Are you a gadget-head?  Are you excited about the next awesome piece of gear or are you the first to know about new upgrades for the latest products for your adventures?

For the last eight months of blogging about the outdoors, I’ve steered clear of gear reviews. However, I’ve dropped a few bucks here and there on some outdoor products that have been worth the money and others where I feel like I really could use a refund, so I thought I’d share them with you today.  And since buying gear is all about the Benjamins, I included some wit and wisdom from Ben Franklin himself along with my thoughts.

Sievert

“He that is good for making excuses is seldom good for anything else.”

I hear a lot of excuses for reasons people aren’t wearing bike helmets, but they’re all pretty stupid.  It doesn’t matter how short the trip is, how safe you think the roads are, or how nice and sunny the day is, wear a helmet!  It’s my #1 best purchase of the year.  I think I paid $25 for my Bell-brand-dome-saver, and as you can see, my head is still a gray-matter-friendly shape.

“Old boys have their playthings as well as young ones; the difference is only in the price.”

I wrote a long blog about my search for a new bike that you can read here.  All I have to say about that is getting a bike that fits is 100% worth the money!  If you’re in the market for a new ride, go to a bike shop and skip the ‘Mart.  You won’t regret it.

“A place for everything, everything in its place.”

Ah, it’s the oft-quoted backpacker’s mantra.  Hiking supplies are one of the places that I’ve spent some money I’d like back.  First rule: anything made by that ubiquitous company with the green packaging that you find in the sporting goods section of every mega-mart is much cheaper than the name brand.  There’s good reason for that.  It’s junk.  It’s too big, it’s too heavy, and it’s too prone to failure.  Less is more when it comes to camping and hiking supplies and buying quality items is paramount.  My advice is to think long and hard about what you’re buying and what purpose it serves for your hike. Every ounce you add to your pack is an ounce you’ve got to tote around the woods.  Buy items that are great multi-taskers.  Buy items that are more durable than you think you’ll need.  And plan your pack with the quote above this paragraph in the front of your mind.

“All mankind is divided into three classes: those that are immovable, those that are movable, and those that move.”

For those that move, let me recommend a great gift: Socks!  Nothing will ruin an adventure faster than the wrong footwear.  I now have special socks for hiking, biking, and running and I am a firm believer in the magic of sock technology.  I just bought some poly-blend running socks made by Mizuno, and they’ve completely stopped the blisters I was getting, they keep my feet warm and dry, and they even have built-in arch support.   The socks I have for hiking are tall, warm and use moisture-wicking technology.  That amazing advance keeps my tootsies nice and comfy even on winter hikes.  Forget stuffing my stocking this year- the stocking is what I really want!

“Diligence is the mother of good luck. By failing to prepare, you’re preparing to fail.”

When we were out biking on the Katy Trail this summer, we came across some people pushing a bike with a flat tire along a stretch of trail that was at least 10 miles from anything.  It was also over 100 degrees outside at the time and they only had half of a small water bottle between them.   Laura to the rescue!  When I cycle, I bring a patch kit, a hand-pump, a tire tube and tire changing tools.  I also always have flashlights and at least a minimal first aid kit.  When it’s hot (and usually even when it’s not) I bring more water than I think I’ll need.   You won’t regret the money you spend on preparedness, because in my experience, it’s not a matter of ‘if’ you need it, it’s a matter of when.

“The Constitution only gives people the right to pursue happiness. You have to catch it yourself.”

If you’ve a mind to catch happiness, I suggest you start with a good pair of running shoes.  I’m sure you’re sensing a theme here, but don’t go to super-mega-shoe- store! More often than not, small specialty stores have well-trained staff who will be happy to share their expertise and don’t mind spending extra time with each customer.  I went to a running store in Bloomington, IL recently.  There, I tried on a half-dozen pairs of running shoes and ran around the block in each before I decided which shoes to buy.  Try running out of a department store to test shoes and see what happens!  Wait… no, don’t try that.  The point is, no matter what kind of gear you’re shopping for, you’re about to drop your hard-earned money, so don’t settle for sub-par service.  Most specialty stores employ people who share the same interest as you do, and they can teach you a lot about how to select the right gear for your activity. (For those curious, I ended up buying Mizuno Wave 7s at Often Running in Bloomington, IL)

There are lots more great pieces of gear out there, but those are just a few of my thoughts from this year.   What’s your favorite piece of gear?  What gear do you wish you could return?  Leave comments below!

Laura Sievert

A 57-year- old cyclist named Michael Alexander of Fort Madison,  Iowa, was struck by a pickup truck from behind on a stretch of road near Montrose, Iowa, last Friday.   Michael was an avid cyclist, a veteran of the U.S. Navy and a conductor for BNSF Railroad.

I didn’t know Mr. Alexander personally, but just two weeks ago, I was cycling with my husband and a friend on the same road on which he was tragically struck.  It’s a pretty road that runs alongside the Mississippi from Montrose all the way to Keokuk, Iowa.  The shoulders aren’t enormous, but they’re plenty to ride on if cars are paying attention and bikers are staying off to the sides. On this occasion though, a driver was distracted just long enough to not see Mr. Alexander.

