trike-ab-trike-2020

2020 mileage: 4190.1 Another cool ride today—30°. I began at 1:00 p.m. A few miles into the ride it occurred to me that, while there are doubtless numerous days in, say, July, when it would feel good to be barefaced, right now (especially when riding) I'm very glad to have my beard. I rode the Platt/Packard Square, 13.7 miles, in 1:40. If I can do it again either tomorrow or Thursday, I'll pass one last mileage milestone (4200) for the year. However, the weather forecast for tomorrow doesn't look particularly promising (a possibility of cold rain much of the day). But Thursday, the last day of the year, looks better. And anyway, if it doesn't happen, I'm OK with that. I'm disappointed to have ridden less than half the days this year, having a mental image of myself riding roughly six days a week. But there have just been too many long and unconquerable stretches of mechanical and medical issues that kept me away from it this year. Here's to a better 2021! Li...

2020 mileage: 4176.4 I was hoping to ride today -- but when I went out to begin early this afternoon, I had another flat tire. My friend Dan Cogan kindly helped me to get it changed just now, but as it's 3:30 and darkness is already approaching at this delightful time of the year, I've rethought my plans and will dig into it tomorrow. Having changed two tires within the last week, though, and having done the majority of the work myself (with some coaching), I am feeling more confident about my ability to change one out in the field if needed -- only, please God, let it not be in the winter. My hands are just like ice blocks. 🚴

2020 mileage: 4176.4 I got a nice, refreshing, nippy start to this Sunday ("Lord's Day"). With sunrise at 8:03, I began my ride at 7:45. However, feeling uneasy about riding on the Lohr/Textile Greenway because of its still-uncleared surface, I just rode down to Stonebridge, the subdivision build around a golf course a little over a mile south of us, and did three loops in there, for a total ride of 10.4 miles in 1:16. Again, though, I didn't have to worry about overheating 😎, as it was 22° when I began but all the way up to a tropical 26° when I finished. Link to (Relive) video of today's ride

2020 mileage: 4166.0 After not riding since Wednesday (because of prepping for a guest on Thursday, and then Christmas yesterday), I was eager to try to squeeze one in today. But when I went out to check at midday, the snow we had gotten rendered the surface unsafe for riding, in my judgment, and the 25° temperature dissuaded me also, so after just now finishing a Zoom session with our grandchildren in which we continued our tradition of building gingerbread houses, I'm going to crawl in for a nap now. I decided that there's no reason I have to beat myself up!

2020 mileage: 4166.0 After taking yesterday off so that Michelle and I could spend the day visiting family and delivering gifts, I was eager to get back to it today. And with unseasonably warm weather (it was 44° when I began at 12:15, up to 48° by the time I finished—pretty astonishing for late December in Michigan), I had planned to ride to Saline. But when I headed south along the Lohr/Textile Greenway, it was right into the teeth of a brisk wind from the south (about 15 mph), and it didn't take me long at all to change my plans. Instead of going south to Saline, I turned in to Stonebridge and did a loop in there (in pursuit of my mileage goal for the day), and then continued on to ride the Platt/Packard Square (16.5 miles total) in 1:58. My mention of a mileage goal is because last year, I rode 4165.4 miles in total, and that was my all-time h igh. (Even though a much higher percentage of last year's miles were achieved "virtually," riding indoors on a stionary cy...

2020 mileage: 4149.5 Today's ride was highly invigorating! I began at about 1:45 with a temperature of 35° and steady, though light, precipitation that continued throughout my ride. Though it fell as snow, it turned immediately turned to water upon striking my face (or, unfortunately, my glasses). I rode a fairly spirited round trip to Marsh Park, completing 10.2 miles in 1:12. I returned home thoroughly wet and thoroughly cooled off, and have now laundered both my bright yellow winter coat and my heavy winter gloves. The plethora of medical and mechanical issues I faced in the second half of the year long ago rendered my original goal of 5000 miles (as well as my secondary goal of 4500 miles) unattainable. My focus now is on beating my all-time annual mileage high of 4165.4 miles, set last year. I will not be able to ride tomorrow, as Michelle and I are going to spend the day delivering gifts and visiting family. But on Wednesday, depending on the weather and my level of ambition,...