I have made a very big decision.

I have decided I am not going to spend time plucking out the Crab grass that survived the crab grass prevention treatment I give my lawn. Every year it's the same thing. I apply crab grass killer early spring, and from July till it snows crab grass start popping through. So after most rains I would go out and pluck them out roots and all when the ground was soft.

This year I asked my self this question. What difference does it make? NONE, NADA, was the answer in my head.

It is not important. So that takes care of that.

I know I ride a bicycle a lot. In the next 5 days I hope to do 4 metric dirt centuries. That takes a lot of time. I ask myself is this important? Depends. Compared to what?

If family issues, change my plans so be it. If work demands change things once in awhile, so be it. If work stopped me from riding a whole lot, time for a new job.
So I may rarely wash my car, but I work on bikes every week. Tonight was total cleaning of my Trek CX, and clean and lube, and tire and tube replacement. Ya gotta take care of em.
Some day I won't be riding anymore, so I will ride now, when I can.

So ride on, ride often,

Dave

100 Miles.

Decided on a threesome today, me, the road bike and the trail bike. Rode both for a total of 100 miles.






Started out today on the road bike, riding pavement at 7:30 a.m. Rode down by the Mississippi river and through River View Camp. Saw a lot of picnic tables full of empty Bush lite beer cans, camp fires still smoldering and tents with people sound a sleep. Sounds like a good night. The American Way. My only comment, life is too short for light beer. :-)












Came across these White Pelicans having a meeting on the river. These birds are huge. I overheard them talking. One was speaking to the group. "How do we tell the humans how slow and painful of death it is to die from being soaked in oil?" "I lost my entire family in the Gulf"
Another one spoke. "It's all about money" "Money runs their life's"
Then they saw me, and flew away.





















Rode past the correctional facility. All these bicycles were parked in front. My bike wanted her picture taken with them. How come some girls like to hang with the bad guys?




























Well after 25 miles of pavement, that was enough, to many people encased in 4000 lbs of body armor on wheels seeing how close they could get to me while rolling by. So I pedaled home and saddled up the cycle Cross and headed to the country.

Pedaled by Dennie's farm again. This place just amazes me. He was born here, now in his 70s and spent a lifetime planting and nourishing plants. This place could be a real show case, acres and acres of this type of plantings.

I front tire flatted in Sageville, with 91 miles in and 5 miles from my doorstep. Did I patch the flat? NO. I called the SAG wagon. My honey came and picked me up. It is amazing she puts up with my idiosyncratic, dysfunctional bicycling addicted ways.

I hadn't eat'n much today. A hot dog bun with peanut butter and jelly on it for breakfast and a chunk of "friendship bread" on the ride. So ater 91 miles of pedaling I needed some carbs to keep the bonk away. When I got home I ate two previously cooked potatos dipping them in ketchup and hot mustard, almost all food taste delicious when your starving and this sure did.

So I hopped back on the road bike, because I did not want to end the ride with 91 miles, and rode another 9 miles and called it 100 Miles for the day.

That's all folks.

Dave

The tunnel and other things.

The 52 mile Cedar Valley Nature Trail connects Evansdale with Hiawatha, and runs through several small towns. Hiking, biking, and cross-country skiing, are allowed. The Cedar Valley Nature Trail runs through wetlands, forested land, and farmland.






This trail is 90 minutes from my house by automobile. Soon I want to pack my bike in the car and do the trail out and back for 104 miles.

The last time I was on this trail was May 31st 2003. I remember that disastrous day quite well.

I was divorced in Jan 2002, after a 30 year relationship with a 25 year marriage. So I had been seeing this lady and she had taken an interest in bicycling from hanging around a bikeaholic like myself.

So we were going to ride the Cedar Valley Nature trail. We were on hybrids, pedaling a good pace on soft crushed lime stone and gravel. It was work to maintain 15 mph with the trail wet and soft from a lot of rain lately.

So we were now descending down the approach to the long cement bike tunnel under I 380. The speed increased to 25 mph plus being on smooth black top that covered the tunnel entrance and going down hill. It was like instant acceleration. I shot through the tunnel first, and was instantly blinded by the long dark tunnel. The only thing I could see was a lighted dot that was the other end of the tunnel. I knew not to jam my brakes and tried to focus on the tunnel exit so I would not slam into the cement sides which I could not see and coast to a stop with light braking. It was close to having your eye closed after being in the bright sunlight.

