FINAL RIDE BEFORE THE "BIG" ONE

It's Tuesday. Gonna be a "barn burner" today. They're calling for temps to near if not pass the 100 degree mark. Ouch!

I'm set for my "final" ride before Friday's 24 Hours of Booty event. A nice easy 15 miles should do. I got some new riding shorts that I want to break in before the real ride.

The weather for Friday looks iffy. Chance of rain. We'll see what comes to fruition.

Stay tuned to hear how the ride went.

20-MILE RIDE, NEW SHIRT, and 4 MORE DAYS

It's been a while since I've blogged. A lot going on this week. 4 more days til the 24 Hours of Booty ride. Hooray!

In preparation for it, I'm really focusing on my diet these past 2 weeks. Lots of complex carbs, as well as plenty of sleep. Vitamins and water and plenty of them also.

This past weekend, I got out for a quick 20 mile ride to break in the riding jersey we'll be wearing that Diamond Springs Water provided for us. It's a NICE shirt.

I also order a new pair of riding pants to help me on the ride. I'll break those in tomorrow night when I do my final ride before Friday's big event.

I'm stoked to do this ride.

11 DAYS

11 days to go. 150 miles hopefully on the 25th

Time to rest.

Time to eat better.

Get more rest.

Get in 1 or 2 more rides.

Check the bike for tuning.

Ride.

AN EASY 15

The rains this week have really crippled my chances to add any serious mileage to my yearly total. Each night has been the same... HOT, HUMID, HORRENDOUS storm. Tuesday, Wed, and Thur have been like that.

I did ride Monday night. The infamous "Flying Ants" ride... No more of that hopefully.

This morning Bill and I actually met up for a casual 15-mile one hour ride around the neighborhood. We chatted about work, family, and the upcoming 24-hour ride. We're both of the mindset that any mileage over 100 miles will be welcomed. I'm hoping 100 doesn't kill me.

My best plan is to start slow. Thing "Tortoise and the Hare." I'm the Tortoise in this story.

2 weeks from today, and I'll be tackling the 100 miles. Bill will be riding as well, along with his coworker, Jim. 1,200 riders will be participating in the ride. That alone should take my mind off the pain of pedaling for 10 hours or so....

:)

ATTACK OF THE FLYING ANTS

Last night I head out to tackle 16+ miles or so for a nice evening ride.

I gear up, get going and as soon as I leave the confines of my wonderful neighborhood, I feel it.

SPLAT! SPLAT!! Another SPLAT!

I was getting bombarded by flying ants. They were everywhere!

I sped up, thinking they were just in that one area of the road I was riding on. Not my lucky day. Each road I turned on, thinking I had passed them by, they showed up. It got so bad a few times that I had to plan my breathing to coincide with the 'break of bugs" pelting me.

I had to stop a few times to take my helmet off and shoo-away the ants that got trapped in my head gear and were crawling around my scalp. It was disgusting@!

One of my most memorable rides, and not in a good way. I'm hoping tonight will be different!

REACHED MY GOAL

Thanks to everyone who has donated what they can, I have reached my goal of raising $150 for the 24 Hours of Booty Ride. I actually stand now at $280!

Thanks you all!

ALMOST THERE

I need to raise $150 for the "24 Hours of Booty" ride that is coming up on July 25th. I'm at $130. Not too shabby.

I want to thank everyone who has graciously donated to this cause. I'm anxious to do this ride. I'm hoping to ride 100 to 150 miles. 24 hours. Do the math. :)

I had a quiet weekend, bike-wise. I got back on this morning and put into practice something I've been TRYING to do for months. It sounds so simple, it's dumb: Ride for fun. Remember being a kid? Riding up the park, or over to a friend's house.... Easy pace and just on the bike for a purpose of getting from point A to point B.

I rode that way this morning. Yeah, I had my speedometer set and counting, but I didn't even look at that darn thing during my ride. I rode slowly. I probably averaged 14mph. It took me 7 miles out of 10.45 miles to "warm up" and pick up the pace a bit, but I didn't care.

I rode leisurely. I need to do more of this. If I'm going to ride for 10+ hours out of the 24 hours of Booty ride, I need to ride for fun. 10 hours at 13mph beats 8 hours at 15.5mph. Trust me.

I'm going to go out for a ride tonight and just enjoy the ride, the scenery, the sounds, the "whole" picture.

What a great ride I had this morning.

