I always enjoy meeting other bike commuters along my route, especially when they are recent converts to the joys of bike commuting. Today, I met one such person at the work bike lockers. We were both looking at the cloudy skies and wondering if we'd get caught in a passing shower. I commented that I hadn't checked the weather but that I had checked the Mississippi River levels online. I wanted to get an indication of how passable my river route home through Lilydale would be. She then commented how much she loved bike commuting and was doing it more and more. She noted how "every day of bike commuting is different." So true, and my commute through Lilydale today confirmed it.
I reached the Lilydale section of my river ride home. Good sign: the road gate was open. The surface of the Mississippi River was rushing just below the road's level, but enough time had passed that the many inches of river sediment had been plowed from the once flooded bike path. Reassured and optimistic, I took the bike path through the floodplain forest. Soon I reached a flooded section of trail. Hmm...I had encountered a flooded section last year (see below) and successfully biked through with dry feet. But this was a different section and a very different flood year.
The water flooding the path was irresistible, so still, reflecting the tree canopy above. Its surface was speckled with tufts of cottonwood seeds. Thinking of last year's successful fording of the water, I plunged in with two wheels. The water rose as the bike descended... 1 inch, 3 inches, 6 inches, feet wet as they churned through the water. Don't slow...9 inches, 11 inches, my panniers are now cutting through the water. Luckily it got no deeper and I stayed upright. I reached dry ground, feet dripping. I emptied the water from my panniers, finding no fish. I dried off the bottom edge of the iPad that had suffered the crossing and headed to the next crossing.
Yes, every day of bike commuting is different.
I reached the Lilydale section of my river ride home. Good sign: the road gate was open. The surface of the Mississippi River was rushing just below the road's level, but enough time had passed that the many inches of river sediment had been plowed from the once flooded bike path. Reassured and optimistic, I took the bike path through the floodplain forest. Soon I reached a flooded section of trail. Hmm...I had encountered a flooded section last year (see below) and successfully biked through with dry feet. But this was a different section and a very different flood year.
The water flooding the path was irresistible, so still, reflecting the tree canopy above. Its surface was speckled with tufts of cottonwood seeds. Thinking of last year's successful fording of the water, I plunged in with two wheels. The water rose as the bike descended... 1 inch, 3 inches, 6 inches, feet wet as they churned through the water. Don't slow...9 inches, 11 inches, my panniers are now cutting through the water. Luckily it got no deeper and I stayed upright. I reached dry ground, feet dripping. I emptied the water from my panniers, finding no fish. I dried off the bottom edge of the iPad that had suffered the crossing and headed to the next crossing.
Yes, every day of bike commuting is different.
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