Beth not so fortunate. She shot through the tunnel entrance, and I could hear slamming and banging going on behind me. Metal sliding and screaming. I knew she wobbled and hit the tunnel side and flew off the bike. I made a bad mistake but charging the entrance, and she naturally followed. I knew this was not going to be good.

I ran back to her and tried to console her. After several minutes she wanted to stand up and I walked, she wobbled and groaned to the tunnel entrance. In the day light I could see, she had taken chunks of hide from her hips, elbows and knees. Her arm was bent funny at the elbow.

I was in the process of dialing 911 and get an ambulance coming. She said no, she would wait while I went the 15 miles to where the car was parked. She insisted, so I obliged. I maintained close to 25 mph in my frantic state.

So off to the hospital we went, her torn hide was scraped and cleaned and her broken arm set in a cast, and that was the last time I was ever on that trail. Oh, and no we are no longer dating.

What happened to a relationship, that started in high school and ended 30 years later? Let me just say this. Anyone that has been involved with a spouse that has been taken over by alocholic and addiction demons knows it's devestation. It went on for long time, it was time for me to gather my kids and move on.

It was my night for parent help and feed. So sweet. Mama is getting worse, we, us, have been talking about what we should or can do.

I have tomorrow off, the day is going to rock, and I am going to ride.

And look, my son Joshua just showed up with my belated Father's day present.
The T-shirt says "Most valuable dad" "The man the myth the legend" Priceless.




Peace out.
Dave

Good day on the bike.

Good day on the bike.

Waited for the thunderstorms to move on. Got on the bike later then I like, around 10:30. Was kind of dragging the pace, at three miles before my halfway turn around I ran into Terry. Terry works for the same company I do, and I have chatted with him several times somewhere out here. A few months ago I ran into him and he asked me about my bike and how heavy it was. We got off our bikes and picked each one up to check the weight. His weighed a ton, it was a large all steel bike. Mine felt light as a feather to him. So today he had his new light weight bike with the same kind of back pack as mine. He has always bicycled, about my age, and now after going through a divorce he has been riding more and more. A fit man, always lean, and perhaps headed for epic riding. He told me this is addicting and thoughts become good thoughts the longer you ride. He has been doing 52 milers on the trails.

So we parted, I had about 2.5 miles to go before turning around and he was on his way back. He said you will probably catch me.

PERK!!!

GAME ON.

I picked up the pace and rode hard, I wanted to see if I could catch him. He had a 5 mile head start, I had 31 miles to go and him 26 where he left his car. Well I had a great work out but never did catch him in spite of working my arse off. Every corner I went around I was hoping to see him. Amazing how much harder of a work out you can get if your 'racing' or think you are, or running with those that ride fast.

So thank you Terry for the great work out. Even though your goal was not to let me catch you, right? Ummm ok humor me and say yes anyway.

Mr Yo Eddy, wrote a good article on racing and how it gets your blood going.

Tom from up north often runs with the thoroughbreds when biking and his pace shows it.

Wow was I cooked afterwards, went straight to the garden hose when got home and let the cold water run down me until the heat drained out of me.

Ok this section is for men only. Ladies please refrain from further observation. Thank you.

The subject is "man boobies" As we men age we develop a symptom called man boobies. It is due to a ratio reversal of testosterone and estrogen. I am trying to be polite here but there is a certain age when us aging men should not be out in public with our shirts off. DUDE!!! You sir riding your bicycle today should consider. That was a triple D you were flopping with. I can't get the frightening image out of my mind. I'm just saying.

Ok please no hate mail people.

Oh, and I saw you peeking.

Ok, ok, I'll stop.

Thanks for stopping.

Dave

Beautiful countryside

Had a conflict of interest this morning. My legs felt they were cement filled for some reason, and my mind was desperate to do the planned dirt metric. So I thought what better place to make that decision then on a bike, where your mind can get freed up. So I loaded up my IPOD playlist with some vintage Fleetwood Mac, Cheap Trick, and headed out.