This is one of at least four cyclists killed in the Tri-State area this year in motor vehicle collisions. Even though I didn’t know this cyclist, and maybe because I was just on the same stretch of road, the tragedy has hit very close to home for me.  I know that I’ve driven distracted lots of times. I’ve texted. I’ve answered a phone call. I’ve looked down to change a song on my iPod.  It could have easily been me hit on my bicycle, but could also have just as easily been me who was distracted long enough to hit a cyclist, walker or runner.

The truth of the matter is that cyclists aren’t always in the right.  As a group, we’re generally pretty conscientious of laws and we stay off to the sides of the road and use blinking lights and wear the brightest jerseys we can find, but there are times when we make the wrong move.  On the articles about Mr. Alexander’s death on some news of the local outlets though, there were a couple of highly inappropriate comments posted by people regarding riders. You see those types of comments any time a cyclist is hit by a car.  One that really upset me was a comment by a viewer using the name “Lawnboy” on KTVO’s website: “Very unfortunate event, however until bicyclists put their common sense before their ‘right’ to the roads, there will undoubtedly be more of these stories.”

Sievert

I wasn’t there, and I don’t know if this cyclist was in the right place or not.  The point is this: It doesn’t matter who was right or wrong.  When a car strikes a biker, runner or walker, it’s always the car that wins.  Therefore, it’s the driver’s responsibility to be as conscientious as possible.  As drivers we have to keep our eyes on the road, pay attention to our lanes, and look out for other people using the roadways. The road that Mr. Alexander was killed on is designated a scenic drive and has cycling route signs along its entire length.  It’s a place that a motorist might reasonably expect to see a cyclist. And it was definitely his right to be using the road to cycle.

My heart truly goes out to the family of Mr. Alexander and to the family of the driver of the pickup truck that struck him.  I don’t doubt that the driver wishes that he hadn’t had his eyes off the road to do whatever little thing had him distracted.  Life is going to be hard for both families going forward from this incredibly sad event.

I hope you take a moment right now to think about the way you drive.  Are you careful to look out for cyclists, runners, walkers, kids playing, farm vehicles, construction workers, horses and motorcycle riders?  The text you were going to send, the song you were going to listen to, or whatever else you might find yourself distracted with are not worth the consequences that can happen when you drive distracted.  Please be safe on the roads, and be aware of all of the people who share them with you.

To read Mr. Alexander’s obituary or to express condolences, please click here.

— Laura Sievert

The ribbon cutting for the new bike trail will be held in front of this diorama at Washington Park at 1 p.m. Thursday Oct 13.

Abraham Lincoln has always been my favorite president.  By coincidence, Lincoln and I share the same birthday —  Feb. 12. In Illinois, that always meant that everyone had my birthday off from school or work.  It was probably that connection that spurred my interest in learning more about the nation’s beloved 16th president.  As a kid, I would read all of the books about him that I could find and watch documentaries on television from time to time, but I think experiencing a good trip through the Land of Lincoln is probably the most engaging way to learn about the places and events that shaped Honest Abe.

Sievert

The Looking for Lincoln Story Trail is a collection of 215 informative dioramas located throughout Central Illinois. Quincy is home to 18 of these waypoints. The Quincy Convention and Visitor’s Bureau, the Lincoln-Douglas Interpretative Center and the Friends of the Trails have teamed up to present a bicycle trail that guides visitors through each of these exhibits.

To celebrate this new trail, former Quincy Mayor Chuck Scholz and President of Friends of the Trails Cullan Duke will preside over a ribbon cutting ceremony at 1 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 13.  The ceremony will be held at the Washington Park Lincoln Douglas diorama (Rain location is in the Lincoln-Douglas Interpretive Center across the street).

The on-road bike trail begins at Washington Park in front of the Lincoln-Douglas Interpretive Center.  The first eight  stops are all directly around Washington Park in downtown Quincy.  The close proximity of these first eight stops makes this a great portion of the trail to walk!  From there, the trail heads down Hampshire Street and then up to the Villa Kathrine. The southernmost waypoint takes riders to historic Woodland Cemetery.  The route then traverses Fifth Street to Kentucky, stops near the John Wood Mansion at 12th and State, and then turns to head back up beautiful Maine Street towards the park.

One of the highlights of each of the Looking for Lincoln displays are the Rubbing Medallions. These individual coins have raised images that relate to the info-graphic . They’re designed for visitors to place paper over and rub the design with a crayon or chalk for a lasting souvenir of their visit. The Medallions are a great way to help engage kids and get them excited about history.

Rubbing Medallions are on the center of each of the 18 waypoints.

If you don’t have a bike or are only visiting Quincy, you’re not out of luck for this trail.  The Friends of the Trails has bicycles available for rent located at both the Lincoln-Douglas Interpretive Center, (217) 228-8696, as well as the Villa Kathrine, (217) 214-3700.  Hourly or daily rates are available, and there is even a tandem bicycle available to rent. Maps of the trail are also available at these locations as well as Madison Davis Bike Shop at 912 South Eighth  St. in Quincy (217) 222-7262.

I encourage everyone to take the time to Get Out and look for Lincoln’s connections with Quincy.  Now, does anyone know where I can find a stove-pipe hat to fit over my bike helmet…?

Special thanks to the Madison Davis Bicycle Shop, Refreshment Services Quincy, the Historic Quincy Business District, the Quincy Area Convention and Visitor’s Bureau, Signs in Time, Jenny Terstriep, Richard Powell, Abby Schlipmann, and everyone else who has helped make this trail possible.

