Yep, riding season has arrived here in Chicagoland! I normally get my first rides of the season in a little sooner than I did this year but I finally got my first ride of the year  last week. I was still doing my walking and running routine when the weather first started improving this year.

I usually consider riding season to start and stop pretty close to daylight savings time but this year I think there was still snow on the trails when we started daylight savings time. Anyway, it really felt good to get back in the saddle and out on the trails again.

One thing that I noticed as being very helpful this year as a walker/runner and bike rider is to not only signal your intentions ~ like letting other people on the trail know that you are coming up behind them and passing ~ but also to acknowledge that you heard the rider that is about to pass you.

For example: When a rider comes up behind me ~ when I am walking or jogging ~ and either says the old standard “on your left” or has a bell or horn or something (I prefer and have a bell myself) is to just give a thumbs up, as you continue walking or whatever, or even to just say OK or something similar just to let them know that you heard them.

I find this really helpful as a rider because I know that the person or people ahead of me heard me. I usually thank them for that simple gesture and I have found other people usually thank me when I acknowledge their passing intentions too.

Of course there are always the riders that are completely silent and stealthy and speed up behind you and scare the sh** out of you when they are right next to you and passing but then there will always be all kinds of riders out there. I think a little common sense and courtesy goes a long way to make the trails safer and more fun for everyone.

Paul Douglas Trail along Huntington, Freeman

Regarding the Trail Conditions. My first few rides were on the bike trail that goes around Paul Douglas Forest Preserve in Hoffman Estates. Even though this is a very specific trail, I think that many of the trails in the Chicagoland area ~ and maybe even in Northern Illinois ~ may have similar conditions due to the long, hard winter that we have had this year.

I rode the trail around the entire Paul Douglas forest preserve and there were no detours or obstructions.

What I did find, however, is that any place where the trail was very close to a road, the trail was covered with stones and small pieces of asphalt. I assume that this is from the snowplows pushing snow off of the roads and on to the trails throughout this long winter.

I have never seen this situation quite as bad as it is this year. It is all passable but it looks like it would be easy to get a flat in these places or even slip on the loose stones and stuff. I’d like to see the people that maintain these trails to just get out there and clean this up a little. I don’t think it would take that much effort.

Anyway, once again, it is still great to get out and ride again. I will try to keep the updates coming a little more regularly now.

Later, Rob.