And So August Begins

This Ride: 60.3 miles
Month: 60.3 miles
2011: 4,334.7 miles
Total since 1/1/2010: 10,454.4 miles

July is over … August begins, and with that, new goals and new challenges.  The original goal is 900 miles.  I’ll need to work out a date for the August 200k.  The burning question impacting both of these is whether or not I take the bike on vacation.  If I don’t, I lose a week … but that might not be so bad either.  Those decisions will be made soon.

But this morning 9 riders were out for a leisurely Mosey Monday.  It was a very relaxed pace, and a lot of good conversation occurred.  We heard about Clint & Bryan’s 200k Brevet in PA, NJ, & NY which they describe as one of the prettiest they’ve done.  We speculated about Chip & Clif out on their back to back 200k rides.  They are in full prep mode for Paris-Brest-Paris in two weeks (1200 k).  Soon the ride was over and I announced I was continuing on until it got hot.

I made my way up toward the airport, intending to complete at least 50 miles today.  In fact, to accomplish my mileage goal and riding only 18 days this month, I need to ride 50 miles per day.  It was a relatively relaxed and easy ride.  At the bridge over I-97 I stopped to help a woman who had dropped a chain on her new 5 speed bike.  She was sitting there so dejected, with dirty fingers, waiting for her husband to arrive to help her.  She had made a shift on a hill and the chain popped off.  Let me tell you, those chain guards make things a little more challenging, but only barely.  I had the chain on in an instant and she called home to cancel the husband.

The heat gradually climbed, and soon I was ready to make my way home.  There were some additional miles I could have added, but I was getting some abrasions and was soaking wet, so I simply headed home.

It was nice to have 60 miles in for the day.  That gives me a little in the bank in case I need it later.