**Click here to download a PDF of the trail map: LHTMap

Laura Sievert

Laura and Justin Sievert after riding 102.6 miles.

My muscles were cold and tight in the first couple of miles. They always are on an early morning ride. This time though, the tightness in my quads was nothing compared to tightness in my nervous stomach. One hundred miles of road sat ahead of me for the Capital City Century ride, and though I’d spent the whole summer working up to this kind of distance, 100 miles seemed completely out of reach standing at the start line.

Sievert

The week prior to the event was a gut-check to my cycling confidence. After a successful Metric Century (100 kilometers, 62.3 miles) ride at the beginning of August, I’d purchased my dream bike. The dream was short-lived though, and since I’d started riding my new Trek Madone — and particularly since I began using clipless pedals — I felt like a beginner again. The SPD style pedals on my new bike attach to cleats on the bottom of special shoes. The idea is that with your feet attached to the pedals, you can both push and pull through your pedal stroke. This can add as much as 30 percent more power to your peddling. The trick is you’ve got to know how to disengage the cleats when you want to stop or if you need to catch yourself, or you’re going to just fall over with your feet still attached to the bike.

Well, fall-over is exactly what I did …  several times. Once I fell in my driveway. Once I fell on State Street with a dozen cars of people at the stoplight to watch it happen. Once I fell on a hill in Keokuk, prompting a passing police officer to laugh and say through the window of his squad car, “Are you alright ma’m? Gotta love those clipless pedals.”  And my worst fall was on Labor Day, when, not even out of the parking lot that we were starting the Bridge-to-Bridge ride from, I stuck my tire stuck in a groove, couldn’t get my foot out in time, fell over hard, heard my tire go flat, and then heard the rider behind me fall over top of me. It’s one thing to fall in my driveway, but it’s a whole other thing to fall in front of 30 experienced cyclists. It bruised my backside and bruised my confidence equally.

Justin Sievert celebrates victory after the Capital City Century.

All of my falls plus three flat tires in five days made for some major butterflies for the beginning of my Century ride. I tried to shake it off. My husband was riding with me, and he’s always full of encouragement, and a good friend who was up really early tried to reassure me via text message that there was no need to be nervous. I smiled weakly for a photo by my car and decided there was nothing for it but to try.  I know he gets tired of me saying this — but I thought of my friend Ultra-Runner Jared Busen’s words when I was leaving the parking lot, “It’s about not quitting; it’s about continual forward progress.”

Three short miles down the road though, my attitude changed dramatically. We rounded the corner in a group of 50 or more cyclists, and we cruised down a small hill onto a country road. For there being so many people, there wasn’t much talking, and at the bottom of the hill was the kind of pastoral early morning scene that brings to mind a Copeland symphony. The dawn sunlight was filtered through trees and scattered by the mist in the morning air and off to the left sat a huge flock of Canadian Geese in a freshly harvested corn field. The pack of bikers was so fluid rolling past that the geese didn’t even get up from the spots they’d settled down in the night before. The serenity of the moment washed over me, and I physically felt my tension melt. It was going to be a good ride.

It’s funny, despite the entire run up being riddled with doubt; the miles of the ride seemed to tick away almost effortlessly. After I’d calmed down, I never thought of quitting. As a matter of fact, I didn’t think of much of anything at all. I think that’s the beauty of distance cycling. It’s a stolen afternoon of quiet. My mind stills and the cadence of the pedal stroke, the regularity of my breathing and the sound of the wheels on the pavement all bring me to a place that’s simple and peaceful and far too rare in my very busy life.

There were so many inspiring moments on the ride. Out on the farm roads of rural Illinois, we passed picture-perfect-scenes of combines harvesting in the fields, red barns with rickety hay lofts, and old farm dogs lying lazily in the sun. One of my favorite moments happened as we rode past a horse farm. Rather than being spooked by our bikes, the horses tossed their manes then ran alongside us before wheeling back and happily escorting the next group of riders along the stretch of fence that they occupied. Each of the five 20-mile loops fell beneath our tires in a cascade of classic Midwestern images that you think must only exist in your imagination.

Laura Sievert shows her certificate of completion from the Springfield Cycling Club for her first Century bike ride.

Justin and I completed the 102.65 mile ride in 7 hours and 14 minutes with an average speed of 14.1 miles per hour. In the week after the ride, I’ve had some time to reflect, and the story of my first Century isn’t just the story of 100 miles in a day.  It’s the story of a thousand miles of summer spent learning from friends, developing skill and putting in hard work towards a big goal. It’s also just the first entry in what I hope will be a long book of cycling tales. When I started biking this spring, I really just wanted a topic to write about for my blog. I never expected to develop such a passion for the sport. It just goes to show that you never know what kind of life-changing adventure you might find when you Get Out.

Special congratulations to some other Quincy riders who completed their first Century on 9/11/11: Justin Sievert, Charlotte Goldinger, Colleen Fantz and Cathy Whitley. Also, congratulations to Ryan Hilldebrand, who rode his first Century here in Quincy this weekend as well.

The 39th annual Capital City Century had a record 861 riders from seven states that ranged in age from 4 to 84 years old. The event had routes ranging from 10 miles to 100. For more information, visit www.spfldcycling.org/ccc/

Laura Sievert

The bike Laura Sievert ended up with is a WSD Trek Madone 3.1.

