30 Days of Biking: Day 30 - The FINAL Day

Day 30: The Final Day of the Challenge

It is finally here, the last day of the 30 Days of Biking Challenge. I was getting a little worried that I wasn't going to be able to finish the challenge on my home trail system...Cochran Mill. Storms were developing all around the area, and the powers that be will close the trails if they are wet...which is a good idea. Fortunately I was working and watching where these storms were moving. For those that don't know, I work as a meteorologist for the National Weather Service in Peachtree City. There was a storm that went right along Cochran Mill Road but it looked like it stayed away from the yellow trail. So I drove out there with this in mind and I was right. The parking lot was a little damp, but once I got past the creek on the gravel road on the yellow trail, everything was dry.

Today was suppose to be a chill ride, but I ended up averaging 8.9 mph, just a little under yesterdays ride, however my legs were feeling it! I took a little rest at the falls before heading back to the truck, and as I was leaving, it started raining...timed perfectly!

Two years ago I did the 30 Days of Biking challenge and rode over 250 miles. This year I didn't reach quite 250 miles, but I did top 200 miles, reaching just a little over 203 miles this month. This year my goal was to ride no less than 5 miles a day. Well, that didn't happen...life happens, work happens, however I rode every day this month which fulfilled the challenge. And knowing that at least one family in Africa is benefitting from my pledge makes it all worth it...and that makes me feel good that I was doing this for a good cause!

This challenge really helped me as well. My riding technique improved, my speed improved, and all this is going to help me on the race I am doing with John in July. Will I do this next year? Probably...well, actually yes. I enjoy riding for a cause, and this was the 3rd time I have ridden for a cause. Its cool because its something I enjoy and it benefits someone else!

I was asked by a friend at work if I was going to keep this up, that is riding each day...uh...I think I'm going to rest the next couple of days. However I plan to not let up too much, at least 2 to 3 times a week.

So here are the final totals for this challenge...

Total Miles Today:    8.0
Total Challenge Miles: 203.2

30 Days of Biking: Day 29

Day 29: Cochran with a couple of Cool Dudes

My plan was to ride a chill ride, and about 6 to 8 miles. However things changed when a couple of good friends, some real cool dudes showed up...Bill and Dave. So my 6 to 8 mile chill ride turned into a little more than 13 miles and with the fastest average speed I have ever ridden on off-road. My average speed was 9.6 mph! Riding with these guys pushes me and that is what I needed. It showed me what I am capable of and how far I've come over the past 29 days. Why is this important? Because another real cool dude and a good friend, John asked me to team up with him for the Race to Sunset race at Blankets Creek in July, and this ride showed me that I can compete. Anyway, a big thanks to Bill and Dave for joining me today!

So, tomorrow is Day 30, the last day of this challenge. My plan is to ride a chill ride tomorrow at Cochran and get enough miles that will push me over 200 miles for the month. The "fly in the ointment" for riding at Cochran tomorrow is that rain is threatening the trails, and if it rains on the trails, they close the trails. If this happens, my alternate plan is to ride the Peachtree City cart paths, but whereever I ride, my goal is to get my monthly mileage to 200 miles.

Here are todays stats...

Total Miles Today:  13.6
Total April Miles.: 195.2

30 Days of Biking: Day 28

Day 28: An Evening to Mt. Carmel

This evening was probably one of the only evenings on this challenge where I needed a light. Got a late start, but it was nice riding on the roads around my house. Demon dog was out but didn’t chase me, saw the tops of some thunderstorms in the distance, really a nice ride. And to not disappoint a couple of my friends at work, Jason and Brian, I didn’t do a “Mailbox Run.” This time I went to Mt. Carmel and back…well at least Mt. Carmel Road. Racked up 2.3 miles this evening! 