ANOTHER MORNING RIDE

Bill and I got out for a nice 17 mile ride this morning. It feels good to be back on the bike this week. The legs feel good.

I've got 46 miles to my name this week, so far. Friday is the 4th and I'm off, so I'm hoping to get in a 30-mile ride.

Saturday is the market and I don't plan on riding that day. It's a long enough day w/o throwing a ride in there.

IT WAS A GOOD MONTH

30 days in June. Yesterday was the last one. 308.01 miles later, I have set a personal record for the most miles ridden in 1 month. 308! This month (July) will be even more, with the Booty ride coming up at the end of the month.

I got out last night for an invigorating 12-mile ride. I remember (fondly, and horribly) when I first started riding back in September after a 10 year layoff. I felt old. I felt fat. (I was old, and I was a bit pudgy!)

Last night, I felt like I was in my 20's again. It's a good feeling. A bit of invincibility came over me. Wisdom now has a stronghold on me as well, which curbs the "Superman" complex in me, but last night, it felt great. I charged the hills. I rode quickly. I recovered from the hills with ease. I rode like I was 21 again.

I must have ridden too well though, because I TOTALLY slept through my 4am wake up call. I was to meet Bill out in the cul-de-sac at 4:15am. Oops.

I turn over, and the clock is reading 4:34am. "SONOFA@!#!" I yell to myself internally as I quickly grasp the fact that I blew Bill off for a ride. At the same time, I'm mentally placing where I left my riding clothes, so I could gear up and possibly meet up with my neighbor, albeit a bit late.

At 4:35am, I have the garage door open, I'm fully ready and pulling my bike down from the hook that houses it when I don't ride. As I straddle my Cannondale, I have a vision of, "this is how Paul Revere must have felt" come over me.

I grab my helmet, gloves, water bottle, and off I go.

I search the side streets to see if I can spot Bill out riding.

No luck. I figure he saw me sleep in and probably went back inside for another 40 winks himself.

About 2 miles into my 3 mile loop, off in the distance, I see a blinking tail-light.

Bill did make it out!

I increase my pace and meet up with to finish off a 16 mile ride for him, and a 10 mile ride for me.

So here we are in July. I'm 10 miles into what may amount to 400 miles this month.

Tonight I want to jog. Bill may join me.

At least I won't oversleep THAT!~

2-Ride MONDAY

It's the last day of the month. I'm about to top 300 miles in a single month for the 1st time ever. Tonight's the night. I've got a new (yet another) cycling computer to track my mileage. I need only 4.9 miles to top 300. I'm going out for a 16-mile ride, so I'll easily clear the mark.

I took some time off last week from riding. I was tired. Exhausted is a better word.

This week will be different. I've got the 24 HOURS of BOOTY ride coming up. Train, train, train.

I think Bill's going to kick my ass on this ride. I hope I can hang.

We'll see.

STALLED

This week has been about catching up on sleep for me. I've been really tired this week, and I'm trying to remedy it.

Not much cycling going on. I'm looking forward to getting back on the bike, but my energy level needs a re-juicing.

GONNA CLEAR 300 MILES THIS MONTH

Sweet! I'm at 289 miles for the month and I've got 5 more days to ride before July rears it's head.

Got out last night with Bill for a 13.65 mile ride. Good pace. Enjoyable. Hope tonight to get in a 20-miler.

Time will tell.

BACK IN THE SADDLE

What a wonderful 3-day break it was from riding. Gave me time to rest, both mentally and physically. I think I enjoyed the mental break almost as much as the physical break.

This morning, I had a quick 6.2 mile ride. Racing through my head was "why didn't I sleep in and just ride tonight?" I think I will get in another 15 miles tonight. Riding in the neighborhood at 4am is getting repetitive and boring.

I enjoy getting out and exploring the roads near where I live. There are many options for me to do a "under 20-mile" ride.

Tonight I'll look for a new one.

WITH AGE...

They say that with age comes wisdom. I'm turning into quite a wise man then.

After compiling 270 miles this month, I think my body is telling me "it's time for a few days off..." I think my legs are out of gas, so to say.

So, with a plan to take a few days off, I enjoyed sleeping in this morning til 5:15 (yes, that's sleeping in for me). It felt like HEAVEN. No 4am wake up call. No saddling up at 4:15am to ride. No rushing at 5:30am to get showered, dressed, and out the door.

In talking with Bill, he conferred the same feeling. We're going to enjoy a bike-less few days. Sunday or Monday we'll get back on the machine.

