1,000 day

Today I rolled over 1,000 miles of cycling for this year. My goal is 1,500 miles. With the big JDRF ride still ahead, if the weather holds I may make my goal. Looking back over the last few years I usually roll over 1,000 sometime in mid-September to early October. So I am on my usual pace, which is good. I rolled over the thousand with a 22 mile solo ride tonight. Took the White Pine Trail into northern Grand Rapids and then home.

Cedar Springs Brewing was our first rest stop.

On Sunday Mary and I did a pretty big ride. We started by heading north on the WPT until the pavement ended at Sand Lake. (18 miles) We then rode south, stopping at Cedar Springs Brewing to have a giant pretzel and a beer. (22 miles) All rest stops should be stocked thusly. We continued south into Grand Rapids and eventually to Connie's Cakes. (48 miles) Mary's ride ended there as she needed to pick up her van to drive home. I continued on riding north along mostly city streets and circumnavigating Dean Lake. I rode down the new Jupiter Avenue bike trail before crossing the Grand River and returning home. (62 miles) I ended up with a metric century, my longest ride of the year. It felt good, if tiring, to get that many miles in. That 1,000 I mentioned at the start of this post has been done with a lot of 20-30 mile rides. So while I've got the miles I was concerned about my stamina. Sunday did a lot to help me feel ready for Santa Fe.

44 days until we ride 100 miles in Santa Fe to help find a cure for Type 1 diabetes.

The days grow short

It's getting to be that time of the year where it is difficult to get a ride in after work. The autumnal equinox is almost upon us, so the sun is setting a couple hours earlier than it did in the middle of summer. In June and July it's actually possible to get home from work, have dinner, and then go for a bike ride. Now, if you want to ride you have to plan a late dinner, and also hope that you don't hit a traffic jam on the way home.

I did manage to get out three times this week, for a total of 62 miles. On Sunday we had a team ride from Ada Park. Our small but mighty group took on the hills of Snow Avenue and several other rolling roadways on our way to Saranac and back. 35 miles in total.

Wednesday I got a quick after work ride in. I rode south on the White Pine Trail to the Whitecaps ballpark and then home. 16 miles on that one. Today I got out in the late afternoon and decided to do some more hill work. I rode up the 7 Mile hill and then to the end of 7 Mile, rolling over a few more hills. It was only an 11 mile route but had over 500 feet of elevation gain. That works out to 5,000 feet of climbing on a 100 mile route, which is what we have to look forward to in Santa Fe.