First Ride of the Year

This morning when I collected my bike from the storage shed in the back yard I noticed that the pedels were missing!  Then I remembered, the last time I rode my bike was in October of 2011 about seven months ago.  And that ride was the 2011 Cycle North Carolina Bike Tour.  When you put your bike on the truck for the ride back to Raleigh you have to take the pedels off.

I decided to not only put the pedels back on but also to replace my new 'Moon-Saddle' with Evelyn's saddle that she used before she got her moon-saddle.  And I found that saddle very nice.  I'm not sure if I am going to try that moon saddle again.

Since this is my first bike ride in seven months I decided to just do a greenway ride.  The ride wound up going around 30 kilometers and took 1:45.  Here is a link to the ride if I had not had to turn around a ride back down the hill then up the hill to Ridge Road: "http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/92066445".  Here is a screen shot of the route:

From Random Graphic Images

I left the house and rode down to Crabtree Creek, along Yadkin Drive.  I then turned onto Allegheny and rode to the greenway.  Once on the greenway I rode to Lead Mine Creek and got on the Crabtree Creek Trail.  I followed the Crabtree Creek trail to the end and turned around and rode back to the McDonalds at the corner of Blue Ridge Road and Crabtree Blvd.  Then on to the new greenway that parallels the beltway up to Glen Eden Drive.

This new part is now being landscaped and is very nice.  Once at Glen Eden I rode across the beltway and looped down under Glen Eden on the new greenway.  I followed the new path and crossed under Lake Boon Trail.  The new greenway then parallels the street until you get to the road that climbs up to Martin Middle School and Ridge Road.  I crossed this street and kept on the new greenway until it ended very near the beltway bike bridge.  At that end point there are pilings that look like there will be a elevated part that spans a ravine just before you get to the bridge.  I turned around rode back to the road then up the hill to Ridge Road then on down past All Star Bike Shop at Ridge Road Shopping Center.  I then too the new greenway beside Wade Avenue to the bike bridge to the NC Art Museum.  Once at the Museum I got on Blue Ridge road and rode back down to Crabtree Creek, taking Edwards Mill Road that goes past the Crabtree Creek Tavern and it was then back on the greenway and back home.

It was a nice ride that probably took around 30k, my bicycle trip computer has a dead battery so I can not give the exact milage.

Here is a picture of the end of the greenway and the poles that will be the base of the bike trestle over the ravine:

From Random Graphic Images

Here is another picture of the bridge to the Art Museum. If standing where this picture is taken you look to your left you will see where the new greenway will come out.

From Random Graphic Images