So long to 2017

The last post of the year on the last day of the year. This appears to becoming a tradition. (Mostly because I've now done it twice in a row.) 2017 was a good year for me and my bicycle. I rode 1,221 miles and had no crashes. I did the full century ride at the JDRF Ride in Colorado and managed to get in a few metric and half centuries along the way.

JDRF Ride to a Cure in Loveland, Colorado.

Looking ahead to 2018, I'd like to up my mileage and my fitness level. Maybe it's because of the major birthday I had this past October, but I don't feel like I'm in as good of shape as I've been in the past. So I'm going to ride more this coming year, with a goal of at least 1,500 miles split between road and mountain biking. Mary and I have been doing some hiking, but we are going to do more frequent hikes and for longer distances. I also need to be more regular in my workouts. I've been working out three times one week and then not at all for three weeks. 2018 will see some changes there.

I hope that the new year brings joy and health to all my readers, and everyone else for that matter. I'm looking forward to a healthy and happy 2018. Peace.

Last ride of the year

Maybe I should say, probably the last ride of the year. Road cycling in Michigan in December is always a season ending bonus. Most years there would be snow on the roads and temperatures near freezing. This fall has been quite mild and yesterday was no exception. It was sunny, not windy, and about 50 degrees. So Mary and I saddled up our road bikes and headed to Rockford on the White Pine Trail. It was a leisurely ride since we haven't done any kind of riding in over a month. Still, it felt good to be out since the forecast calls for more seasonable conditions later this week. Plus, with the sun going down at 5:12 in the afternoon it's difficult to get a post-work ride in anymore. Soon I'll will be riding the nowhere bike, waiting for the snow to melt, and thinking about which JDRF ride we'll be doing in 2018.