Well I finally got all body parts to agree, and

ride I did, rode 62 miles over gravel roads and dirt trails. Packed 64 oz of water and picked up 40 oz's more at 30 miles. I still ran short of fluids. I underestimated the rising temperature and humidity. Legs are tired tonight. Re hydration tonight brought to you by Budweiser.

I thought this would be a neat place to camp out. I wonder who owns this place? Would be neat to pedal here, camp out, next to the creek and under the weeping willow, and ride back in the morning. Make it a double C self supported.

I've been riding with slime in the rear lately. Works too. Oh I better clarify before you get a life time damaging image stuck in your head. Slime in my rear tire I mean, and it helps with no flats.

Oh remember that older fellow, Denny, I met back in May on the trail riding a lil 90cc motorcycle? The guy that showed me the rare flowers, and told me lots of interesting stories. Well I pedaled over to his farm today and took some pictures. See below. Simply amazing the shrubs and plantings he has done. Acres and acres of beautifully well done yard. So peaceful looking. I didn't see anybody around. Next time I come here I would like to meet up with him again and take a tour of his place, he told me last May I would be welcome anytime. The world could use a bunch more Dennie's.

LQQKs like rain tomorrow. I am off work, I want to ride. LQQKs like I am going to get wet.

So I am going to chill on my Shiatsu chair and enjoy the massage.

Peace and happy thoughts

Dave

About town.

Falling asleep on the couch after work, Great Divide DVD playing in the background. I heard one of the Divide racers saying something like this. The hard part is not to be on this bike day after day, climbing mountains, the hard part is when I have to go back to the real world and all it's problems. So true.







So got on my bike, and rode in cemeteries, past my parents home, through neighborhoods, down to the river front, through campgrounds, past sand volley ball, through park trails, past the dog track, and past my son's apartment.



And there stood Joshua my son. I said "Josh whatz zup?" He said he was waiting for his friend to stop by and lend him 5 bucks, because he was riding on fumes, and needed some gas.



So I said meet me at 5 points mart and I will put some gas in your car. He said no dad, you do enough for me. I said Josh I would rather have you make it work tomorrow, and you can pay me tomorrow after you cash your paycheck. So we gassed up.



Here is a memorial for friend and ultra bicyclist Jules Hansel. When he was 80 years old he was still banging out 10,000 mile years. I've went on 100 milers with him when he was 80 something He flopped over on his bike at 89 years old. One of his best friends, and avid bicyclist found him, he never woke up, he died doing what he loved. A sweet kind fellow, a great advocate for bicycling.

Time to wrap up this day, hoping to do some serious pedal pumping this weekend. My CX bike is badly due for some tender loving care. Perhaps tomorrow.

Over

and

out.

Dave

Riding away

Woke up at 4:00 a.m. from the bed room door rattling. Thought someone banging on the door. Was from extreme winds blowing through what used to be son Joshua's bed room. Rain water everywhere, entire kitchen floor was covered, spent some time mopping up the hard wood floors, water was dripping in the basement through the floors.

Back to sleep for a bit, woke up tired, short sleep, checked the weather radar, to see should I take the day off from work, would the storms give me a break and let me ride?

Decided the want to ride was worth taking a risk.

Sometimes you gotta ride tired. I've known riders to set their alarms clocks 4 hours early to wake up and ride 'tired' for training discipline, or start the ride after sunset, and ride to sunrise. So just feeling tired, is not a good reason to drop a ride. If you get into the ride, and exhaustion comes, time to stop, or you'll end up in a fatigue hole that is hard to climb out of sometimes.


So it is 10:00 a.m now, and headed out, and mix with the rain.


Hours later:

Back home, good ride, 62 miles of dirt and gravel. Missed all the storms. Was warm and humid, and tired. Makes good training. Training for what? I'm not sure. I need to target something, maybe a over-nighter, transwisconsin looks considerable, but I need some camping overnight training from the bike, and night riding.
Wasn't paying attention and my front wheel dropped into a rut caused by all the rain, when I was accelerating about 10 inches deep and 10 inches wide. It was a nip and tuck for bit, fortunately I avoided sliding face down on the gravel. Saw a couple of big deer on the trail, they were close, tried to get my camera out, but as usual, I spooked them, and they vanished.

Drank a gallon of fluids, would have drank more, but ran out.

Hey middleless person, give me my helmet back.

Old, old church in the background.

