Riding Away the Blues

7/8/14 254lbs, 54 pounds lost since 8/30/11
Last two days? Two rides totaling about an hour

Last night and then again this afternoon were rides that felt very good. Although my goals in regards to cycling are pretty modest, especially compared to the past, I can feel myself getting stronger. There's a small increase in endurance, too, albeit very small.

Not me . . .

Today I passed 550 miles for the year, and am on course to go over 1000 for 2014. The last time I went over 1000 miles in a year was 2003, eleven years ago, the year that Ken Kifer was killed by a drunk driver near his home in Alabama. I switched to walking after that (and gained a lot of weight). My 2003 total mileage was 1223.18, and if I pick up the pace a bit I may be able to beat that this year.

The most bike mileage I've had in a year was 2,401, in the year 2000. But that figure, although the most actual mileage, is deceptive. When Bonnie and I lived in Denver during the early 1990s I had 4 years where I rode around 2200 to 2300 miles each year, but the Denver miles were over mountain passes

Also not me . . .

and up front range canyons with speeds of 8 or 9 mph. During the steep parts of my favorite steep climb, Mt. Vernon Canyon, my road speed was only 5 or 6 mph - AND I WAS PASSING PEOPLE! So my 2200 to 2300 miles in the Colorado mountains probably translates to 3 or 4 thousand miles at the rate I was riding (flat El Paso, Texas, averaging about 17mph) in 2000. Note: At 61 years of age I am averaging about 13mph road speed on the same routes I used to do the 17 - aging happens!

As we age, I feel very blessed to be able to be active and ride my bike. I know many other people, some family members and some not, that hover around my age but are unable to be active, and it makes me sad. Riding away the blues, that's how it's done. That's how I roll. I wish my friends rolled with me -