Total Miles Today:   2.3
Total April Miles.: 181.6

30 Days of Biking: Day 27 "Mailbox Run"W

Day 27: Mailbox Run

Another short day after a good ride yesterday, a good ride/break day from yesterday, although I'm not really feeling all that sore from yesterday. I guess after riding everyday for 27 days, the body is slowly getting used to it. Yes, it was a "Mailbox Run."

Here are today's stats...

Total Miles Today:     0.3
Total April Miles.: 179.3

30 Days of Biking: Day 26

Day 26: Wildlife at Cochran Mill

I've been looking forward to this ride. After a week of stationary bike and road riding, I was finally able to get back on the dirt trails at Cochran Mill Park. It was a beautiful late afternoon, everything has leafed out and greened up. It was beautiful (check out the pics). I also saw more wildlife on this ride than I've ever seen at Cochran Mill. There were 3 deer on the Yellow Loop, and right before finishing the Yellow Loop, a black rat snake took his time crossing the trail. He just sat there looking at me, then just took his sweet rat snake time crossing the trail. Hey, it gave me a little break, but it was an awesome ride!

Here are today's stats...

Total Miles Today:   14.1
Total April Miles.: 179.0

30 Days of Biking: Day 25

Day 25 - To Mt. Carmel and Back

Today I was planning on going to Cochran Mill Park for a 15+ mile ride, but as life out in the country took over, my time for riding got more limited and more limited. After moving furniture into my mom's apartment, I did some mowing around the berry patch, weed eating around the house and pond, then vacuumed and shocked the pool...then I finally did my ride. However it was a short ride, from my house to Mt. Carmel road and back.

Here are today's stats...

Total Miles Today:  1.8
Total April Miles.: 164.9

30 Days of Biking: Day 24

Day 24 - Mailbox Run

Hopefully the last of its kind as well...the ole "mail box run." Let me go back to yesterday. After my ride Saturday morning, my wife took me to my birthday surprise. I had no idea until we got closer to it. It was only 20 minutes away and I've heard about the place for a long time, just never went there. She took me to Banning Mill just outside of Whitesburg, GA. This place is known for its ziplining, but there is so much more to do there. Of course, she and I went zip lining. We did level 2 which included about 11 lines total along with a canopy walk on boards and wires. If you want to see more, reply to this post. Anyway, after about 2 hours of zipping and walking the tight rope, we checked into our treehouse, the place where we were staying the night. Pretty awesome! After checking in, we went for a hike along Snake Creek, had a great dinner that evening and then fell into bed. We were extremely tired.

Then this morning after a great breakfast at the lodge, we came home, only to quickly change and head up to Turner Field for the Braves game, which was followed by a concert by Toby Mac. We were able to get down on the field and within 10 feet of the stage. He put on an amazing concert! By the time we got home, I had totally forgotten to ride. At 930 PM she said get out there and ride to the end of the driveway. She is awesome for pushing me (and I really mean that, she knows how important this is to me). So I went a bit further and did the "mail box run" in the dark.

Here are today's stats...

Total Miles Today:  0.6

Total April Miles.: 163.1 (yesterday's Total April Miles was wrong)

30 Days of Biking: Day 23

Day 23: Another LRR with my wife

Had a beautiful morning and a great road ride with my wife.

Here are today's stats...

Total Miles Today: 6.6
Total April Miles.: 155.9

30 Days of Biking: Day 22

Day 22: Aint Nothing Like the Real Thing

It was SO good to be back on a real bike! Not to say I didn’t get a good workout on the stationary bike, and I had to do with what I had to work with…but hey, aint nothing like riding the real thing. So good to be back on Farrin! After I got back from Savannah, we took a road ride around our home, weather was great and what was even better is that I was able to share part of the 30 Days with my wife. Since she road bike, and I mountain bike, we rarely get to ride together. This afternoon was a special treat!

So here are today's stats...

Total Miles Today:    6.6
Total April Miles.: 155.9

30 Days of Biking: Day 21

Day 21: Oops! I did it again!