The creeks were high, and the water muddy with all the rain lately.

This is Iowa country, thousands of miles of these country gravel roads.












Time to chill and watch some of my "Ride the Divide" dvd (again).













Thanks for stopping by.
Dave

Town heat.

Geeeepers warm and humid for us Northern folks. Rode 26 miles around town tonight. Got a late start after falling asleep on the couch, got back from my riding after 8:00 p.m. Hills were a killa, my legs did not want to cooperate. I have the option of taking tomorrow off, will check the weather forecast, I would love to bang out some miles out in the country, will see if the weather will let me. I have 100 oz of fluid in bike bottles freezing in the freezer for the ride. So legs be ready no complaining like you did today. Weather people are talking violent storms "AGAIN!!!!"

Billboard

Headed out on the bike this morning. Reports of thunder storms again. I had to remind my "engines" a.k.a. quadriceps a few times, this was not supposed to be a 'easy day' we needed to work. So I pushed the pace the best I could. 62 miles on the dirt. Metric Dirt Century #34 for the year. Tomorrow I won't be able to ride with "parent sitting" work, and a dentist appointment. So if I have leg burn out tomorrow I'll have a day of leg rest.
At 27 miles out it started to rain, the skies were getting darker so I thought I will turn around and get closer to home in case the big thunder boomers come after me. It cleared up before I got home, and I needed more miles to make today's ride a metric dirt century so I looped around for some additional mileage.



Wouldn't ya know it. Out riding country, and nature calls. Yeap, number II, I had to do. So I knew where there was a outdoor public rest room and I headed there. But there was a problem. Notice the dilemma in the picture. HINT, look inside the white circle.



















Almost home, and I come across this young fellow, walking, my father 86 years old. I took this picture before he knew I was behind him. Happy Father's day papa. we all went out to eat later.
























I've come up with a good money making idea. I have a small billboard sized forehead I carry around with me. It's size is due to two things, a large head and Male Pattern baldness. Well with all the biking I do, all over the place I decided to rent out advertising space there. Here is me and my first customer.






















Cheers and happy riding
Dave

Oh and P.S. I carry spare T.P. :-)

In the saddle.

A day out there on the bicycle. Had to keep my nose to the grind stone, to keep the effort up. I did not want to deal with myself later and a sub par ride. Especially after not riding Thursday and Friday. So I got a good work out with 65 miles on the trails.


One of the things I can not understand is once I get away from the Dubuque area, and out in the country, often I don't see anyone else out here. It is just to beautiful, and I think there should be a few more 1000 people enjoying. Now when it is zero degrees and snowing, perhaps then I can understand why I am the only one out here.




I stopped at the "cement slab cafe" I was thinking of calling the Better Business Bureau regarding insects and rodents I sometimes see. But they had home made chocolate chip cookies on the menu today, so all is forgiven.



Wind kept getting stronger out here, I am afraid there is more violent storms coming tonight and tomorrow. I will ride tomorrow if it is raining, but thunderstorms, hail, and strong winds I might have an issue with.

I am suffering from the serious disease AFS. Otherwise known as "Always forgetting something"

Seems there is always something. Today I forgot to bring a sweatband, and my eyes were burning as I tried to keep up with the sweat running in my eyes using my bicycling gloves to wipe my forehead.

Rode myself into this mud hole, trying to find away to dry land, I ended up flopping over and actually caught myself with my arm without going total body into the slime, shoes and side were full of mud, but I was 4 miles from home and the end of today's journey.

Cheers and happy day to ya.

Dave

Absence makes the heart grow fonder

The view from my back deck after the 2nd massive major thunder storm moved through today.

I've been a bad boy!!!! Yes I haven't been on the bike for two days. I have got one thousand excuses, and they are all good ones. How ever excuses really don't count, it is my loss. I did obtain some endorphin fix by lifting some iron.

As you may recall I mentioned that I am riding for pledges to contribute to the United Way based on my bicycling mileage. So my boss's boss sent this letter out to a few hundred people seeking pledges for himself, and now I am called "the beast"so game is on.

All,
We are a week into this United Way fund raiser and even though I have run 15 miles, it is clear that the key to this will be sponsorships, so I'm widening my net.