I’ve got some pretty exciting news: I bought a new bike this week!

I started cycling with the Quincy Bicycle Club back in March and have quickly become addicted to the sport. I’ve made so many friends and learned so much about cycling this summer. It’s just been wonderful. It occurs to me, though, that I got lucky with my first bike purchase. A friend had one for sale, and it just happened to be a good fit for me. At the time though, I didn’t know enough about road bikes to make an educated purchase. It can be pretty intimidating to shop for a bicycle, and being an informed buyer and getting a bike that fits your needs will greatly enhance your enjoyment of the sport. So, today I thought I’d write a quick guide to buying a bike that will help you Get Out and experience cycling.

Fit

Bikes are like shoes. You’ve got to get the correct fit, or you’re going to be pretty unhappy and sore. There are a lot of elements to finding out the correct size bicycle for your needs, but the main one is frame size. Everyone has different leg/torso/arm measurements, and a knowledgeable bike shop can help you find exactly the right bike for your size. I’m about 5 foot, 5 inches tall, and my fit is a 52 cm bike. My husband is 5 foot, 10 inches, but because he has a longer torso and shorter legs proportionate to me, he only rides a bike that is 2 cm taller than mine. Don’t just depend on a height chart to fit your bike, get measured and find out exactly what size you need.

Style

There are many styles of bike on the market today. Road bikes, hybrids, mountain bikes, race bikes … the list goes on and on. It’s important to determine your goals as a cyclist before you go shopping. For example, I like to bike lots of miles at a medium/fast pace. I’m not a racer trying to go as fast as possible, but I’m also not a “touring” type of rider who wants to sit up straight and keep a slow, easy pace. For me, a Sport Road Bike was the perfect answer. For some riders, the more comfortable upright position and wider tires of a Hybrid Road Bike might be the right style. Some riders are racers, and there are very aggressive bike styles made for speed and agility available, too. Still others are all about getting off road on uneven terrain, and mountain bikes with rugged tires and frames are more appropriate. The point is, knowing what kind of rider you hope to be will help a bike shop determine what style you need to select.

Material

There are four main materials that modern road bike frames can be made of: steel, aluminum, titanium or carbon fiber. Each has advantages and disadvantages in terms of stiffness, weight, durability and price. Steel offers the advantages of being relatively cheep, durable, but is generally a heavier bike. Aluminum bikes are also relatively cost effective and weigh less than steel frames. Aluminum frames can have more of road noise though, so you’ll often see carbon fiber forks on aluminum frames to reduce vibration. Titanium frames are durable, fairly lightweight, but also more expensive. I rode a titanium Litespeed Vortex for my Metric Century, and I was impressed with the relatively low road noise and the responsiveness of the frame to stresses like big hill climbs. Carbon Fiber bikes are the most popular type of bikes for professional riders and serious amateurs alike, and this was the type I selected to purchase. Carbon fiber is very lightweight. In fact, some of the best carbon bikes are under 15 pounds total weight- wheels and all! The frames are stiff and offer a quiet ride. The disadvantages to carbon frames are that they are fairly expensive and that they are somewhat less durable than the other types of frames.

Shifters, Deraillleurs and Cranks, Oh My!

Laura Sievert with co-owner of Madison-Davis Bicycle Shop Greg Davis.

You could definitely write an entire book on selecting components to a bike, but luckily for most recreational riders, you’ve only got a few decisions to make. The most common brands of shifters and derailleurs — derailleurs are the part of the bike drive train that moves your chain from one gear to another — on the market for road bikes are Shimano and Campagnolo. Once you’ve selected your bike brand and frame material, you’ll probably only need to pick a package “level” of components. It’s not as intimidating as it seems. For example, for Shimano packages, there are five main levels: Sora, Tiagra, 105, Ultegra and Dura-Ace. Just think of those as entry-level, enthusiast-level, serious-level, race-level and pro-level. My new bike has the “serious-level” 105 package. I’m really happy with this combination of performance and affordability. There are a few options on types of cranks too, and a good bike shop can explain the differences in detail. A quick overview is that there are usually single, double or triple cranks, and the number of cranks and their size determines how many total gears are available on your bike. I got a double-compact crank, which was one of only two options on the bike I selected. I chose this because it was enough gears that I felt like I’d be comfortable on most hills, and it is also lightweight compared to a triple-crank bike.

Bike Shop

Which brings me to my last point: Go to a bike shop! It’s just my two cents, but if you really want a great bike that will serve you well for many years, don’t head out to Walmart. I highly recommend Madison-Davis Bicycle Shop at 912 South 8^th Street in Quincy. Greg, Carl and Ryan will walk you through each step of selecting the perfect bike for you. They’re an authorized Trek retailer and can service Trek or most other makes of bikes. Trek bikes are made in Wisconsin and buying a quality American made bike from a local small business is great for everyone. Madison-Davis also has all the accessories you might need for your bike — pedals, shoes, flat tire repair kits, helmets, mirrors, computers, kids bikes, tool kits, jerseys and even little bicycle bells. It’s a particularly good time to shop right now because — just like a car dealer — bike shops will be clearing out their 2011 model bikes and getting 2012 models in. It’s a great time to get a good deal.

