Wonderful Wicked Wednesday

This Ride: 48.1 miles
Month: 425.4 miles
2011: 3,795.3 miles
Total since 1/1/2010: 9,915 miles (inching toward 10,000)

This was simply a good day.

Nine riders were at the Rusty Bridge for Wicked Wednesday, with at least 2 more riders (maybe 3) picked up early in the ride.  We gradually picked up the pace so that by the time we were on Jennings Road, the pace was full bore.  I closed a gap and looked down at the Garmin.  It was reading 30 mph!  We kept the pace above 20 mph often, except when people on the trail or intersections slowed us down.  In Round Bay, four of us skipped the hill, forming a “breakaway”for the other faster riders to catch.  Our goal was to not be caught by that faster group before the end of the trail.  Brian (Commodore) and I set the pace, pulling 22 – 26 mph on the final stretch.  We were not caught.  By then, I was fried.  I dropped off the back for the ride back north.  A couple of us stopped to help Clif with a tube change at Glen Oban, and Jim K with a tube change near McKinsey Road.  Odd: those were all front tire flats.

After assisting Jim, the ride back was leisurely.  I continued on with Mike C and Jim K until they peeled off for home, then continued on around the river.  I had periods of great strength and some slow stretches also.  I got home feeling good, feeling as though I could have ridden more, but decided to stop.  I was out of water and had ridden 48 miles on only a small granola bar.

I had some disappointing news yesterday.  The fixie I was trying to build is going to cost more than I want it to.  I’ll have to decide if it makes sense to use my old frame or to simply purchase a new/used fixie.  I may get out today and price some in area shops.  I had hoped to be riding a fixie within a week or so.

I’m feeling good about the numbers.  425 miles in 9 days of riding to date this month.  I’m just 85 miles shy of 10,000 miles on a bike in the last 19 months.  Maybe I can hit that goal by Friday.  Will I be able to break 1,000 miles this month?  Only time will tell!

And an odd thing.  Suddenly my Garmin page is showing some charts in kilometers rather than miles.