I'm looking forward to a few days of R&R.

NIGHT RIDES

They're supposed to be fun. Invigorating. A chance to ride out on "real" roads, not stuck in the neighborhood like my morning rides.

Not last night.

Bill called around 7:45pm. Stuff at the house would keep him out of the night ride. No biggie. Those things happen. Been there, done that.

So, I go out for a solo ride. I have a good hour of sunlight left to my ride. To be safe though, I bring along my headlight assembly. Can't be too safe.

So, off I go. I knew right away (w/in a tenth of a mile) that this ride was not going to be one where I set any land speed records. My legs were overly tired from the get go.

The 270 miles I've ridden the last 18 days have started adding up. Part of me is proud that I have that many miles to my name, the other part of me is saying "you're an OLD MAN!@ Can't hang anymore!" Ugh!

Off I go. Hills that usually see my FLYING up them saw me "enjoying at a safe pace" the beautiful countryside they adorn. I give myself credit in not forcing the ride. I'd finish when I was done. I didn't pay attention to my average speed. I didn't care on this ride. I was more focused on trying to get past my legs and their lack of energy this night.

I somehow managed a meager 15 miles. Seemed (and felt) like more.

Today is Thursday. Today I'm relaxing. Today I'm popping Motrin...

Today I'll enjoy a Red-Bull.

I'll continue my trek toward 100 miles for the week tomorrow. Yeah, that's it.

THEY NEED TO SEE ME...

Mid-week. Amen. Friday can't come quick enough.

I got out this morning for a 15.5 mile ride. Bill joined me and we had a nice ride. Big temperature change in the Charlotte area last night. It was actually a bit chilly this morning. Temps were in the 50's. Gorgeous. It's going to be a nice day.

I'm at 53 miles for the week. If we ride tonight, I'll be close to 70 miles... 100 is right around the corner after that. 3 weeks. 300+ miles. Not too shabby.

The light I got for Father's day is just perfect! It really lights up the roads in front of me. I like when cars can see me. I'll see them first, but me vs. a car = a win for the car. They need to see me. End of the story.

Loop after Loop after Loop... I'm getting loopy.

So here we are on a Tuesday. Monday is done. That's half the battle for the week here. Just getting through Monday.

Ride-wise, I had a better ride yesterday than I did this morning. My legs just weren't in it today. The entire ride, I felt like I needed to "crack" my knees. They were really tired as I rode loop after loop in the neighborhood.

Bill wasn't able to ride this morning, so it was me and my tunes. Thank God for MP3 players. They really break up the boredom and they help me keep a good pace throughout the whole ride.

I've got 240 miles to my name this month. I'm on pace to have my best month EVER, mileage-wise. 400 miles is not out of grasp for me. This week alone, I can get over 108 miles.

I hope tomorrow goes a bit smoother. My legs are starting to feel the strain of trying my 3rd 100-mile week in a row.

Hopefully Bill can ride tomorrow morning.

STEPPING IT UP

Had another 100 mile week last week. This week, I'm going for 3 in a row. 3-weeks/300 miles.

I stepped up my daily morning ride this week from 15.6 miles to 18.8 miles a day. I didn't like the Saturday feeling of "HAVING" to ride 25 miles to get to my 100 mile mark. If I stay with the 18.8 miles per day, by Saturday, I will be at 94 miles and can either do my 18.8 for Saturday, or 'phone it in' and only do a 6-7 mile ride to reach 100.

We'll have to wait and see how the week pans out.

How is everybody doing? Did you have a fun weekend?

SLOWLY STARTING TO FEEL IT

I've cycled 176 miles in the past 13 days. I'm on my way to 200 tomorrow.

My legs are starting to feel a bit tired. Rightfully so.

Last night Bill and I got out for a "quick" 12-mile ride. The heat of the day had passed. It was getting dark. We both had our lights at the ready for a good ride, and it was.

This morning, we got out for a 16-mile ride. I need 24 more miles today and tomorrow to make it 100 miles for the 2nd week in a row.

Gonna be tight.

EVERY RIDE IS DIFFERENT...

I enjoy cycling. I'm glad I got back into after a good 10-year absence. I'm in better riding shape (muscle, endurance, etc...) than I have ever been.

I'm averaging 3,000 miles a year, if not more. My daily ride is anywhere between 15-20 miles. To miss a day on the bike is rare. I enjoy my 1 day off a week, but the other six days? I'm out riding.