I hope this quick guide gives you a starting point for shopping for a bicycle of your own. I am extremely happy with the bike I purchased — a 2011 Women’s Specific Design Trek Madone 3.1. It’s a carbon fiber bike with the right combination of components for the way I ride. If you’re interested, you can read all the specifics on my new bike by clicking here. Happy cycling!

Laura Sievert

Jim Cate and Laura Sievert pose for a picture after completing the Metric Century.

I’d been nervous about the ride all week. One hundred kilometers — equal to 62.2 miles — is known in the cycling world as a Metric Century, and it would be my longest single ride ever. The route was designed for the “Friends of the Trail Fun’d Ride”, which is this Saturday, Aug. 20, but I had a prior commitment, so a few weeks ago I asked fellow Quincy Bicycle Club Member Jim Cate if he would pre-ride the route with me. He accepted the invitation, so at 6:30 a.m. on Aug. 14, we left Bob Mays Park with the goal of a safe and successful 100-kilometer ride.

Sievert

Jim Cate is something of a biking legend in Quincy. He will be 73 years old in a couple of weeks, and he cycles with enthusiasm and endurance that riders decades his junior can rarely emulate. He and his wife Phyllis — a great cyclist herself — can be seen around Quincy each Thursday night riding their tandem bike along with the Quincy Bicycle Club Pedal Pushers group.

For me, Jim has become a coach and a mentor. When we ride, he’ll share little tips: Shift smoothly and think ahead. Use your “spinning gears” on big climbs rather than muscling it out in a tough one so that you can conserve energy. Keep your feet even and your head down on downhill sections to reduce wind resistance. Don’t look at the wheel of the rider in front of you when you’re drafting — you’ll be able to hit the break instinctively when they break if you watch their back instead.

He coaches quietly and gently, but you can tell that he speaks with the authority that comes with years of experience. When he is trying to teach you something, you should definitely listen up.

We left the park Sunday morning and headed up Koch’s Lane. With the entirety of 63-plus miles sitting out in front of me, I briefly had a moment of doubt. But then I thought of something Ultra Marathon Runner and friend Jared Busen said to me recently, “It’s about not quitting … it’s about continual forward progress.” So I regained my focus and didn’t think about 63 miles. Instead I thought, “All I’ve got to do is the bit of road right in front of me and keep making forward progress. The miles will do themselves.”

The morning was gorgeous, and it really wasn’t hard to ignore the miles in the beginning. Jim and I were dashing along at a pace of around 15 miles per hour, and we’d eaten up the 17 miles of pavement between Quincy and Payson in no time at all. We stopped at the Fast Stop gas station there to check the map and have a quick granola bar, and then we were off to tackle the next 25-mile section.

Jim Cate on the 100-kilometer, Metric Century route.

I had already ridden part of this section before. One of the favorite routes of the Quincy Bike Club is Quincy to ride to Mike’s Place Restaurant in Liberty for breakfast, so the road was familiar. There’s a downhill on Highway 96, on which I reached my highest speed ever — 36 mph — and immediately following that is the first tough climb of the 100-kilometer route. It wasn’t too bad though, and once we got to the top, we went right back to chatting and knocking out miles. I had a nice time telling Jim about every bird we saw on the route, and Jim told me a bit more about the two bikes we were riding — the Trek Madone he was on and the Litespeed Vortex I had borrowed from him for this trip.

Much to my surprise, when we arrived at Mike’s Place in Liberty, a big group of other Quincy Bicycle Club riders were already there. It seems pretty peculiar to see twenty high-end bikes sitting outside a little diner in rural Illinois and to walk in and see their spandex-clad riders munching short-stacks of pancakes, but that’s the club for you. The riders greeted us as we walked in, and Jim explained that I was working on my first Metric Century.  They all offered their encouragement, and I felt really good about my chances of finishing my ride. As we were leaving, one of the club riders asked Jim where the rest of our route went, and I should have known by the solemn nod the rider gave me that the route was going to get a lot tougher.

The midmorning saw a change in the weather, and the wind picked up to 10 or 15 mph from the North Northeast. The next set of directions had us doing three 5-mile sections into the stiff headwind. Wind is the enemy of cycling; it just makes everything difficult. We took turns drafting off each other, but the rolling hills were starting to make my quads burn. We hit a “false flat,” which is where a road looks flat but is actually a low-grade climb, and I had to just put my head down and labor through. I’d say this was the first time I hit a “wall” on the ride. It was just a slog. The wind saw our average speed drop into the 13.6 mph range, but when we turned the corner out of the wind to Highway 104 near Quincy Regional Airport, my spirits lifted and I could practically taste my first Metric completed.

I hadn’t once checked our mileage on the ride for fear that it would just discourage me, but Jim shouted out that we were only 15 miles from the car and I was so happy I could have got off the bike to do a little dance! But then …

Ellington Road. Only 10 miles standing between me and victory, and Ellington Road decides to go into roller-coaster mode. Twelve big climbs in 10 little miles awaited my 53-mile-worn-bones. This Metric had to be earned the hard way.

The hills were painful and slow. I looked at Jim and said, “Well I guess we’re too close to call it quits now!” and tried my best to smile. Jim actually didn’t look all that tired, and he passed me on each climb and — thanks to my heavier body weight — I passed him on each decent. He said, “I usually don’t push people, but I want you to get this. Let’s attack the end of this!”

