Happy Saturday!

Another long dry spell for my photography.  What I have for you today is not about photography but a cool thing that Dubuque has done for the biking enthusiast.  So I have 4 images today to help tell the story.

I got back on my bike last week because I wanted to drop a few pounds and get back in shape.  Yesterday I did a 23 mile ride with some big hills.  This is my Trek “Fitness” bike.  I purchased it three years ago and really enjoy riding it.  It is a 27 speed bike and I like that it has wider tires than my road bike and I can sit more up right on it.

You’ll notice on the back of the bike is a carry all bag.  I’m a pack rat so I take all my bike tools for any kind of repair (including fixing a flat tire.) Money for snacks or water, first aid kit, rain gear, a towel, a small air pump, and of course a camera.  The camera is a little Nikon Coolpix L810.  It doesn’t shoot in RAW but it is small, durable, and holds a charge for a long time.

So my halfway point yesterday was at the end of the paved bike path where it turns into the Heritage Trail.  There is a large lake, a parking lot, and picnic tables with grills.  Many people park their cars in the parking lot and walk or ride the Heritage Trail or they fish in the lake.  Yesterday the parking lot was full of cars with bike racks on them and there were 15 or more people fishing.  The park is the halfway part of my ride so I like to stop here and rest my butt.  🙂

New this year they have installed a bike repair station.  The station is equipped with every tool you would need to make repairs on your bike.  You can download repair instructions on your smart phone by scanning the QR Code on the machine.  It also has directions for mounting your bike in the proper position to effectively work on it.

Additionally it has an air pump with pressure gauge.  All the tools are attached to steel cables that extend out far enough to allow access to the area that needs repair.  Hopefully some idiot will not destroy it.  It is really a thoughtful addition to the bike path.

Going on another ride today.

Enjoy your day and be careful.