On most mornings, I hit the ground running. I've written before how I'm a morning person. 4am is the best time of day for me. Seriously.

This morning, as I got dressed in my riding shorts and shirt, I strapped on my cycling shoes and prepared to head out. I looked across the street to see if there was any sign of movement at Bill's house. I had run into him last night and mentioned that I'd be riding EVERY morning this week. He mentioned he was going to ride last night. That was before the TERRIFIC thunderstorm and lightning show descended upon us for a few hours. We didn't get much rain, but being the only thing out on the road (on a METAL bike) during A thunderstorm doesn't equate to a long lifespan. So, I thought I may see Bill this morning.

Sleep must've won out. So, I grabbed my MP3 player, cranked it up and off I rode.

It's amazing to me that after 2,000 miles I can still count on EVERY ride being different. Today was a perfect example of that. Yesterday I crushed the ride. Destroyed the hills, both up and down. Had endurance the whole time. My MP3 player hung across my arm as I cranked out mile after mile of just sheer joyous miles.

Today was different. I was tired. My gas tank was on low. I look back on this now and realize I should've started the day off with some yogurt, or a banana, or even a simple teaspoon of peanut butter. 40 years old and still learning.

My pace today was laid back. I started slow. I reminded myself throughout the ride to pace myself. Even though I was only doing a 15.6 mile ride, I didnt' want the last 4 miles to be torturous.

I did well, but my legs are tired. I'm 46 miles into my 100 mile quest for this week. Tonight I'm hoping to add 20 miles to my total.

I got to work this morning and wolfed down a blueberry yogurt, topped off with a tablespoon of sunflower seeds. I have some celery, carrots, and garbanzo beans to snack on today. I need to replenish my proteins. That will help my legs.

I'm looking for tonight's ride to be more like yesterday's ride instead of this morning's.

LOVE THE TUNES...

So, I geared up today for a 16 mile ride. It was early. 4:15am. Quiet outside. Just the way I like it. I have always been a morning person. The solitude of a silent morning is something I enjoy daily.

Summer rides in the morning just start my day off on the right foot everytime. I had to make sure I had water with me today. I was planning on a good, long, sweaty workout. I got it.

I had my MP3 player strapped to my arm as I cranked out a respectable pace. Not quite sure what my MPH was or my average. My computer is acting up, so I didn't even turn it on. I did a known route of 15.6 miles. I crushed it. The tunes kept my pace sky high, and more importantly, it took my mind away from the monotiny of it all.

I typically (actually never) ride with tunes. But I knew I was riding solo and staying in my neighborhood, so I gave it a try. Verdict: I love it!

31 miles for the week so far. 100 here I come

100-MILE WEEKS

4 of them. That's what I'm shooting for this month. 400 for June. Has a nice ring to it, doesn't it? I think so.

Last week, I rode 101 miles. I'm already 15.6 miles into it this week. I took yesterday off from the bike. I would be lying if I said I didn't enjoy the time away from it. I do love getting out on the road, but after 100 miles in 6 days, it's time for a break.

My speedometer has been acting up, so I think I'm going to replace it with a nicer model. At one point, going down hill (easily hitting 35-40mph, my computer said I was doing 8mph.... Ugh!

So, 100 miles this week, one new computer/speedometer for the bike, and hopefully Bill will join me for a few rides.

That's about it here.

65 and Change

Bill, Joe, and I got out for an awesome 21 mile ride last night. Hit some roads I haven't ridden on in quite a while. Great ride. Lots of conversation, which keeps your mind off the miles your putting under your feet. It was a pretty effort-less ride, but it was fantastic workout.

I've got 65 miles to my name this week. Gonna take today and probably tomorrow off. My legs are tired. I think the jogging is catching up to me. I'm popping some Motrin today to help. It's working.

I'll ride more on Saturday.

BACK and LOVING IT

I'm back to consistent and frequent cycling. I'm in heaven. The weather is just perfect now in the mornings. Night time rides are invigorating once again. It's not uncommon to see me on the local roads as late as 8:45pm (and still light enough outside to ride safely.).

Ah... soaking up the miles....

Bill and I also ran last night. We jogged about 2.5 miles. Not too bad. I haven't been running in a long time. I want to run more. A lot more. Running with someone will force me to do it and maybe I'll even get good at it.