The bike's onboard computer shows a total of 63.8 miles, approximately 102.67 kilometers, for the whole ride.

I don’t know if what I did could be considered a proper hill attack, but we got through them, and when I spotted the familiar corner of 36^th and Koch’s Lane, I was so excited that nothing ached at all. We cruised up Koch’s, turned left on 18^th and there we were — right back at the car we’d left hours before. I actually took a victory lap around the parking lot. I jumped off and hugged Jim and offered my sincerest thanks for being my coach. He gave me a certificate commemorating my first Metric Century. It was such a proud and joyous moment that I’m grinning while sitting here writing about it.  Our official ride time was 4 hours, 49 minutes for a total of 63.8 miles, approximately 102.67 kilometers, at an average of 12.9 mph. I learned a lot about cycling and a lot about myself over that distance. The ride was simply extraordinary.

When I started cycling this spring, I didn’t know if I’d enjoy it or stick with it. Since then, I’ve met such wonderful, passionate people in the Quincy Bicycle Club, that I can’t imagine my life without it. Jim Cate and his wife are both great inspirations for my riding, and each of the members of the club have offered their knowledge, support and encouragement as well. If you’re looking for a way to get active and meet a great group of people, my highest recommendation is to try the Quincy Bicycle Club. All ages and abilities are welcome, and I promise you, you will be delighted you found such a great way to “Get Out.”

*There is still time to sign up for the Friends of the Trails Fun’d Ride this Saturday! Distances of 5, 15, 33, and 64 miles will be available. Click here for details.

Laura Sievert

Katy Trail Trailhead in St. Charles, Mo.

It was one hot weekend, but that didn’t stop the Green Machine (that’s my bike) from hitting the trail for a serious cycling adventure! My husband and I left Quincy in the predawn hours of Saturday morning and headed south to catch the Katy Trail in St. Charles, Mo.

Sievert

The Katy Trail is a Missouri Rails-to-Trails project. The Rails-to-Trails program converts defunct railroad right-of-ways into multi-purpose recreational trails for public use. In this case, more than 240 miles of the former Missouri-Kansas-Texas (MKT, or Katy for short) Railroad line have been redeveloped with wide hard-packed limestone trails that are primarily used for cyclists, hikers and runners. The current trail runs from Machens, Mo., (North of St. Charles) and follows the Missouri River west across the state through towns like Augusta, Herman, Jefferson City,  and Columbia, and ends in Clinton, Mo. This trail is already the longest Rails-to-Trails project in the nation, but plans are in progress to extend the trail through to Kansas City and beyond.

We picked up the trail at the St. Charles riverfront early in the morning on Saturday. The St. Charles trailhead to Katy is very endearing. The city has refurbished its train station and even has an old engine and caboose sitting near the start of the trail. I couldn’t help but make choo-choo noises as we set off toward Augusta.

Justin Sievert bikes past some cows on the Katy Trail.

It was hot, but not yet unbearable, and as we left the St. Charles Station, there were many bikers, hikers and runners using the trail. It wasn’t more than a few miles down the road that the crowds thinned out and we had left the city behind. The country roads are charming. In places, the trail would be bordered on either side by tall wildflowers and wooden fences. There were more birds than I can even recall, but the ones that stood out the most were the Indigo Buntings. The dazzling turquoise birds against the sunny black-eyed susans were as pretty as a picture.

The biking itself started out very easy.  After all, trains can’t run up very steep grade, so the Katy Trail is virtually flat. The 240 miles of flat trail seems like a cyclist’s dream, until you realize what flat trail really means. You may not ever be going up a hill, but you are also never going down one. Our speed was almost constant at 13 mph, and we were always pedaling. It was more exhausting than I expected! The surface adds some resistance as well. Though the limestone “pug” is hard-packed, it’s still gravel, and the feeling for my tires was a bit like riding through shallow sand.

Laura and her bike "The Green Machine" stand in the shadow of an enormous sandstone bluff on the Katy Trail near Defiance, MO.

Only seven miles from St. Charles, we pulled into the first stop along the trail at Green’s Bottom, Mo.  Each of the 30-odd towns on the Katy feature small roofed “stations” with informative dioramas about the sections of trail immediately adjacent to the station. Much of the trail is built along the Lewis and Clark exploration route, and many of the graphics explained the historical significance of their journey. The gravesites of frontiersman Daniel Boone and his wife Rebecca lay along the trail, as do several Native American points of interest. The effort the Missouri Parks have put into making this trail both fun and educational cannot be overstated. There is even a guided cell phone audio tour at some stops. To hear the recording about the Katy Trail in St. Charles yourself, call (877)767-0603 and then press 10#.

Further down the trail there was so much to explore. It seemed like there was a new vista around every corner. The Missouri River was running high and fast on our left for many miles. The bluffs on our right were imposing and beautiful, at one point, they formed a natural shelter wall that was at least 150 yards long and 120 feet tall. When the trail steered us away from the river, some of the backwaters of the Missouri backed up into primordial looking wetlands, complete with bullfrog symphonies. The wildlife of the trail included several large turtles, lots of frogs and fence lizards, hawks, turkey buzzards, deer, herons and much more. There is even a small chance of spotting a black bear along the Katy, though it would be rare.

