# "Before Work Ride" Say good-night not good-bye.



## T-shirt (Aug 15, 2004)

Good morning. Before we begin, let's get this out of the way. The post ride meal (out of sequence). I know this is a requirement of every ride report. Fruity Pebbles and some sort of chicken Hot Pocket. Not the usual jambalaya, Mandarin dumplings, or BBQ that people usually post, oh well.


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## T-shirt (Aug 15, 2004)

This is the story of my 5am "Before Work Ride". Although, I took the day off today, so it is closer to 7am now at the start. This will probably be the last time I (we) ride this, so I am saying "good-bye" to it. I'm moving out into the country, into one of the houses on my grandparent�s land. There will be no lease so, I can pack up anytime. Grad school is f-i-n-a-l-l-y over. I�m applying for jobs in public service and hope to move to Washington, DC...or overseas.

Tshirt...that's fascinating and all...but...let's ride.<o =""></o>

Ok, this is a ten mile Z shaped loop that goes into the countryside, while bordering Bloomington IN. The ride actually starts at 5:15am because I'm tired and don't want to get out of bed. I get back before six, get ready for work, and we open at 7:30am.<o ="">

Bloomington drivers are a special breed. The way we drive through neighborhoods, _where hello! children are playing_, makes these necessary. Speed bumps are all over this town. </o>


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## T-shirt (Aug 15, 2004)

I hope these guys stay in business. I mean, who places an ice cream shop at the *beginning* of a ride!?! Bruster's is actually really good. They have weird flavors like 'Politician'. I still wonder what that tastes like.

After this we make our escape from the city!


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## T-shirt (Aug 15, 2004)

Ok, so we go straight on this road and then we take a right on the other road...Which happens to be hwy 446. This leads south down to Lake Monroe. We won't be going that far this morning. Beginning Friday there will be a never ending convoy of boats from Indianapolis (about an hour north) and parts unknown heading down to the lake. It is man made and is big enough to sail at least a 22 ft sail boat. I only know that because I was a passenger on one many years ago. 

446 is also where Knightridge road forks off, crosses over and back again, making a _figure eight_. This is where the Indiana University 'Little 500' bicycle racers do some of their training in the spring

Would this be a good time to insert some of my favorite Jim Croce lyrics? 

Oh Roy's so cool
That racing fool
He don't know what fear's about
He'll do a hundred thirty mile an hour
Smiling at the camera
With a toothpick in his mouth

Oh the demolition derby
And the _*figure eight*_
Is easy money in the bank
But you outta hear them screamin'
For the dirt track demon
In a '57 Chevrolet


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## T-shirt (Aug 15, 2004)

We take a right off of 446. We are heading back towards Bloomington. But we've already made our escape and they won’t suck us back in. We'll turn left and head south again. That's enough specifics about directions. Remember, it's a Z shaped loop; we’ll hit all major directions of the compass before we are through. 

The temperature was in the mid 90's with high humidity, just like everywhere else in the US. But yesterday it cooled off. Right now it’s just under 70 degrees and quite pleasant.<o =""></o>

Over there is the eye surgeon's house. I think a few of the stories are obscured by the trees. His wife raises race horses. Darn, there are no horses outside this morning for us to see. This year we can usually see several adults and two babies. If you would like to purchase one, I hear the go for $ a million or two. <o =""></o>

Gios: "Oh am I in the picture too? I'm not posing! I always lean against trees like this…get my good side."


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## T-shirt (Aug 15, 2004)

There are so many c*rs out this morning. Out of principle, I will not post a picture of one. At the usual time I’ll see maybe 4 c*rs for the whole trip. (c*rs, a 4-letter word. thanks LFR)


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## T-shirt (Aug 15, 2004)

Here is one of the Tibetan centers around Bloomington. Once a year, the Dali Lama visits our fair town to see his brother. When the Dali Lama visits we may also see Steven Segal. The Harp Lady also lives here as well as John Mellencamp. Hey this is big city living, you've got to expect that kind of thing here. Time for more lyrics? 

"Little pink houses for yo..."
Ok, that's enough for now John, thanks.

We are a Midwestern town of about 60,000 residents and 40,000 university students. Our big industries are, the University (former home of Bobby Knight), still GE, but no longer Thompson (RCA), and always and forever Cooke Group (medical instruments). A good portion of this region is farmed for corn and soybeans and a little farther south is Crane Navel Base.


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## T-shirt (Aug 15, 2004)

More TCC, what a beautiful place.


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## T-shirt (Aug 15, 2004)

Coming out of the Tibetan center I spotted three white tailed dear about 10 yards ahead, but they hopped into the brush before I could get their picture. I'm not doing a good job at getting animals today. Will these do?

Darn it! There is a c*r in the picture. I said I wasn't going to do that.


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## T-shirt (Aug 15, 2004)

HOMAGE

<o =""></o>An ENIGMATIC fanny pack. I have to take a picture of my own fanny pack because there is no Miss M here to...oops, I gave it away.