If you have not sponsored someone to this point, please consider doing so. I should point out that the runners could use the sponsorships if we are even going to be close to our "Biker" Dave Giegerich. He's a "Beast", taking it to the Heritage trail to Dyersville and back 4 times in the past week to amass 300 miles so far.

This looks like a good, fun, athletic way to raise some funds. We have also seen a high level of participation, with over 50% of the plant either as an athlete or sponsor.
Thank you for your consideration,

Craig


I finally sent my memberships fees in for the two bicycling clubs I am member of. Chain Reaction, and Dubuque Bicycle Club. The year is half over, well I guess better late then never.

Well like the saying goes, "absence makes the heart grow fonder" and the plans are this weekend to bang out some serious bike mileage, we've are right now in our 2nd severe thunderstorm for the afternoon, but tomorrow the weather forecast looks good.

So, that's all I know for now.
Cheers,
Dave

Metric Dirt Century #32

Great day to be on the pedals. Meet Bob and Linda, a nice couple, bicyclists. They are riding those Surly's to Oregon. That is 2000 miles from here. I did not catch where they started from. I ran into them out in Graf Iowa population 73. They are staying on the secondary roads, trails, and back roads. Those bikes are about 90 lbs a piece. That is some serious pedal pumping. May your trip be safe and your ride fun. It was nice talking to you.





















I wanted to push today. You just need to do that at times. Visit the pain cave and pray to St. Suffrage you can hang in there. Used a heart rate monitor to keep me honest. After all the rain we've had lately, part of the ride was like riding through sticky peanut butter. Made for some mule work. In 8 days I've done 4 metric dirt centuries and 50 miles on pavement totalling around 300 miles. So I wonder if those that made pledges to give to the United Way based on my mileage knew of severity of my fanaticism's. Cha-Ching $$. :-) I took this picture to Email to the contributors, just kinna mak'n fun with it. Maybe I have a shot at 100 dirt centuries for this year. All depends, if I can get the time and still do the other things one needs to do. I would like to get a day where I have the time to get a 10+ hour day on the pedals, ride some different back roads.





























Post note to Bob to Linda: Greg Finn, a fine friend of mine wrote me and said about you.
i know them!!! they own Jitterz coffee shop down on main street. they are cool. they live in platteville and their son goes to school in eugene!!!
small world.

Riding

Went out riding pavement for 20 miles. Legs were working pretty good. Rode along the Mississippi River and parks. See the elderly lady walking the little black poodle in the picture? I suspect she is about 80 years of age. Well I have often seen her walking out on Heritage trail and we always wave. So I stopped and said hello and told her I see you a lot out walking 15 miles from here on Heritage Trail. She said she gets her 10,000 steps in a day. Rock it.

Getting things ready for a day of riding tomorrow. A.K.A. VACATION DAY. Will freeze 2 32 oz water bottles, they thaw out after 20 miles and offer a cool drink. Also repacked everything in plastic zip lock backs in my back wrack after the soaking from last weekend.

The forecast is sunny tomorrow but lots of rain coming after that. I need to prepare better for rain riding. Thee "Lance A." told me to drill some holes in the bottom of my biking shoes to let the water out. Lance rocks the gravel, and winter races, (1st Place Triple D, 2nd place Dirty Kanza, etc.) so he speaks from experience.

That sucked this weekend when rain water was running down my leg and totally filling my biking shoes. If the weather is warm enough then I will just the rest of me soak it up. I ball cap keeps the rain from giving my a eye pounding.

Ride the Divide, and other things

Watching "Ride the Divide" DVD, just arrived today. Awesome, how these guys and gals ride 2700 miles unsupported, over the Rockies, up and down. Some ride alone, so pair up and some mix it up. Beyond Epic.

Did not ride today, but expected that, worked the legs hard this weekend, and had parentsitting and feed after work today.

I have so far 10 sponsors, for United Way contributions based on my bicycling mileage. More to come.

I did lift weights today, all upper body, felt good.

Hope to ride some pavement after work tomorrow, and a dirt century on Wednesday.

Adios

Dave

Riding the storm out

Weatherfolks were saying thunder showers later in the afternoon, so I believed them and headed out early on the cycle cross bike for some country riding to beat the storms. It was misting most of the way, and at 25 miles out there somewhere huge raindrops starting falling. Then BOOOOMMMMM!!!! and more BOOOOOOOOOMS, and torrential downpour. It was warm enough that I was just going to get totally wet and no attempt to stay dry was going to happen.