The Augusta Brewing Company offers cyclists a place for a cold beer and great lunch.

Another highlight of riding on the Katy Trail is the chance to explore the small towns of Missouri. Many of the stops had wineries, antique shops, bed and breakfast cottages and more. I especially liked that there were almost always “hitchin-posts” meant for horses but repurposed to chain up bikes. At our destination, Augusta, there was a brewery with craft beers and house-smoked meat sandwiches for lunch. If a micro-brewed IPA and smoked brisket aren’t reason enough to bike 28 miles, then I don’t know what is.

After over-indulging in Augusta, my husband hopped on his bike (The Blue Meanie), and we headed back to St. Charles. The same trail we had just ridden took on an entirely different character as the late afternoon descended. The golden colors of the fading light made the cornfields look graceful and the rock walls come alive. The butterflies and other bugs became active as the temperatures finally dipped into the 80s, and it was magical to ride through the clouds of fluttering color.

Each stop on the Katy Trail has a station like this one in Weldon Springs, Mo.

Our 57-mile round trip on the Katy Trail was supposed to be the beginning of a three-day trip, however, after only seven miles in the heat on Sunday, (Trail temp. was 102 with a heat index of 115+) we decided that the rest of the trail would have to wait. I am very much looking forward to riding the Katy again though, and we are planning to complete the entire 240 miles this autumn. Whether you’re headed down for a short ride or to take in the full length of the Katy Trail, I know that you’ll enjoy your trip. I think next time, I’ll bring one of those wooden train whistles to blow on at each stop…

For more information including mileage charts and attractions along the trail, visit www.bikekatytrail.com For the Missouri Katy Trail State Park information, visit mostateparks.com/park/katy-trail-state-park. To read more about Rails-to-Trails projects nationwide, visit www.railstotrails.org.

Laura Sievert

Eastern Fence Lizards can be found in Sand Ridge State Forest.

It’s Memorial Day Weekend and I don’t yet have a plan. I know, I’m getting to it a little late, but here’s the thing: there are so many great options.  The weather is finally going to cooperate and give us some sunshine, and I’m ready to hit the trail for some hiking, but where to go? Here are the four ideas I’m tossing around — Maybe you can help pick:

Siloam Springs State Park

It’s the closest park to Quincy and has hiking trails that are just lovely (I blogged about them this winter!).  The boat house opens this weekend, so we could rent canoes or a john boat and enjoy Crabapple Lake.  I know there are lots of nesting birds around the edges of the lake too, so maybe I’d get a chance to see some fuzzy baby geese or something!  Siloam is always a good choice for a near by adventure.

Justin Sievert at Argyle Lake State Park in both the winter and the spring.

Argyle Lake State Park

This state park is also quite close to Quincy.  It’s just outside of Colchester, IL, and is one of the area’s best-kept secrets.  The park features nice amenities including nice spots to camp and the hiking trails make different loops around and near the lake.  There have been several improvements to the park lately, including the addition of stairs on parts of the trail that were in areas that are steep and can wash out in the rain.  There is also a self-guided interpretative trail near the lake with info-graphics that describe the lake ecosystem. I love a good info-graphic!  This park is also one of the few in the area with designated mountain biking trails for the intrepid weekend warrior!

Sievert

Sand Ridge State Forest

At 7,200 acres Sand Ridge is the largest state park in Illinois. It’s in Forrest City, Illinois, which is in the general vicinity of Peoria.  This park is wholly unique to Illinois.  It is a backpacker’s dream with over 26 miles of trails and 120 miles of fire lanes that can all be explored. There are registered campgrounds as well as rustic backcountry sites that can make this park a real outdoors experience.  The ecosystem of the park is unlike the rest of the state.  Thanks to the receding glaciers of the last ice age dumping millions of tons of sand on the area, as well as a prehistoric dry period in the state’s history, the forest is actually considered temperate desert or “Sand Prairie.”  The unusual make-up of the soil supports plants and animals unseen anywhere else in the state.  There are badgers, pocket gophers, fence lizards, prickly pear cactus, bur oak, and many more unusual species.  The area is also known for its bird life and includes semi-tropical migratory birds like indigo buntings, verry, ovenbirds, and scarlet tanager, along with Illinois game birds like quail, dove and pheasant.

Question Mark Butterfly at Argyle Lake State Park.

Cuivre River State Park

I blogged about this Troy, Missouri park just a few weeks ago, but I just can’t say enough about it.  The trails are great, and the wildlife is even better.  The campsites are nice and flat and all have fire pits and grill covers, and maybe best of all, there are shower facilities that are included when you pay the $12 fee to camp.  Now that it’s warm, the lake and beach will be open.  That means swimming and lounging around to soak up some rays!  The park rents paddleboats and canoes, so there are plenty of ways to beat the heat.  As if all of those things weren’t enough, Ranger Talks start this weekend, and you can listen to the experts tell you more about the wildlife of the park.  Who knows, I may even bring my bike if we go to this park, because the roads through the park also make a lovely ride.

So there you have it.  It’s a good list of options, and now all I need to do is make a choice.  I said this on my first blog, but it’s worth saying again: we live in amazing part of the country.  All that’s asked of us is to “Get Out” and explore it. Have a great weekend everyone!

