Summer Vacation Is Over!

Damn! That went fast! Six weeks of vacation over already? Do I really have to go back to work? I guess so. There’s always another adventure to plan, a brevet to ride and a tour? Hmm, maybe soon. In the meantime I’ve got to get back to work to be able to do these things. I used to think cycling was cheaper than motorcycles, but now? I’m not so sure.

Looking back, I had a pretty busy summer. I didn’t pedal as much as I thought I would, but I did still pedal 714 miles on six weeks. That puts me up to 3,063 miles ridden for the year. A lot for me, but there are some people that have already logged over 10,000 miles for the year! That’s a lot of miles! I feel like I ride all the time, but clearly I’ve got a ways to go.

I’ve also done a couple new things. First up, I completed my first Double Century. I’ll be doing another one in October in Death Valley. It’s funny how the thought of riding my bike two-hundred miles seemed impossible at one time. Now I don’t even like to drive anywhere to ride unless I know I’m going to ride a minimum of one-hundred miles. Times sure have changed.

Second, I got to do some off-road riding with some new friends. I guess you’d call it mountain biking, some call it Rough Riding. Whatever you call it, it was crazy fun. A taste of something that I’d never really done, but I really enjoyed it. I think that this was the reason that I didn’t log as many miles as I had hoped. I logged the effort, that’s for sure, but riding off-road gives the same amount of effort in about one-third of the miles. So a 35 mile off-road ride could take all day. Those rides are worth it though, as you get to see and experience things that road riders miss. I’m hooked on this Rough Riding thing and I’ve got some ideas for some future trips that play into this.

Oh yeah! I learned how to build a wheel too! How could I forget about that? I’ve got a few wheels that I still would like to build. Ideas are floating around in my head for another dynamo wheel, and maybe some lighter wheels for the Casseroll. Powertap? Maybe.

Hopefully the Kogswell will be finished soon, so that I will be able to finish up the Super Randonneur series this fall. That will be my main focus for the rest of the year. Then, I can start planning some big events for next year. Road or dirt though? Which way will I lean now that I’ve gotten a taste of the dirty stuff? Only time will tell.