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## T-shirt (Aug 15, 2004)

Wow, here are some horses. Tshirt saves the day.


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## T-shirt (Aug 15, 2004)

Oh no, we're heading back to the city. As long as we are here, these are a couple of my favorite places to visit.


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## T-shirt (Aug 15, 2004)

Feet! I did not take this shot to be cool and trendy. I thought of this shot all by myself, while looking at pictures of the feet of other people who had done this.


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## T-shirt (Aug 15, 2004)

Ha ha! We're making our escape back out of town. What the...?!? They are always building. Bloomington is getting bigger and bigger.


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## T-shirt (Aug 15, 2004)

Growing and growing...


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## T-shirt (Aug 15, 2004)

So we’ve made a loop bordering the east and south of B-town. Step one foot outside of city limits and you are in the hilly countryside. It is nice that way.

And here we are back home. Well home for about four more days. Time to get ready for work. Oh wait, I took the day off.

Thank you for letting me document and remember the “Before Work Ride”. I will miss it.

I hope that you enjoyed the ride.

Tshirt


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## kai-ming (Oct 3, 2002)

That is a great report !


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## MB1 (Jan 27, 2004)

*Need a nice reflective stripe sewn on to that pack.*



T-shirt said:


> HOMAGE
> 
> <o =""></o>An ENIGMATIC fanny pack. I have to take a picture of my own fanny pack because there is no Miss M here to...oops, I gave it away.


I own one of those packs but almost never use it (too small for all the junk we carry).

Love your work, thanks.


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## T-shirt (Aug 15, 2004)

kai-ming,

Thank you. I am glad that you enjoyed it. Putting it together was a lot of fun.

Thanks,
Tshirt


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## KeeponTrekkin (Aug 29, 2002)

*Great Report...*

Great Pictures and great roads. Those are some fun hills to ride fixed.


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## T-shirt (Aug 15, 2004)

MB1,

Thank you, I consider that high praise.

I agree, the pack is really small. I do my best to prepare for contingencies, stuffing it full with everything, including a full size adjustable wrench.

Thanks again,
Tshirt


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## Ridgetop (Mar 1, 2005)

*Nice report*

I love the pictures of the rollers on those roads of yours. I would love those things. I'm stuck with either level valleys or really high mountains (which I do love). 

Also, really like the Gios. Nice looking bike.

Final comment: "Public Service?". Man, do you really want to become a government flunkie? I'm a personal expert on this. I am a cog in the giant wheel of the government machine. Now if I can only figure out what this machine does! At least I get lots and lots of vacation time and have time to play on RBR. My wife is saying get a job like hers. . .she plays with the fire guys who keep the state from burning up and gets paid more to do it with all the state benefits.


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## The Walrus (Apr 2, 2000)

Looks like a great place to ride. It always throws me when I see summertime ride reports where the countryside is still green. Seems like it would be pretty difficult to leave a place like that. 

Thanks for posting...


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## lonefrontranger (Feb 5, 2004)

*great pics!*

Man T-shirt, that brings back some memories!

I raced quite a bit in and around Bloomington, back when I lived in Cincinnati. There's a local promoter, Dan Daly, who does a TON of independent race series stuff there.

Those rolling roads... ow, the pain! But man, it's pretty out there.


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## T-shirt (Aug 15, 2004)

Ridgetop,

Thanks for the compliments and the advice. About public service, I've got that whole 'want to save the world and youthfully oblivious to the realities/darkside/redtape of life' vibe going on. I'm sure reality will knock me upside the head soon enough. 

Thanks,
Tshirt


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## T-shirt (Aug 15, 2004)

KeeponTrekkin,

Hey, have you been to this area too? I must admit, my single speed has a free wheel. Once I started riding with one gear, it's been hard to remember why I ever needed more than one. ...until I try to climb something like Greesy Creek hill. Then I think, I hope they find my body before the animals get to me.

Thanks,
Tshirt


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## T-shirt (Aug 15, 2004)

The Walrus,

The trees and grass (and corn) are lush and green. I think it looks like a jungle this time of year. We're lucky to get some of the mildest weather here, hardly any snow in the winter, and relatively low humidity and heat in the summer.

...I'm moving only 15 miles away, so no worries except a longer commute. 

Thanks, Tshirt


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## T-shirt (Aug 15, 2004)

lonefrontranger,

_Get out of town! _You've been here too? This is a different kind of story, but my friend Ron (who has lived in this area all of his life) likes to tell about the time he took his family on vacation deep into the Florida keys. There was a park with a lighthouse. But the lighthouse was a far far walk. So Ron goes the distance, and there is no on out there anywhere, he's all alone, until he finally reaches the Lighthouse. He sees one other person; now they are two lost souls in the wilderness. They get to talking and Ron asks the man, "So, where are you from." and the man replies (you guessed it) "Bloomington, IN."
Anyway, I love the hills and it's hard to imagine moving back to flat land; I actually consider terrain in my job search.


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