Links and directions:

Siloam Springs State Park http://tinyurl.com/siloamsprings

Argyle Lake State Park http://tinyurl.com/argylelake

Sand Ridge State Forest: http://tinyurl.com/sandridgeil

Laura Sievert

Cuivre River State Park http://mostateparks.com/park/cuivre-river-state-park

Laura Sievert waiting at a red light during a bike commute down Maine Street.

Sievert's bike gear on her filing cabinet.

Sievert's bike in her parking spot at work.

The first question I got from coworkers when I rode my bike to work a few weeks ago was, “Oh no! Is your car broken?”  I explained that the Camry was fine; I just was going to start biking to work.  And biking to work is exactly what I intend to do (weather-permitting) until next winter.

Like many of you in Quincy, I live close to where I work: 1.6 miles to be exact.  And there are lots of good reasons to bike instead of drive.

1. Driving to work generally takes me 5 minutes door-to-door, and biking only takes about 10, so we’re not talking about a lot of extra time.

2. My office has no windows, and I often lament missing out on beautiful days. Biking is perfect for a breath of fresh air.

3. Biking to and from work twice a day is 40 minutes of cardio workout!  It’s going to be good for me come swimsuit season.

4. Gas. It’s probably not a lot of gas to get to work, but at $4 a gallon, I’ll take all the savings I can get. Besides, I like helping to save the planet when I can.

5. It’s helping me on my quest to feel more like Superwoman!  I bike into work in my “super hero” workout clothes, hop in the bathroom, and come out as my mild-mannered Marketing Executive alter-ego!

6. My favorite reason to bike to work is that it seems to slow my hectic life down just a little bit.  I’ve noticed architectural details on buildings I’ve never looked at before. I can watch the season change each day.  I like to hear a bird song and breathe in crisp morning.  It lifts my mood and helps me face the day with energy.

So get out there, Quincy!  Dust off your bike and hit the road for your morning commute. It’s good for your soul!

Laura Sievert

Sievert

SIEVERT — Last week, I attended my first meeting of the Quincy Bicycle Club. To say I learned a lot from the seasoned group of cyclists, would be a gross understatement. For anyone considering taking up cycling as a hobby, QBC is a wonderful resource to get you started. Everyone is knowledgeable and glad to share stories and tips that will make your new hobby even more satisfying. Even better, QBC gives you a network of new friends to go on group rides with and those can be a lot of fun. I invited Greg Davis, a long time QBC member to share a little more about the club here on Get Out:

DAVIS — It`s been a tough winter for us cyclists. Some us have found ways to cope, like using a rear wheel stand (often called a trainer) to put on miles during the off season. Others turn to the ever-more popular “spin” classes as found at the YMCA or the New-Fit facility. A select few like Terry Bauer have just never stopped riding, even putting in a short trek during our now infamous 22-inch snow. Most, however, have had to be content in just waiting for Spring to spring so we can dust off our trusty steed, air the tires and find how out of shape we have become during the cold, dark, wet winter months.

If you belong to the Quincy Bicycle Club www.quincybicycleclub.org you have had the benefit of monthly meetings filled with interesting programs and plans for the upcoming season. We`ve heard from a Quincy Police Dept. bike patrol officer, a participant in last year`s Hawaii Ironman Triathlon, several health care professionals, a gentleman who experienced the Race Across America (RAAM), reports on various rides around the area and received tips on planning and executing a European bicycle vacation.

There are so many facets to bicycling. With the prospect of $4 a gallon gas on the horizon there are those of us that at least partially ride for economic reasons. Couple that with the benefits of reducing traffic congestion and getting some much needed exercise it`s easy to justify the freeing experience of getting there under your own power. I`ve found that riding with others adds a completely new dimension to the sport. This is where the Quincy Bicycle Club can be an important resource. Beyond the meetings, which decrease in emphasis once riding weather arrives, there are many opportunities to join an “organized” ride. Contrary to common perception, the bike club is not made up of all youth oriented, spandex clad, hyper-fit, high mileage “bikers” that blow off traffic laws and attempt to take over the roadways. Rides are available for everyone from families to pros. On top of specialty rides there are the weekly jaunts that cater from beginner to expert.

The focus is to promote the benefits of cycling and let each participant find the level at which they are comfortable. Rides will often encompass ages from teens to seventies (although not usually on the same ride). If you are new to the sport I suggest first that you seek professional assistance in getting a quality bicycle. Nothing will dampen your enthusiasm faster than an ill-fitting, sub-quality or poorly-maintained ride. Next, check out the Pedal Pushers who will begin meeting at the main shelter house in South Park every Thursday at 6 p.m. beginning April 28. If you are more advanced the Intermediate and Advanced rides have already started up. they meet Mondays and Wednesday, respectively, at 6 p.m. in Madison Park. There are Time Trials on Tuesdays, also at 6 p.m. in Madison Park and a Saturday morning ride to Liberty for breakfast at Mike`s Place that begins at 48th & State, 10 a.m.

Just to touch upon a few more opportunities the bike club helps with bicycle safety rodeos, provides information on many cycling opportunities throughout the Midwest, assists with the Friends of the Trails annual Fun`d Ride (held this year Aug. 20) and works to promote cycling as a healthy and safe activity for all ages. I invite you to check them out.

Greg Davis