I ended up in a tunnel under the highway, and thought I would wait this out. Then I heard sirens, from a nearby town. PANIC ATTACK!!! Does this mean a tornado has been spotted?? So I'm thinking I am going to get sucked out of this tunnel and up in a tornado. The town of Peosta was about 2 miles down the highway, at first I thought I was hustle into town and seek shelter. The next lighting boom changed my mind about riding on top of the highway. So I thought lets try to get closer to home and I would ride on trail in valleys in the pouring rain. I put the music back in my ears to hold the sound of thunder away.

I was wearing my SIDI's a great cycling boot, and they better be for 3 "Bens" and then some. However they would not let the water out, and my shoes would fill up with water and run out the tops. I started packing a extra pair of socks on country rides ever since my foot broke through the ice carrying my bike across a small creek a couple of years ago. I put my cell phone in a zip lock bag, and it still shorted out from moisture and would not work.

So I just kept riding the storm out. There are few country homes along this route that they always smile and wave when I go by. I thought if I had to, I would seek shelter with one of them if I needed to. There were trees down along the way back. The rain almost stopped as I was close to being back in town. I needed 10 more miles to get my metric century and rode some back roads to gain the additional mileage I wasn't going to get any wetter.

Sneaking to the basement, this is why they make bike fenders so this doesn't happen.

All in all, today was one of those epic rides for me. Riding in pounding thunder storms. If this would have been going on when I was leaving I would never would have left, I would have waffled on it. It's just how it works, a great ride makes all things good. I'm now drying my shoes by sticking a hair drier in them.

Ride on,
Dave

Warm, muggy and drizzling.

Well I was hesitant getting started this morning with severe lightning warnings, I can handle rain, sleet, and snow, but getting zapped by a few million volts of lightning riding a bicycle across a ridge just doesn't sound like a good day to me. But after pacing around the house for awhile I headed out late around 11:00. It started drizzling with in an hour. Was to muggy and warm to wear rain gear so I just got wet. I rode about 28 miles on dirt trails and felt bonked. Ate a couple of granola bars and drank a pop and a jug of water. I was up on a hill top and could see that it looked like storms all around me. It was warm and humid. I was thinking I wished I had some way to check the weather radar to help make good travel decisions. The air was still and felt eerie, I decided to turn around. I made up extra mileage to get 65 miles in closer to home.





On the way back I really started dragging, majorly bonking, terribly. Couldn't seem to get much going on the pedals. I saw two bikes behind me in my rear view mirror headed my way, at a faster pace. So that helped me put the pedal down. So I rode for the next 10 miles with seeing them behind me on every straight away. They went off trail at the town of Sageville, and went on the Highway, I stayed on the back trails back to town and saw them again at the stop lights, I pulled up next to them, a young ( 30ish to me) fit looking couple. I told them I was really slacking and saw them coming up behind me, and that helped me get on it. We went our separate ways, knowing we had a common bond.

Hope to have a renewed energy tomorrow, and get back on it. Looks like the weather and thunder storms are going to play the same mind games with me again.

Is this how these things look right before they charge? Looks like it to me.

Made a bucket of chili, So for now I think I'll have a few brews, eat some chili, and contemplate the universe and other things.

Ride far, ride safe.

Dave

Oh here is how I adjusted my shoes, that were too small.

Hmmmmphhhhhh!!!!!

Time to giddie up and go in spite of what the radar shows below. The guys and gals on the Tour Divide are not sitting on couch lamenting about the weather.

We will, we will rock ya

Done something yesterday I haven't done in some time. Had a date with some cast iron weights. Did some weight lifting. Was fun.


But today back to reality, hot out and tired from work but hopped on the "skinny girl" bicycle and headed out on the pavement. Legs did their job.





I realized now that my my company who I work for is going to use my bike mileage for United Way pledges I will have to track all my miles. I purposely only kept track of dirt centuries so I would just relax and ride pavement with no consciousness of miles and enjoy. Usually after work pavement rides are 20 to 30 miles with rolling hills and weaving in and out of traffic. Fun stuff.





Rode along the Mississippi River tonight, river traffic was busy, makes for a scenic ride.





















