I am back on the bike on a regular basis since a number of setbacks, career changes and home improvement projects. This season I have set a 2500-mile goal. This is a lower bound of past summers that I have easily hit. This page chronicles my quest.
April
Tuesday the 11th to Sunday the 16th – (135 miles this week/135 miles total)
After rescuing my summer ride for the repair shop the weather gods decided to be very kind to the bicycling world. These miles were so easy with 70-deree sun as my riding partner. Completed the first mid-length ride around the Minneapolis’ Grand Rounds (with some detours). Great start to the summer.
Monday the 17th to Sunday the 23rd – (154 miles this week/289 miles total)
Well consistent good weather in April at the 45th parallel is a bit of a stretch. The cold rain that will help the plantings along, was a bit difficult to ride through considering the weather from last week was so great. But, I am preparing for my first century of the year and I have to train. At any rate, it is April, and it is easier to ride through rain regardless of the temperature than a 4-inch snowstorm.
Monday the 24th to Sunday the 30th – (196 miles this week/485 miles total)
This was a long week on the bike. The typical April weather returned, rain, wind and 50 degrees. However, it ended with my first participation in the Minnesota Ironman bike ride. This is a 100-mile ride, the first 40 miles is brilliant, then the last 60 is dead into the wind. A 30-plus mile-an-hour, make the gentle rolling hills of the rural Minnesota seem like an Alpine pass, strip your will to live type of wind. But, throughout this pain, it was a great ride.
May
Monday the 1st to Sunday the 7th – (51 miles this week/536 miles total)
Two factors this week brought production to a halt – work and a nasty abrasion. The abrasion was a parting gift from the Minnesota Ironman ride.
Monday the 8th to Sunday the 14th – (0 miles this week/536 miles total)
The week of the big goose egg; the abrasion was a bit worse than I originally thought and I was in the office far more than a sane person should. Luckily it is a long riding season.
Monday the 15th to Sunday the 21th – (107 miles this week/643 miles total)
Back to normal with the quota met. I went on long ride on Sunday through north region. A nice ride along the Mississippi River, across a popular dam and along a surprisingly nice regional trail between the dam and a large park reserve. I will write a posting later on the trip. In contrast to the surprisingly nice trails and preserve I came to find that the area needs better wayfinding.
Monday the 22th to Sunday the 28th – (31 miles this week/674 miles total)
Why is that you work enough hours prior to vacation to cover the missed time? Dismal week for riding.
Monday the 29th to Sunday the June 4th – (0 miles this week/674 miles total)
Northern California with its wine country, oceans sides and the bay area is a wonderful reason to talley a non-ride week.
June
Monday the 5th to Sunday the 11th – (0 miles this week/674 miles total)
Vacation hangover and work responsibilities rule.
Monday the 12th to Sunday the 18th – (105 miles this week/779 miles total)
This is beginning to be the summer of the mechanic. To my dismay, I have to be the mechanic. Drive train, wheel hubs, and breaks all are key learnings for me, but the time in the wrench is really cutting into the ride time. Fortunately I hit the quota and could salvage a good result for June.
Monday the 19th to Sunday the 25th – (133 miles this week/912 miles total)
I am in disbelief this summer. I continue to wait for a stretch of bad weather, 100+ degrees for seven days or rain and 50. But it simply has not come. We are having one of the most pleasant spring and summer seasons in a number of years. This might be the year to visit if you have never been. This week was the longest day of the year and me and the ride took full advantage.
Monday the 26th to Sunday the 2nd – (172 miles this week/1084 miles total)
Perfect week for a number of miles; all in the first five days of the week. It is Tour time and that does motivate me to ride. However, I continue not to realize my limits, so by day 5 I could only manage 6 miles for the day and spent the weekend with screaming legs. Fortunately, I had 6 hours of the Tour and the World Cup quarterfinals to soothe me.
July
Monday the 3rd to Sunday the 30th – (135 miles this month/1219 miles total)
As the summer progress my time behind the bars reduces to a dreadfully low level. I am not all right with the amount of obligations that need time. I yearn for the days of marginal employment but hours of time to ride. Also, I am beginning to realize that a fixer-upper home requires time to do the fixing-upping. Mother nature and an inexperienced wrench have had their impact as well. In Minneapolis, more than half the days of July were over 90 degrees (which comes with 125 percent humidity). But, since I have had to bring the ride in to readjust a new wheel a number of times, I had opportunity to miss some of that heat. At least the tour was interesting, I am not going to comment on Floyd, alleged jerk.
August
Monday the 31st to Sunday the 6th – (71 miles this week/1290 miles total)
I have been reduced to straight commuting miles. Given this pace, my goal is slipping away. Although I do seem to pick up the pace in late August and September went he heat mellow. We will see if this season holds the same.
Monday the 7th to Sunday the 13th – (0 miles this week/1290 miles total)
A nasty allergy attack sidelined me for the week. Motorwife and I returned from a weekend of camping, and it turns out I am allergic to Wisconsin. Must be the cheese in the air.
Monday the 14th to Sunday the 27th – (110 miles these weeks/1400 miles total)
It is becoming clear that I will not meet my goal for the season. In the last two weeks I had to survive the destruction of my rear wheel that sidelined me for a few days. For a bike that is built for the cycle-cross course it sure is not holding up in its first two years. Now that my bike is fixed miles will be few and far between since I now have to reside my garage (wish me luck) on every available day off for the remainder of the summer.
September
Tuesday the 7th to Thursday October 6th – (208 miles this month/1608 miles total)
Only 208 miles since early September. I continue to rebuild the garage siding. If I hit 2000 miles before the snow flies I will be lucky.
October
Wednesday the 8th to Thursday November 9th – (207 miles this month/1815 miles total)
The weather is starting to turn, at this pace I will be fortunate to hit 2K for the year. But in reality it does not matter how many just as long as I ride.
November
Friday the 10th to Friday December 1st – (186 miles this month/2001 miles total)
I hit the 2000 mile mark. Is 2500 possible? 500 miles in December will be tough. After some very pleasent November weather it turned nasty by Dec. 1.
December
Saturday the 2nd to Friday December 8th – (101 miles this week/2102 miles total)
This week we in Minneapolis received a reminder that winter means cold – 0 degrees is cold! Well that lasted for most of the week until the end and then the freezing mark. Who would think that would feel good? It is the start for toughness (or idiot, depending on your perspective) points part of the commuting season.
Saturday the 8thto Friday December 15th – (140 miles this week/2242 miles total)
Weather was fantastic in the 40s all week. However, evening rains (yes that was rain in the middle of December during the overnight hours) left the route a bit slick. So slick, that I bailed on my ride to work on Wednesday, with a rookie mistake of hiting the break on a curve.
Saturday the 16th to Friday December 22nd – (118 miles this week/2360 miles total)
I have nine days to ride 140 miles and complete my goal. Will I do it. 50-50 with the holidays on us.
Saturday the 23rd to Sunday December 31st – (40 miles this week/2400 miles total)
I knew that I would not have the will to ride in between the holidays and my impression that this is a dead week where we should all rest. I did not make the goal for the year but I did give a good shot at the end – 400 miles in December in Minnesota, a personal best. In a few days it will be the new year and I will chase a new goal, 2500 miles for the year (can’t increase it if I did not meet it this year). Happy New Year!