Thursday I plopped Nathan back in the bike trailer and headed over to Island Park in Springfield down next to the river. We stopped at the Bike/Ped overpass along the way and watched the trucks and cars drive past on I-5. Nathan LOVES going to watch the truck zoom past under our feet. The first time I took him there a lot of truck honk their horns for us as the went past. No horns this time but it was still fun. By the time we got to the park Nathan had fallen asleep. We I woke him, he took a couple of seconds to get his barrings, saw the park in front of him and pointing, exclaimed "THERE SHE IS!" After playing for a little bit he told me he was "all done", so got back on the bike and headed home.
I thought about getting out today but wasn't really feeling like it, but when I finally got around to showering this afternoon I decided that I needed to get out and take some of the stress (not finding a job yet and everything else that has been going on) out on the bike path. So I threw on the spandex shorts and my Oregon Ducks bike jersey and headed out for a ride. I wasn't really sure where or how far I was going. I rode down to the path by the river and just pushed myself for about seven miles, cruising along at about 20 mph. I took a break at one of the bridges over the river. It was a nice place to just sit and think. After about 15 minutes I figured I should get going. I headed down to the end of the bike path, turned around and rode all the way to the other end, zigzagging around the roads and paths of the riverfront park system. There I turned around stopped at a free refreshment and bike tuning tent and left before the TV cameras got set up, headed across the river and by the University of Oregon and took off for home.
It was a little over 25 miles. I felt pretty good during the whole ride. I find that after about 15 miles pedaling becomes second nature like breathing and your heart pumping. Next week I'll try to get a few more rides in, one of them at least 40 miles. Maybe 50 or 60 the week after. My new goal is to ride to Corvallis and back, check out Oregon State campus (I'll make sure to not wear my Duck jersey that day, otherwise I might not make it back.) I think it's about 85 or 90 mile. If I feel like it I'll ride around Eugene and stretch the ride to 100. Not sure how long it'll take. I'm not in as good of shape as I was last year, but a got a few weeks to get there. Wish me luck.