Boomer blogger and avid cyclist, Alan Sivell, has his tires pumped about the progress made to-date on the bike path over the Mississippi that’s part of the new I-74 bridge. It’s going to be a great year to be on two wheels!
By Alan Sivell
I finally forced myself to get on my bike this week. After all, it’s MAY! And National Bike Month. And I’m more than a month – or more – behind the training/fitness schedule that nags me always.
My excuse is that it’s been a cold spring. Great sleeping weather. Great fireplace weather. But not so great biking weather. In my opinion.
Riding the river this week, I quickly had the thought that maybe I should have waited until June. Strong headwinds, more like March winds, buffeted me on the way up the river and on the way back. Funny how that works.
What’s great about summer biking is that you don’t have to worry about layering. You simply put on shirt and shorts and go. This time of year, you have to be like Goldilocks, searching for the outfit that’s just right.
But unlike Goldilocks, you can’t stay indoors while you do your choosing.
You have to take into account the temperature, the winds, how hard you will work and how long it might take for you to get warm. For an enjoyable ride, you don’t want to over or underdress. Bike shorts and a long sleeve T-shirt under my fully zipped-up bike jersey turned out to be the right choice, although my first few miles were pretty chilly.
Reclaiming a favorite bike route
One of my favorite bike routes is the roughly 25 miles loop through Davenport and Bettendorf. When it’s been interrupted by the bridge construction the last few years, it hasn’t been quite as enjoyable. But other than a very minor and safe detour at the Iowa-American Water plant, it’s smooth sailing now.
When I need a change of scenery, I like to ride across the river and hop on the Great River Trail and ride north until I am about halfway exhausted. Although trying to guess what is my halfway exhaustion point is similar to trying to figure out how to dress for biking in chilly weather.
Decisions, decisions.
However, I’d been avoiding riding on the Illinois trail, too, because of the bridge construction. I am excited about the bridge and the coming multi-use (pedestrians, bikers) lane on the east bound side of the bridge. But in the years of building, it has taken some skill to make your way through the construction area.
But in late April, the ribbon was cut on the route change of the trail that allows trail users to ride safely around the construction zone. The new route also has the benefit of giving users great views of the old and new bridges.
Progress is underway for the new bike and pedestrian path on the I-74 bridge. Construction is expected to be done with the second span by the end of the year. The path is adjacent to the Illinois bound span. Riders or walkers will use an elevator off State Street in Bettendorf to access the path. As the lane comes into Moline there will be a six foot high concrete wall to separate the path from Illinois bound traffic.
Looking forward to the new year on two wheels
Now that I’ve got my tires pumped, my water bottle found and sanitized and my first rides in, I am excited for this year’s biking season. And while I don’t make New Years’ resolutions, I am making biking season resolutions.
#1. Try five new out-of-town trails.
First on my list is Iowa’s High Trestle Trail, from Ankeny to Woodard. It’s not my Moby Dick, but I have long wanted to ride it. I walked part of it once and desperately wished I had my bike with me.
I’d love to hear about your favorite trails. See you on the paths this summer.
I finally forced myself to get on my bike this week. After all, it’s MAY! And National Bike Month. And I’m more than a month – or more – behind the training/fitness schedule that nags me always.
My excuse is that it’s been a cold spring. Great sleeping weather. Great fireplace weather. But not so great biking weather. In my opinion.
Riding the river this week, I quickly had the thought that maybe I should have waited until June. Strong headwinds, more like March winds, buffeted me on the way up the river and on the way back. Funny how that works.
What’s great about summer biking is that you don’t have to worry about layering. You simply put on shirt and shorts and go. This time of year, you have to be like Goldilocks, searching for the outfit that’s just right.
But unlike Goldilocks, you can’t stay indoors while you do your choosing.
You have to take into account the temperature, the winds, how hard you will work and how long it might take for you to get warm. For an enjoyable ride, you don’t want to over or underdress. Bike shorts and a long sleeve T-shirt under my fully zipped-up bike jersey turned out to be the right choice, although my first few miles were pretty chilly.
Reclaiming a favorite bike route
One of my favorite bike routes is the roughly 25 miles loop through Davenport and Bettendorf. When it’s been interrupted by the bridge construction the last few years, it hasn’t been quite as enjoyable. But other than a very minor and safe detour at the Iowa-American Water plant, it’s smooth sailing now.
When I need a change of scenery, I like to ride across the river and hop on the Great River Trail and ride north until I am about halfway exhausted. Although trying to guess what is my halfway exhaustion point is similar to trying to figure out how to dress for biking in chilly weather.
Decisions, decisions.
However, I’d been avoiding riding on the Illinois trail, too, because of the bridge construction. I am excited about the bridge and the coming multi-use (pedestrians, bikers) lane on the east bound side of the bridge. But in the years of building, it has taken some skill to make your way through the construction area.
But in late April, the ribbon was cut on the route change of the trail that allows trail users to ride safely around the construction zone. The new route also has the benefit of giving users great views of the old and new bridges.
Progress is underway for the new bike and pedestrian path on the I-74 bridge. Construction is expected to be done with the second span by the end of the year. The path is adjacent to the Illinois bound span. Riders or walkers will use an elevator off State Street in Bettendorf to access the path. As the lane comes into Moline there will be a six foot high concrete wall to separate the path from Illinois bound traffic.
Looking forward to the new year on two wheels
Now that I’ve got my tires pumped, my water bottle found and sanitized and my first rides in, I am excited for this year’s biking season. And while I don’t make New Years’ resolutions, I am making biking season resolutions.
#1. Try five new out-of-town trails.
First on my list is Iowa’s High Trestle Trail, from Ankeny to Woodard. It’s not my Moby Dick, but I have long wanted to ride it. I walked part of it once and desperately wished I had my bike with me.
I’d love to hear about your favorite trails. See you on the paths this summer.
Alan Sivell
St. Ambrose Professor, Pizza-lover, Bulge Battler
Alan is a communications professor at St. Ambrose University and a former reporter for WQAD-TV who has exercised – and dieted – his entire life.
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