30 Days of Biking: Done

We did it!
Trish and I both rode our bikes every day in April.

Here are our final numbers:

Trish

Darin

Next up: The National Biking Challenge

There will be no rest for the weary.

Just lots of fun.

30 Days of Biking: Beautiful!

On this last Sunday of April, I rode 32 miles and took 100 pictures.


This one best sums up my day.

30 Days of Biking: Almost There

This is what I felt like doing at the end of today's 52 miles.
It's been a long month of daily riding, but.......

.......it's hard not to get out there when you live in a place like this.

30 Days of Biking: Gone Phishin'

I went for a quick spin around the block to satisfy our mutual craving for Ben and Jerry's best flavor.
The Newtons are for tomorrows' ride. I'm shooting for back to back 60 milers this weekend, though the wind may have different plans for me.

30 Days of Biking: Tired

I came home today to find that my new Marathon Mondials had arrived in the mail.


I couldn't wait to put them on.


Schwalbe calls this an expedition tire. I imagine expeditions to be in primitive, foreign countries, which probably makes riding on these tires overkill for me. I will be going on a four day, 220 mile trip across northern Wisconsin next month however, so I guess that counts.


They are 2.15 inches wide, so they fill out the fenders quite nicely.


I put 15 miles on them tonight to see how they roll. As I expected, they seem to be a little slower than the Marathon Supremes they replaced. I'm not usually in too much of a hurry, so I think I can live with that. On the plus side, they are probably the most stable tires I have ever ridden. I feel like I could ride just about anywhere on them, and maybe I will.

30 Days of Biking: Greens and Yellows

Once again we awoke to a very colorful radar screen.

Once again we got on our bikes and rode anyway. 

Participating in 30 days of biking has been a learning experience for us.

One of the biggest things that we've learned is that we don't have to let the weather affect us.

It may influence the routes we take, or what we wear, but it no longer keeps us from riding.

30 Days of Biking: Doggone Fun

Trish rode before work today, so it was just me and Loki this afternoon.


That was OK though, because as Loki likes to say: Dogs rule, girls drool.

30 Days of Biking: Slithery

Trish and I separately rode the same 20 mile route today.


The things you get to see on your day off.
Maybe tomorrow will be my day.

30 Days of Biking: Skinny

After 2 years of riding my LHT, I've finally gotten skinny. It's just not the skinny I was hoping for.


At a little over 5,000 miles, my rear Marathon Supreme bought the farm.
I just ordered a new set of tires on Friday, and was hoping it would last until the new ones came, but it was not to be. It had developed a pretty good sized bulge so I didn't think it would be safe to push my luck with it.
Good news though, Trish still had the original tires that came with her Trucker in the garage, so at least I have something to use until mine arrive later this week.
Bad news, they're only 1.5 inches wide compared to the 2.0 inches that I have come to know and love.


This is what a proper tire should look like.


This is not.
Can you say "pinch flat."


It's a miracle I can stay upright.


In a few more days I'll be fat once again.

30 Days of Biking: April Showers....

and snow....and wind....and time on our bikes bring smiles.

30 Days of Biking: Walking the Dog

It was Loki's best day ever!
We had a pretty good time too.

30 Days of Biking: Another Day Complete

An 18 mile ride was a great way to end it.

Hey, our 100th post!
Champagne tomorrow.

30 Days of Biking: Peace

30 Days of Biking: Mud Lake

We've lived in our house for almost 8 years now, and although I knew this little lake existed just 2 1/2 miles from us, I had never actually seen it.
It's just amazing what you can notice by just paying a little attention.

30 Days of Biking: Incentive

Sometimes it helps to have a little something to motivate you to get out and ride when the weather is not that great.

The Reward

30 Days of Biking: Wet

Today's ride, at 1.25 miles, was our shortest ride of the month, if not ever.
It was raining, it was windy, and it was 40 degrees.
Not that we're complaining.
We were on our bikes, we were outside, and we were together.
That's about all we can ask for.

85 and Windy: Photo Dump

Now that I'm well rested, I'll share a bit of the scenery from yesterday's ride.


The roads were still wet from the previous day's rain when I left the house at 7 A.M. Worms were everywhere. I did my best to not run over them, but judging by the number of carcasses all over my bike by the end of the morning, I didn't do that great of a job.


After 11 miles of riding, I finally got to my first windbreak. Thank you trees! Unfortunately, it only lasted for a mile and a half before I had to turn back into the wind.


Still wet.


Caribou Lake


Once I crossed Hwy. 53 I passed an osprey nest and was lucky enough to see the pair in flight.


Swamp Sisters
This is a folksy little restaurant that's only open during the summer. Looks like I'm a little early.


It's nice to have a sign telling you what the windspeed is.


Truss Bridge


Cloquet River


Rolling Graffiti-Bringing big city atmosphere to the country.


My first chance to take advantage of a tailwind. It felt like I hardly had to pedal.


Nichols Lake


1 mile of 4 lane is 1 mile too many. Even though there is a wide shoulder, there is just too much traffic. I'm much more comfortable on a lightly traveled 2 lane, even without a shoulder.


This is what happens when you don't close your bag after stopping for a snack break. I had six Fig Newmans, but was only able to save four (the 10 second rule does not apply when outside). I'm sure a crow had a nice treat.


The pavement has to end eventually. I think about 18 miles of my ride was on gravel. All with a tailwind.


Sun, Wind, Trees


Back to pavement, with my friends here blocking the wind for me.


More nice scenery.


Island Lake
By this point the wind speed was 30mph, gusting to 40. I had to lean quite a bit to stay upright.

I was home around 2:30 and ended with 85.1 miles. I would have gone for a century, but I didn't want to burn myself out. There are still 16 more days to ride this month and I don't want to miss a single one.

30 Days of Biking: 85 and Windy

Rode 85 miles. Very windy. Very tired. Going to bed.

30 Days of Biking: Together Again

After 4 days of riding separately, Trish and I were finally able to get out for a ride together.
The time we had was brief, but we made the most of it.

30 Days of Biking: Winner!

After looking at today's weather forecast, I decided to go for a quick ride this morning before it got too windy.

I rode 3.7 miles in this wind:


Trish rode after work, 14 miles farther than I did, in this wind:

I think we have a winner. Good job Trish!