes with a rain cover that really keeps everything inside dry -- and I have totally tested this in downpours recently.
The backpack is not the lightest with all my stuff, but carries well, feels balanced and I do not have any hot spots or points of excess pressure. Very comfortable and only at the point that actually rests on my back do I get a little sweaty wet.
My only complaint was I did not have easy places for my phone and camera pouches like on my messenger bag. Well not wanting to overly compromise, I came up with a working solution. I removed the strap from an old shoulder bag, that had already donated a portion as my tool pouch (I wrote about that earlier).
Since I don't use the backpack waist strap, I took the clamps from my messenger bag chest strap and attached the short end to the waist strap fastener. Through other clamp end I forced the wide shoulder strap and then stitched the strap end closed. The loose end of the shoulder strap I threaded through the hydration tube loop on the backpack shoulder strap. I have a single plastic webbing loop that keeps the strap from pulling back through. I now have a handy chest strap that I can attach my phone and camera pouches. If I am not using it, I can just remove the strap, which happens anytime I am riding in the rain. I did send my request to Timbuk2 for waterproof pouches, so we'll see if anything comes of that.
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