Went down to Riverfest, "AlmostQueen" was banging out some Queen rockers. I was down in the mosh pit with my honey, rocking to the tunes. 57 years old and just loving the music. Should I stop that? I don't think so.

OK, my hope is this weekend to ride a lot of hot dusty gravel roads, push myself to my limits, drink 30 lbs of fluids and ride 150 miles. Does it get any better than that?

Dave

Trail riding

Rode the gravel roads for 62 miles. The weather was nice, fought some wind on the way out and rode with the wind on the way back.
Saw a turkey bobbling up and down running away from me down the trail, So I wanted to play around with it and picked up my pace, which made the turkey run faster, soon we were both going 20 mph, and that just made the turkey run faster. Did it forget it knew how to fly? We were both flying down the trail now, me chasing the turkey. Then it finally took flight, like an awkward flying beast and disappeared.

I saw this cut trail in the picture below, so I wanted to see where it went so down the trail I went. Hoping I wouldn't get shot at for trespassing. It ended up at a pond, and some fellow cutting trail on a lawn tractor, I waved, he waved and back I went.



















I thought this weeping willow deserved to have it's picture taken.
























This grated bridge made the bike feel like a vibrator. I wanted to ride another 38 miles and make is a 100 miler but didn't have 38 miles of time.

Hoping to hit the road bike the next couple of days, ,pavement sounds fun and fast, we'll see how it goes. To ride tomorrow I will have to hustle, my brother and sisters are coming over to my house at 6:30 p.m. and talk about mama and some problems. Seems often in times of family hardship and someone suffering can bring the other family members together.
























So I'm gonna watch the rest of the CMT awards and chill,
bye y'all
Dave

Charities.

So I get an E-mail from Craig, my boss's boss. He was asking if I would be interested in doing a fund drive for United Way where people at work make pledge$ to give certain amount$ based on my cycling mileage.
I thought, I wouldn't be opposed to such, but I would just do the "easy part" and get to ride 100s and 100s of miles if someone wanted to do the soliciting of funding from others for the rides, I say go for it. I will still ride as much as I can and if it helps others help others, that is a double blessing for having fun.

I should get my DVD copy of the Great Divide this week. Just an awesome ride. How would you like to ride 27 days or so over dirt, gravel, and trail roads across the Rockies from Canada to Mexico totally self supported. I would if I could.

Tomorrow I have a vacation day. Bicycling on gravel roads with the cross bike is the main order for the day. I was thinking of doing a 100 miler but not sure if I have the time, minimum acceptable mileage is 100K. I am so looking forward to riding, I have been unable to get on the bike the last two days, and the weather forecast is looking perfect.

Pictures and ride report tomorrow.
Thanks for visiting.
Dave

A day in paradise Gravel Metric Century #28

Played hard, rode my tail off. I wanted to fry my legs so I made them push the effort for 65 miles of trail. Tomorrow is my turn for meals at ma-pa's so probably won't get on a bike, and wanted to make it a needed rest day. :-) The same guy that passed me yesterday, passed me again today. So again I followed him at a faster pace then I was maintaining, he turned around at the same spot as yesterday, so we waved and on I went.

I think parts of us age differently then other parts. Well I mean the body sooner or later gets old, and parts just don't work like we'd like. But then there are parts of our thoughts that don't age and stay young, the part that loves to play, have fun, act like a child and just enjoy the moment. I think that is the part of me that just wants to keep bicycling.

Was a beautiful green day out there. I was running into swarms of bugs, I was a slow learner but I finally learned to keep my mouth shut after I forgot a few times, and avoid the free lunch.



























Here is the view from the chair my mom sits in. She is chair bound for the most part, this gives her good memories with all the pictures of everyone. That coffee table in front is one I made ma and pa in High School shop class in 1970.





















Last but not least I want to thank my pit crew. Here is little Kayla, she is chief of my neighborhood pit crew. After every ride she and the crew break the bike down, replace needed parts, overhaul, and lube. With out them I would not be able to take 2nd place like I do when I have a "secret race" with another unsuspecting rider. Thank you Crew.

Just kidding Natasha (the mother) :-)


























Don't forget to take time and play. Lee Iococca said he retired many and not one had said at that time that they wished they had worked more often.

That's all I know for now,
Dave