Team Scheidel Ride #1

Easter Sunday was probably the nicest day we've had yet this year. Ian was home from college for the holiday, so he, Mary and I headed out on the White Pine Trail for our first family ride of the year. We wanted to avoid what we figured would be a very crowded trail up in Rockford, so we went south toward Whitecaps Ballpark. There were several people on the trail, but not too busy. Then we crossed the Grand River and rode into Riverside Park in northern Grand Rapids. Lots of walkers, strollers, skateboarders and dogs in the park. While these are all fine activities, they often don't mesh well with people riding bikes at 15+ mph. So after we got to the end of the park we turned back for home and took Monroe Street north. It was a bit dicey because of the rough winter which has created very rough roads around here. We finished with 17.5 miles, which gives me 60 miles total for the year. The progress is slow, but each ride is a little longer than the one before.

First Ride of the Season

I'm back, baby!   - Bender, Futurama

After six months out of the saddle I finally got a chance to ride outdoors again. Monday was a gloriously warm early spring day. The sun was shining, the temperature topped 60 degrees, and I got out on the road for a 10 mile ride. Ten miles doesn't sound like much, but after crashing in September and breaking four ribs, then spending the better part of the fall and winter recuperating, ten miles was about all I could handle. I figured out that the six months off my bike was the longest I ever haven't ridden since I learned how to ride a bike. My fitness level is shot. It's going to be a long climb (pun intended) to get back in shape, but I'm really looking forward to the work. After I did my little ride down the White Pine Trail I felt great. My legs were a bit tired and I was perspiring more than I should have been on a flat, slow-ish ride, but I still felt great. Just being outdoors on my bike was fantastic. I'm very excited to start riding more often and getting ready for our October JDRF ride in Death Valley.

Thanks very much to Coach Mike and Berger over at Third Coast Cycles for fixing my bike. It needed some serious work after the crash and the guys made my bike ride like it was new.