Bicycling in Bloomington

My big toe still hurts but I am a little more confident that I can do the “Big Ride” with my daughter on Saturday. Here’s why:

• I learned that a little slower speeds, a bit more spin, and pointing my toes up on the downstroke seem to reduce the discomfort.
• I took ibuprofen before starting. About 45 minutes into the ride, the pain was reduced. However, it might be the endorphins rather than the meds. I say so because during the ride, a driver pulled out in front of me and I chased her to the next stop sign. I rode up to her window and reminded her of good driving behavior and described my feelings regarding bad drivers. While chasing her, my toe didn’t hurt.
• I also learned that I shouldn’t take ibuprofen on an empty stomach.

 The ride was pleasant. I repeated a hill in a local neighborhood (Sherwood Oaks) to determine the best way to climb. I rode for about an hour. I had to stay local because I don’t have spare tube. I’ll get one later today when I visit my LBS (Bicycle Garage) to get a hitch rack and some needed supplies.