I'm a MUCH BETTER cyclist than runner. If I drop about 20 more pounds, that may change. :)

CONTEMPLATING IT

I have been reading story after story after story of how folks are fed up with the price of gas. So much so that they have now started riding to work. It has my interest piqued, that's for sure. I have always wanted to do it. It's an easy 22 mile ride. I could do it easily. It's just the logistics of getting into the office with clothes, and finding someplace to shower, etc....

Time wise, it would take me about 1.25 hours. Nothing major. I leave early enough in the morning that that wouldn't be a problem. Coming home wouldn't be that bad either, but I'm trying to map out "NON" busy streets to trek home on.

I am really entertaining the idea.

If I rode to work everyday, I would save about $190 a month on commuting costs.

There's no way I could do this 5 days a week. I enjoy cycling. That's because I don't ride 7 days a week. 3-5 days a week is more like it.

4 DAYS, FOUR RIDES

It's been a good week for me, biking wise. I have gotten out the last 4 days in a row. With everything else that's going on, that's not a bad thing. I'm enjoying the rides. Bill was supposed to join me this morning, but I guess sleep won out for him today.

I'm nearing my 1st 1,000 miles for the year here. Tomorrow will be the milestone, if I get out.

FEELS LIKE TRAINING

The warm weather is finally here. That means more riding for me. Hot dog! I'll take it. I have gotten out for short rides that past 3 days. It feels so good to be back on the bike. I have been doing 12-15 mile rides each day, which allows me to push myself more than I do on my 25-35 mile rides.

I actually feel like I'm getting stronger, and faster. My averages are creeping up toward 18mph, which is nice.

My downside is still that I don't let my body warm up in a timely manner. I'm focused too much on my mileage average. If I can just relax and truly "warm up," then maybe my averages will be higher.

I am looking for flatter roads to ride on as well. Too many hills my way. Hills are a good training device (and they're usually unavoidable), but my focus these past 3 rides is to not 'coast' on the flat parts of my ride. I have been kicking it up a notch, all the while trying to focus on smooth breathing as I get moving.

I have a ways to go, but if I can keep my outings to 10-15 miles at a time, I will have opportunities to try out new things.

TWO DAYS | TWO RIDES

I have been out riding the past 2 days in a row. Feels AWESOME to be back on the bike. The weather is getting hotter, which I don't mind a bit. Got a good sweat going on each ride. It was heaven.

Yesterday, I set a new record on my bike. On a downhill clip, I hit 45 MILES PER HOUR. I was HAULING!!! It was invigorating, and a bit scary honestly. One little bump, pebble, or pot-hole, and this blog entry would've been written from a hospital bed. :)

Bill and I are planning on getting in a 20+ miler today. The weather is supposed to be close to 90 degrees today, so the earlier the better.

Hope you all are doing well. I know it's been a while since I've been steadily riding and writing. That will change this week. The weather is now warm enough in the early morning for me to grab my 15-17 miles before I trudge off to work.

CURTAILED

My cycling has curtailed quite a bit. It's not due to lack of interest. Lack of time, yes. Kelly and I have been busy (really busy) with the 2 Farmer's Markets that we have been doing.

We sell home-baked breads. Sales are fantastic, and we have a loyal following and many, many repeat customers.... We are enjoying the experience and all the interaction we have with so many different folks.

In the meantime, I'm not riding nearly as much as I used to. I need to get back to it and get up early to ride.

It will happen. I know it.

With my new Cannondale, I'm enjoying my rides more and more. It's a great bike.

BACK TO RIDING

I got out the other day for a nice 43 mile ride. It felt good to be back on the bike. I had a good clip going too. My legs did cramp up around 38 miles. The last 5 miles were not fun, but I made it back home in one piece.

This weekend is a 50-mile ride, but I've got the Waxhaw Farmer's Market to participate in, so that's where I'll be. $$ beats cycling any day of the week. As I told my neighbor, Bill, "I can ride 50 miles on Sunday."

:)

TUNED UP and ROARING to RIDE

Got a call from the local bikeshop today. My bike is READY! Yee-haw! I've been w/o it for close to a week. Been longer since I've ridden. I'm anxious to get back on it.

The miles need to keep coming, and I can't do that if I don't have the bike...

Duh!

Weekend rides are back!

Busy.

It's been a crazy few weeks here. I got a flat on the bike, and I need to get it into the shop for a tune up.

My folks are coming, so there are some household cleaning chores going around.

Kelly and I are currently doing 2 Farmer's Market's selling home-baked bread.

