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 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 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 16 - Local Road Ride (LRR)

Day 16 - LRR

Today was more of a recovery day for me. After 15 days of riding at least 3 miles or more (yeah, the minimum of 5 miles of day has kinda gone away, but having said that, I am keeping my minimum ride length to no less than 3 miles...most of the time) and after a really good day at Blankets yesterday, my legs were a wee bit sore so I did a LRR.  This is what I also call the "Chase by the 2 dogs down the street because a neighbor can't control their dogs" ride. Yep, there is a home down the road from me where about half the time I ride by, they have 2 dogs that run and chase me. But they also chase cars, so I'm in good company. Other than running beside me and chasing me, they really don't show any other signs of aggression, so I keep riding. They aren't big dogs, rather small, and, for lack of a better word, ugly dogs...they are not really that pleasant to look at.

Along another section of road I ride, there is a green barn, rather picturesque, and that is the barn you seen in the picture below.

Here are today's stats...

Total Miles Today:    3.4
Total April Miles.: 113.0

30 Days of Biking: Day 14

Day 14: Trail Building and a Loop

My best friend, Dan,  came over this morning and we worked on the mountain bike trails we are building on my property. I have 5.5 acres with most of it wooded, 2 small streams running through it, some decent elevation and deep gulleys that the streams have carved out. We have been working on this for a few months. Trail building from scratch is not as easy as it sounds, especially when you have bridges to build. For us, so far, we will be building 4 bridges, two of them are going to be about 20 feet long...that'll take some engineering. If anyone has any ideas to pass on for building 20 foot long bridges over a waterway, let me know!

Afterwards I did my ride, a short one and not meeting my 5 mile goal, but I call trail building part of riding...right!?!?!?!

Here are today's stats...

Total Miles Today: 3.3
Total April Miles.: 97.5

Tom Witcher Road

30 Days of Biking: Day 11

Day 11: The Birthday Ride

Today I turned 53 years old. Yep, over half a century. Most of the time I don’t feel like I’m 53, and a lot of that I have to credit keeping active, going to the gym and definitely biking! Biking is my outlet, its how I relieve any stress that has built up. It also energizes me both mentally and physically (although after a long strenuous ride I feel like I could lay down for days!). I really wanted to do more than my normal road ride around my house, but unfortunately it was also my third midnight shift and my body was definitely in midnight mode (where you don’t want to do anything except exist). But I did manage to do a little more than I normally do around the house.

I could see the storm clouds rolling in, but I did take some time to take more pictures of the beautiful countryside here in northwest Coweta County Georgia. The dogwoods this spring were absolutely beautiful and I was able to get a picture of what would probably be the last of the dogwood flowers this season.

It was a good ride and a great birthday ride! Here are the stats…

Total Miles Today:  6.6
Total April Miles.: 84.4

more friends along the country roads

Last of the dogwood flowers

30 Days of Biking: Day 9

Day 9: Curse of the Midnight Shifts

At least one week during the month of April I work a string of 5 midnight shifts in a row. During this time it is probably the most difficult to get out and ride, just because, well, I'm 52 years old and my body doesn't like staying up all night and sleeping during the day. For those that don't know, I work as a meteorologist for the National Weather Service in Peachtree City, GA. My job requires me to work rotating shifts, which means every week I work a different shift, going from day shifts, to midnight shifts to evening shifts then back to day shifts. So after getting about 5 to 6 hours of sleep after working a midnight shift, and mind you not a good restful sleep, I wake up very groggy, like I'm in a fog for the rest of the day.

So last night was my first midnight shift, came home this morning, and woke up at 330 PM not wanting to do anything. It took all that was in me to get out of bed and drink my coffee. My plan was to go to Cochran Mill Park and ride. Well that went down the drain real quick, but I did force myself to get out on the roads around our house and ride just under 6 miles. Now those who have never worked rotating shifts, you really can't understand, but those who have worked rotating shifts or at least have worked midnight shifts...you say whatever you want about me and not riding Cochran, but at least I got out and rode.

What I did do on todays ride was enjoy the scenery around our house. Northwest Coweta County is really beautiful, so I took my time and enjoyed the ride. I did get to use nature's air-brakes going down hill as I had a pretty hefty head wind. Going up hill with a head wind, well, was not what I call fun! Anyway, it was a good ride for sure.

Here's my stats for today...

Total Miles Today:  5.9
Total April Miles.: 77.5