What did you do today?

[ebinmaine 77,933]

5 minutes ago, 19richie66 said:

riding

 

We'll be riding more this year as well.  

 

[adsm08 4,282]

On 3/21/2026 at 9:56 AM, adsm08 said:

Haven't done much yet today, but we took the kids, (daughter, son, and son's "She's not my girlfriend") skating last night, for the second Friday in a row.

 

Something tells me we don't have long before that title gets shortened a bit.

 

 

Called it.

Edited Sunday at 09:10 PM by adsm08

[8ntruck 8,686]

8 hours ago, Sparky said:

  It’s finally warm enough and dry enough to get back on two wheels (pedal power!).

  Yesterday was my first ride and only did 9.xx  miles and my legs were angry with me, today I did 12.xx and it felt great! 
  

 

 

 

 

 

Looks like you had a couple of nice rides.  Is the trail you rode a rails to trail conversion?

 

I walk my dog daily on the KATY trail in Mo. and on the Fred Meijer Hartland trail when I am in Michigan.   The KATY trail is a state park on the old MKT right of way.  The Hartland trail is a private trail open to the public on the old B&O right of way.

 

I really appreciate when bicyclists announce themselves when approaching from behind. 

 

We don't  always hear a bicycle approaching from behind, so a bit of notice gives me a chance to shorten the dog's leash to keep him from charging the bicycle.  When a bicycle blows by us at 20 or 25 mph unannounced, it is quite a suprise.  The dog usually takes a lunge at the bike, which creates an uncomfortable yank in my shoulder whe he reaches the end of his leash.

 

Had to chuckle about one encounter we had on the trail.  A lady was riding with her dog's leash attached to her handlebars approaching us from the opposite direction.  Her dog saw my dog and started to run faster to cross in front of her to greet my dog.  Her dog sped up, she sped up, her dog went faster, she tell her dog 'no' as she is speeding up, her dog ignores her speeds up again, she is pedaling furiously now telling her dog 'NO' again in a very panicked voice.  I'm thinking that if her dog cuts in front of her, this is going to be a spectacular crash.  By this time, they are by me and all is well. 

Edited Sunday at 11:21 PM by 8ntruck

[Sparky-(Admin) 24,816]

1 hour ago, 8ntruck said:

Looks like you had a couple of nice rides.  Is the trail you rode a rails to trail conversion?

 

I walk my dog daily on the KATY trail in Mo. and on the Fred Meijer Hartland trail when I am in Michigan.   The KATY trail is a state park on the old MKT right of way.  The Hartland trail is a private trail open to the public on the old B&O right of way.

 

I really appreciate when bicyclists announce themselves when approaching from behind. 

 

We don't  always hear a bicycle approaching from behind, so a bit of notice gives me a chance to shorten the dog's leash to keep him from charging the bicycle.  When a bicycle blows by us at 20 or 25 mph unannounced, it is quite a suprise.  

 

 

  Yep, all the trails I ride are rails to trails. Quite a few miles of them near me.

  I installed a bell but it hasn’t been as affective as me announcing myself. Quite a few walkers/joggers and dog walkers with headphones in and they don’t hear anything. 
  My average speed is in the11-14mph range (I’m not fast by any means) 

[8ntruck 8,686]

Bell works for me.  I don't  walk with headphones.  I'd rather pay attention to nature around me.

[adsm08 4,282]

Had the day off work today.

 

Went fishing for a bit in the morning, went and spent way to much to build a stationary oxy-acytelyne torch in the garage, and seeded grass in part of the lawn. 

[ebinmaine 77,933]

54 minutes ago, adsm08 said:

Had the day off work today.

 

Went fishing for a bit in the morning, went and spent way to much to build a stationary oxy-acytelyne torch in the garage, and seeded grass in part of the lawn. 

Did you use the torch to seed the grass? 

[Handy Don 16,082]

On 4/5/2026 at 7:18 PM, 8ntruck said:

I really appreciate when bicyclists announce themselves when approaching from behind. 

I'm jealous that you have such convenient access to the KATY. 

 

The appropriate rider’s etiquette is to call out “On your left” from well behind and/or (as I do) to use a bell to announce one’s presence. Cyclist are mostly oblivious to this, sadly, having not had any instruction.

Sometimes BOTH voice and bell are needed as I daily encounter two- or three-abreast walkers totally engrossed in their conversation or their phone who then loudly voice naughty words at being passed. Other hazards are the pet walkers using leashes much longer than the trail-rules-mandated six feet and the frequently un-helmeted kids on all manner of wheeled things being given no guidance on safe behavior. 

[Handy Don 16,082]

On 4/5/2026 at 7:18 PM, 8ntruck said:

she is pedaling furiously now telling her dog 'NO' again in a very panicked voice

Apparently, brakes never occurred to her!

[8ntruck 8,686]

10 minutes ago, Handy Don said:

I'm jealous that you have such convenient access to the KATY. 

The KATY trail runs by our Mo. house about a block away.

 

I used to do a lot of bicycle riding a long time ago, so I've been on both sides of the bicyclist/hiker equation. Rode the DALMAC (Dick Allen Lansing to Mackinac) tour several times.

 

One of the training routes I rode in preparation for the DALMAC was along the route it took north out of Lansing.  There was a dog along that route who was tied to a leash on an overhead line that would allow the dog access from the house almost to the road.  As we would ride by, that dog would make a full on charge from the house to the road, barking all the way.  When I rode the DALMAC, it was about 2000 riders.  The morning the tour went by that house the poor dog was standing by thr road, just watching all the bicycles go by - it looked very overwhelmed and confused.

[Handy Don 16,082]

10 minutes ago, 8ntruck said:

There was a dog along that route

I rode a tour in rural Viginia years ago which passed many dogs--some leashed, some trained to stay on their owners’ property, and a few just loose.

Having had experience with the dog-bike interaction, I would pull out my water bottle at the first bark. One huge German shepherd gave me a scare getting quite close at full run and barking. My full quirt right in its face so shocked it that it stumbled and went down in a ball of fur and flying legs. I didn’t look back.