Another beautiful day in Savannah, my last full day here for the EMAG Conference. Unfortunately the day started off rather abruptly with the fire alarm going off at 555 AM. I was in a real nice sleep too! Then the intercom came on and said we are investigating the alarm, please stay put. So I laid there, with a bright white flashing light...wondering if I should get up or not. Then after about 10 minutes, the intercom came back on and said the alarm has been remedied, sorry for the inconvenience. Hmmm! So I tried to go back to sleep, but couldn't and I was in the "fog" for the rest of the day.

For my ride through Savannah today, I should've seen this...

and this....

and this...

but instead I saw this...

And why you ask???? Because I waited too long to call the bike shop and reserve the bikes! Yep, they were all out of rentals. There was another bike shop, but they rented Cruiser bikes. One has one's standards to uphold! And I didn't want to look like I had Toto in the basket on my handle bars, so we decided to go back to the fitness center at the hotel and do the stationary bike just one more time!

So here are today's stats...

Total Miles Today:  12.2
Total April Miles.: 149.3

30 Days of Biking: Day 20 - Another Gym Bike Day

Day 20: Another Gym Bike Day

Yep, for hopefully the last of its kind during this challenge, I did another gym bike day...I.E. stationary bike in the gym. Not much else to tell. I'm looking forward to tomorrow after the conference. My buddy Dave and I will be renting bikes and touring Savannah, hopefully I'll have some cool pics to show.

The pic on todays stats is taken from the hotel, looking across the river to the conference center where I was today and will be tomorrow. Its next to the tall Westin hotel building.

Here are today's stats...

Total Miles Today:  10.1
Total April Miles.: 137.1

30 Days of Biking: Day 19 - Savannah

Day 19: Savannah

Today was my first day in Savannah and, like I expected, it was a stationary bike in the fitness center ride. Forunately the Marriot on the River has a couple stationary bikes, so at least I got my miles in!

Here are today's stats...

Total Miles Today: 8.3
Total April Miles.: 127.0

30 Days of Biking: Day 18 - Mailbox Run

Day 18: Mailbox Run

I knew this week was going to be a short-ride week on the bike. I will be going to Savannah for work to an Emergency Manager Conference. I will be teaching a course on the basics of National Weather Service weather services, interaction with media, blah blah blah. So today is the start of my "short-ride" week. Today I was preparing and packing and, well, needless to say I was only able to do a "mailbox run" before coming to work. But unlike the other "mailbox runs," I did it 3 times to get at least a mile in. For the next few days I will be in Savannah and using the bike at the fitness center. However, for at least 1 day, I, along with Dave (a friend and colleague at work who is going to this conference also), will rent a bike one evening and tour Savannah...hopefully! After I get back, I plan to hit the trails and put some miles on, but until then, I'll get in as much riding as I can.

Heres today's stats...

Total Miles Today:  1.0
Total April Miles.: 118.7

30 Days of Biking: Day 17 - Chattahoochee Bend State Park

Day 17 - Chattahoochee Bend State Park

I chose to ride at the state park for a couple reasons. They just opened some mountain bike trails at the park, and the park is about a 15 minute drive from my house. The park is really beautiful, lots of rolling hills, a lot of hiking trails and now they have a little over 3 miles of mountain bike trails. These trails, in my opinion, are excellent for beginning mountain bikers. Although they are labeled easy/intermediate, I think they are more for beginning mtbers. The work the volunteers did on the trails was excellent, and, knowing how much work me and my best friend Dan are putting in to the trails on my property, it is a lot of hard work! So kudos to the volunteers who made these trails, ya'll put in a lot of hard work, but I know it was fun!

It was a good ride, and I have to admit that my legs were talking to me a little today...I know the breaking point is coming soon where they will stop talking...hope it is soon! Knowing that there were a little over 3 miles of trails, I tried to double up on the trails (do them twice) but I missed one trail on the double up, oh well!

Heres today's stats...

Total Miles Today:    4.7
Total April Miles.: 117.7