I'm looking forward to riding again. I don't know when that will be.

THE STREAK IS OVER....

It was bound to happen.

Some may call it inevitable.

Fate and luck was against me each time I headed out.

I rolled the dice on EVERY ride.

Today, the dice won...

After 2 bikes, over 1,900 miles....

I GOT A FLAT.

:)

Fortunately, with the way it worked out, I only had to walk about 1/10th of mile home. I was right down my street. I was just about to complete the final tenth of a 3.1 mile loop I do most mornings. At 3.0 miles, I start hearing this "thump, thump, thump..."

"Not good" I remember saying to myself.

I dismounted an noticed my back tire going flat.

As Spalding would say (from "Caddyshack") "DOUBLE RAT FARTS!"

It's a good reason to get my bike into the shop. I've been meaning to get it in for a quick tune up, but honestly, I've been having too much fun riding it. The back gears are slipping a bit though, so I'll have those looked at too.

1,900 miles w/o a flat. That's about 1,850 more miles I rode if I had been back up in Maryland.

I got flats up there like the father in "A Christmas Story" did on his Oldsmobile.

FUDGE! (Only I didn't say F-U-D-G-E!)

What's the worst thing to happen to you on a bike?

THURSDAY

It's Thursday. Another LONG week here. I'm exhausted. The allergies are wiping me out here.

I did get out last night and this morning for a total of 25.6 combined miles. Nothing major, but 2 outings on the bike, nonetheless.

I will ride tomorrow morning, and hopefully on Saturday (sometime). I've got 58 miles to my name so far. Tomorrow a.m. I can add 12-15 to that, leaving me 30 to get on Saturday.

Usually not a problem, but this Saturday I'll be participating in the Waxhaw (NC) Farmer's Market. I'm selling my breads that I bake. Should be a fun time. I'm really looking forward to it.

:)

If I reach 100, great. If not, I'm hoping to get at least 300 for the month. I'm on pace to get 278 miles, so I need to step it up. I did take an entire week off though, so I'll take that into account if I don't hit 300. (yeah, I know. It's MY fault I didn't ride, but at least I'll know why I came up short.)

:)

100 Mile DAY?

My neighbor, Bill, left me a v-mail yesterday. He wants to know if I'm interested in a 100 mile ride (in a day!).

I'm REALLY, REALLY interested. It would be an amazing challenge. I think I can do it. The most I've ever ridden so far has been 42 miles.

I think if we can have the necessary time to do the 100 miles, I could get through it. We're looking at about 6.5 hours to get this done. This would be my "marathon."

I will never run a 26 mile marathon. My brain keeps entertaining the thought, but wisdom (and reality) have me thinking otherwise.

Riding 100 miles in a day though? That I know I can do. This Saturday though? I'm not sure. I can do 50 w/o a thought. 100? That's a LOT of miles.

What do you guys think?

BACK TO THE EARLY MORNING RIDE

Yesterday I got out for a nice 10 mile ride in the early hours. Temps weren't too bad, thankfully.

I was going to ride this morning, but I knew that I have a chance to ride tonight. I'd much rather ride when it's warmer, so I opted out of my early morning ride today. Instead, I lifted weights with the new set of free weights I picked up over the weekend.

I'm looking to get in a nice 16 mile ride tonight. Maybe 20?

THIS MORNING I FROZE...

Took 7 days off from riding. I feel refreshed. Renewed. Reinvigorated. Ready to ride. Amen.

I got out for a quick "test" ride of my new headlight/taillight setup. In a nutshell, the taillight is AWESOME. Very bright. Has 4 different settings from solid to blinking to strobe, etc... Fantastic addition to the bike.

The headlight? It stinks. It has all the brightness of a single candle. Not worth the casing it sits in.

So, the search will continue for a suitable headlight.

I did a short (3.14 miles) this morning to test out the light. I would've ridden longer, but I was freezing. I under-dressed for the ride. I haven't done that in a LONG TIME... No fun. I'd rather sweat than freeze. This morning I froze.

I will get out later this morning for at least a 1 hour ride, which will give me 16 to 18 more miles for today.

Kelly's off tomorrow from play practice, so I'm hoping to get out again tomorrow. We'll see.

TAKING THE WEEK OFF

Zero miles. I haven't ridden since last Sunday. I'm enjoying the time away from the bike, but with the warmer weather upon us today and tomorrow, I know I'll be looking to get out and ride.

