Happy New Year

Today I reached my last mileage goal for the year. After the trip I did not think that I would have enough motivation to continue on with biking without any defined goal. I learned that I really do enjoy biking as it gets me outside, let's me explore all the city and its scenery and I get a little exercise in as well.

In looking back at 2009, it was the year of the bike trip.
All of the emails from the people from the trip make me feel like I am almost still biking with them.

Bob is back on the bike and I am sure that he will continue on his quest to complete the journey.

Mike has quit his job already, secured another job and post too infrequently.

Peter put out a nice book report and hopefully we will get together in the New Year.

Barbie has signed up for 3 weeks of next years tour. I think it will be interesting for her to ride with a different group of people. Ultimately, I think she may find that bicyclists are bicyclists and we just all enjoy getting out there and riding.

Jack and Harry got together in England and I can only imagine the damage that was done to all of the pubs over there.

Champ and Willie put out some nice youtube videos that captured the moments that made the trip memorable.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dktmSmG0FX0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FW2i1yd3jR0

George is riding somewhere, pulling his dog.


Al is back to competing in his orienteering (and apparently in a new age category).

Jim - we will ride together again when you are not scuba diving. You are the first and last rider I rode with this year.

Tom finally finished his blog. See ya....

Chris - You should join Bob on his way through NY so you can bike some of the route you did not last year.

Fred - Thanks for your nice letter about the trip.

Hank - I still think you could beat me up.

Darrell - Next stop, Albuquerque.

Mark - You should get Melissa a bike.

Jack R- Seems like you have been having some exciting adventures off the bike as well.

Nancy has made a few bike/hike trips since our adventure.

Charlie- I regret I was typing my blog in the hotel lobby in Santa Fe, you were across from me ordering pizza and that I did not invite you to join us for dinner.

Karen. Alec (and hopefully Harry) I hope to ride with you all in 2010.

Almost forget. I biked 243 days this year and rode 12,000 miles.

So in closing I wish everyone out there in blog land a happy and healthy new year. Keep pedaling one stroke at a time.

75 and 75

The title of today's blog is the miles I biked and the temperature today. It is hard to believe that it is December 19 and the weather is so beautiful. This definitely makes up for all of the rain last weekend.

More Pictures from across the Pond

First a picture that Al sent to me. This was the day we rode the false flats on our way to Prescott, Arizona. We stopped at a grocery store for awhile. Karen, me, Harry, Jack and Hank. After that some climbing.

Tom visited Fred in Indy and they rode together.

Harry and Jack went to a place that looked that had similar to the mooses we saw in Bennigton, VT.

Harry told me that he thought Magic Mike was in town.

Next off to the footy game at Liverpool. Harry told me that he usually watches the game on TV and gives the tickets away, but as Jack was there he decided to use them.

After the game a little more sightseeing

And finally a visit from Santa and to all a good night

No Rain

Surprise, Surprise. The sun came out today, the road dried and I was able to ride. I am addicted to riding my bike. I feel so much better when I can get in a ride no matter the length. Today was only 29 miles, but it felt great. I had not rode for about a week and my legs were strong. I only rode 29 miles, but it felt great.

This weeks birthday (this Friday) is the man from Michigan, Al. You need a new football coach.

Rain

Living in California is usually great for bicycling. However. today was not one of those days. It pretty much rained the whole day and tommorow is forecast to be the same. It seems as if the weather is alot like Liverpool. Speaking of which a few pictures from the city.

The "Fifth"Beatle - Jack











Jack in front of Harry's Crossroads board











Manchested United match












Jack seems happy to be visiting Harry and the feeling seems to be mutual. Not that there is anything wrong with that.












Livcrpool stole the statue from Winslow, Arizona

Hey Jack

Jack went to visit Harry this weekend in London. Below is a picture of Jack and Harry minutes after meeting.

For those of you on the trip this will not be a very strange sighting.

Cloudy

The temperature has turned a little cooler this week. I am now biking in long pants and a wind breaker. I biked about 68 miles today.












This week's birthday is our good Dr. George. He was very smart. He pretended to be a slow rider until he obtained the privilege of leaving 30 minutes earlier than the rest of the group (with Magic Mike). each morning. He used his time wisely to pedal out and eat a good breakfast.

Below is a picture of George waiting for the rain and thunder to stop on our Missouri roller day.










And a video:

Morro Bay

During the Thanksgiving holiday, Yuko and I decided to drive up North and bike for two days. The first day biked from Morro Bay to Cambria. It was a beautiful day, a little breeze against us biking up north, but the view was beautiful. It must have been in the high 70's.

Click on the video for a description of the route.

Starting out from Morro Bay

Passing the town of Harmony

Morro Bay has a famous rock formation.

I found another Boston by the beach for Harry and another fire station for Willie

Cambria by the beach

Beach Video and Yuko biking along the beach

The next day we drove south to Los Olivos and biked a route we had about 2 years ago. When we started out it was in the low 50's and and it was cloudy so it was chilly. The sun came out and it made the ride more enjoyable. The uphills were much easier to climb this time. It felt good that we had made such improvement.

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone out there in blogland.

Back in the saddle

Today was one of those picture perfect days. Today we decided to ride north on Pacific Coast Highway.

Below are two of my fellow riders, Mitch (in blue) and Jay( in red). The rides these two took me on the weekends really prepared me for the cross country trip this year.

Some of the climbing and a view of the ocean. These pictures are all around Malibu.

If you look closely in the video below you can see a dolphin. We saw a few of them today.

Another one of our fellow riders birthday is this Tuesday, Happy Birthday Jim!!!!

My new riding buddy

As most of you know I usually bike alone during my rides. Each weekend as I head out I see the same guy standing on the corner so I decided to ask him to ride with me. He is a little stiff, but as the wind was blowing around 7 -9 mph today he was really helpful to draft behind.

Yesterday, I had read a book on bicycle routes in Los Angeles county. One of rides was located close from where I live so that is the route I started with today. The book described the uphill as steep and when you started at the beginning to conserve some energy for the top. The book was right. It was a 16 degree climb at the top. It was pretty difficult and I had to stop once, but I eventually arrived at the top.

After that I proceeded to Griffith Park. I rode around the park loop 3 different times taking slightly different routes along the way.

And finally a picture of my new riding buddy.

Brentwood

The picture above has nothing to do with the ride today. It is the exit sign from the town that I grew up with and lived for until I graduated from college. Tecnically, high school as I went to school in upstate New York.

Now for some pictures of todays ride. I rode 44 miles today.

Did a little shopping today. My bike has a little more weight. It is good for training.

Took a bike route coming home.

A nice little uphill climb

the 405 on the right

And I finish with another picture not related to today's ride. Harry ironing.

Daylight Saving

Last week we set our clocks back. What that has meant to me is less bike riding as the sun goes down too early at night. During the weekdays I am running 2- 3 miles in the morning. Today being Saturday I rode 50 miles. If I can add a little swimming, maybe I can do a triathalon next year.

Below is a picture of the trip, courtesy of Barbie with Karen just as we were enterting New Mexico.

The one below is takng somewhere around Great Bend which was sent bu Tom D to me. Tom is going to visit Fred and ride with him in Indianapolis pretty soon.

Which reminds me, below is a picture of Fred and I, courtesty of Jack W.