I got a new headlight/taillight assembly for my bike. It will make riding at 4:30am that much safer. :)

SO FAR, NO MILES

I'm enjoying Day 3 of no riding. I'm still well on target for getting 100 miles this week. I have tomorrow off, and I'm planning on doing a 40-50 mile ride. My goal is to ride for 4 hours. I need to work on endurance, not distance, for my upcoming charity ride. 24 hours of riding. I'm not riding the full 24 hours obviously, but I would like to ride 8 to 12 hours of it, if not more.

The longest ride (time wise) I have ever done is 2 hours and 45 minutes. I was going gung-ho the entire time though, so it seemed like a long ride.

Tomorrow, I'm going to start easy and just take it slow. My goal is 4 hours. Mileage will add up on its own.

I'm looking forward to tomorrow's ride.

103.50 FOR THE WEEK

This is the 2nd week in a row for me to ride 100+ miles. I came in at 103.5 miles today. I'd be lying if I said my legs weren't tired. They are. I may pop some Motrin a bit later. I'm getting old.

Today's 2nd ride (I rode at 5am) was a windy cuss of a ride too. Headwinds the whole time. I pulled off a respectable average despite it.

Tomorrow will see me reset my weekly odometer. It's painful to see 100 miles disappear with the click of a button. :(

I'm taking tomorrow off. 205 miles in 14 days earns me a spot on the couch. :)

TWO RIDES and 7.14 MORE TO GO

The weekend is here. Amen. It's about time.

I got out last night for a great ride. It was only 17.8 miles, but I did it in 1 hour. That's a great average for me.

This morning I got out for 12.1 miles. That leaves me with 7.14 more to go to reach my goal of 100 miles this week. I have all day to do it. This is my first back to back 100 mile weeks. It feels pretty good. My legs don't hurt. They're not even that tired.

I think I'm getting the hang of this thing...

CAPTAIN JACK'S RIDE...COMING UP

Bill told me about this ride this morning. I checked it out online and just registered for it. Sweet! it's a 50 mile ride through Union County, NC, where I live. I'm looking forward to it. I hope to do a 50-mile ride prior to this one, but if not, then it will be my 1st 50 mile ride.

There should be a TON of other riders for this thing. It's on May 17th. I've got time to put in a few more miles (hundreds....) before this ride.

Speaking of miles, I can't believe I'm closing in on my 2nd thousand mile plateau. I'm 760 miles or so into it this year. This time around the miles haven't been killing me nearly as much. I'm getting into some good shape here and the miles are easier and easier everyday. Amen to that.

38 SPECIAL and a 50-mile ride.

38 Miles to go this week to reach 100 miles. I've got a good ride in me this evening. This is after a 16.4 mile ride this morning.

My average has DEFINITELY increased since getting the new bike. I used to pull in averages of 14.5 - 15.9 mph on my old GT mountain bike. I'm consistently pulling in averages all over 16mph with the Cannondale.

With the warm weather creeping up on us, I want to see that average closer to 18mph. I know I can do it.

There's a 50-mile ride coming up in mid-May that I want to sign up for. It's around here and there's going to be a huge group of riders for it. I'm stoked for it. Nice clip too. 50 miles in 4 hours. No problem....

Stay tuned.

IS IT FRIDAY YET?

I got back to "real" riding this morning. After my measly 3 mile ride yesterday, Bill and I tackled a 15.88-mile ride this morning.

No wind! I can't remember the last time I rode with no wind. It was nice.

I'm 46 miles into this week. Need to step it up if I'm going to see 100 by Saturday night.

Bad weather will be here Saturday. I need another 34 mile combo ride this Friday like I did last Friday. :)

It's been a long week. I hope Friday gets here soon.

DONE BEFORE I STARTED...

There are certain variables that attribute to a fantastic, memorable ride. Weather is one of them. Temps that are "just right" can really make a ride. Similar to Goldilocks, cyclists prefer rides that are not too cold, not too hot, but just right.

Mental preparedness is also a strong variable that dictates how a ride is going to pan out. I call it "mental momentum." It can carry you a long way. Usually, I'm stoked to be out riding.

Today,I had both the weather and mental preparedness beat me down. My heart wasn't in my ride this morning. I sadly rode one loop around the neighborhood and called it quits. Too cold. My mind was elsewhere.

I can count on 1 hand the times I have felt like this in the past 7 months, so I'm not worried about it. My body must be trying to tell me something. I'm trying to listen.

I'm still on pace to get 100 miles this week, so I'm pleased in that regard. I'm bummed I didn't get more miles in this morning. I have tomorrow morning to ride, Friday morning and evening and then 2 rides on Saturday. Between those 5 rides, I can muster up 70+ miles.

Not today though.

I was done before I started.

10 Leisurely Miles

I feel like I've been hit by a Mack Truck. My whole body aches. My legs are tired. I have a slight cough. I swear the flu is returning. That's what it feels like.

With that being said, I did muster up a 10-mile ride this morning. Nothing major. Nothing fast. Just 10 leisurely miles.

I'm at 27 for the week, 88 for the month, and 740 for the year. I'm really trying for 100 this week as well. It's going to be a bit tougher this week. Schedules/weather/health are all different this week.

Part of the challenge of riding. Every day.

SUNDAY NIGHT RIDE

Bill and I made it out last night for a 17.46 mile ride around the neighborhood. Great ride. We definitely pushed each other, and with my new bike, it was definitely a 50/50 push of me challenging Bill, and vice versa. On my old mtn bike, I think I was holding Bill back a bit. It's good to on a more level playing field now where we can both benefit from riding with each other.

I was going to ride this morning, but I didn't get to bed til 11pm. Aidan stirred a few times during the night and when 4am came rolling around, I gave the traditional Monday "Aw...hell no" salute and slept in til 5:15am.

Bill did ride though. I'm hoping to get out later today when Kelly's play practice is over.... If not,I'll definitely ride tomorrow morning.

I'm hoping for back to back weeks of 100+ miles.

BACK TO SQUARE ONE

There was something exciting about chasing down 100 miles in a week. It kept me going each day. Seizing a ride here and there and waking up each morning refreshed and ready to add to my total mileage for the week kept me going.

Reaching the goal early yesterday morning was the pinnacle to the week.

Now it's Sunday. Now my mileage for THIS week reads ZERO. Zilch. Nada.

Ouch!

I get to start all over again. It's like someone let the air out of the balloon I was riding high on. Back to the grind. Back to the salt mines. Time to make the doughnuts.

So, it's Sunday. I start over and try to get 100 miles this week as well.

100. I did it.

Last night we got a round of thunderstorms that rivaled Kansas. Rain too. I think I saw the animals lining up in pairs outside. Wow! Damaging rain. Tornado warnings, not watches...

Scary stuff. I don't know how folks in Tornado Alley live that way. No thanks.

Fortunately, I got out for a 22-mile ride before all that happened. That left me with 10.43 miles left to cover to reach my 100-mile goal for the week.

This morning, the rain subsided long enough for me to get out and ride 11.018 miles. Done. 100 miles for the week. I'm pleased.

I've lost 5.5 pounds since getting this bike (2 weeks ago). Not bad if you consider I had a business trip to San Fran (good food, better beer) thrown in there.

I haven't been this light in about 5 months. My next goal is to lose 9 more pounds. That will put me at a weight I haven't seen in years.

Today is a rain event for the most part. Aidan's supposed to have a soccer game. I doubt that will occur. We got close to 1.5 inches of rain just last night. They're calling for another inch, if not 2 for today.

Yeah!

I may actually have to mow my lawn this year. (We moved here in May of 2007. I have mowed the backyard 1 time... Once. That's it....) Can you say "drought?"

I RIDE A CANNONDALE, BUT THANK GOD FOR SCHWINN

So, I'm closing in on 200 miles on my new Cannondale. Love that bike. Wouldn't trade it for a million bucks.

With that being said, I have been having issues with finding the right bike computer (speedometer/odometer) for it.

It came with a Sigma BC1600. No magnet though for the fork, rendering that useless. So, I head out and pick up a BELL wireless model. Bell, along with Sigma must be French for "PIECE OF CRAP!" Didn't work at all.

So, I go and get a new magnet to try using the Sigma again. I got the Sigma to work, but the recommended wheel diameter setting was WAY off. I thought maybe I set the mileage to kilometers. Nope. It was just not meant to be.

So, I head over to my trusty GT Mountain bike that has a Schwinn bike computer I've been using for the past 1,700 miles.

The new magnet I got in hopes of using the Sigma works beautifully with the Schwinn computer.

Life is good again. I don't have to "guess" about how many miles I'm doing. Amen!

FYI: I got home from work today and cranked out 22.64 miles. 10.43 more miles to go to reach 100 for the week!

Yeah!