One month from today ...

Today is one month from the day we biked to the Atlantic Ocean. The time went extremely fast. However, the time that we biked by comparison seems to have been in slow motion. People tell me that I am seem much more relaxed, calm and less obsessive than before the trip. I guess that the trip changed me without me being aware.

I still check every one's blog once in awhile to see if anyone is still posting. From what I can tell, Barbie (I will upload a video one of these days) and Champ are still posting. Champ is posting pictures in the order that we biked and that is a nice memory. Mike's computer went kaput and he does not have access to a computer so we have to wait for his blog to continue. In the meantime he emails us to let us know how he is doing. He got into an accident, but other than his wrist he is doing fine. His emails still make me laugh. Peter is off to NJ and perhaps will see Bob this weekend. Tom finished his Anchor ride (another 500 miles) and he is off on a cruise with his wife. I read them all with great memories of those who I rode with during the trip.

Today I biked around 32 miles. I would say around 30% was uphill and some pretty tough grades. I am up to biking around 180 miles a week and I think that give or take 10% one way or another that will be the mileage I bike each week.

The Urge returns

I do not know what happened, but as I was biking to work all of a sudden an urge (or feeling) to stretch my commute . It was going to be another hot day, but as I was biking I felt good so I added an additional 7 miles to my daily commute. It felt good and I may start stretching out my daily ride to work.

Hot Days

The weather where I live has turned a little hot. Where I live it has been close to 100 degrees. Not the best for biking, but bike I do.

I continue to commute to work with one longer ride on Saturday (usually about 75 miles). Since I have returned from my trip I have biked about 430 miles in about 2 1/2. I try to jog once a week (about 3 miles). I have no problem with the distance, but it is different muscles and I feel a little sore after I run. If I can fit in some swimming, I can probably do a triathelon in the next few months.

Today I biked up Rustic Canyon and down to Coldwater. This was a shorter version of one of my weekday training rides. Climbing wa much easier than before I left and I have noticed that on most of my bike rides I am averaging 3 miles faster than before I left for the trip. How long this conditioning lasts I do not know, but I will try to maintain some sort of conditioning. It is good for my health and the mind.

It's over, who says its over

I am paraphrasing from a movie that I know was discussed by some of the members during the trip. The withdrawal symptoms are too much to take so I will continue blogging to relieve the symptoms. I really miss not seeing everyone at breakfast, at the SAG stops and at dinner.


It has been fun seeing all of the emails going back and forth.

I have continued to commute to work (4 times last week) and on Saturdays am riding anywhere between 60 - 80 miles. My goal will be to ride 10,000 miles this year. Between the trip and my training I am about 1.700 miles away from that goal.

I invited Jim to bike with my usual group of Saturday riders this past Friday. I sent an email and did not receive a response. I was waiting for my other fellow riders at the Marina Bridge (a little north of Manhattan Beach) and was cleaning my chain when who stops in front of me, but Jim. Jim and I started talking and I mentioned to him that it was hard to believe that two months prior on Friday that we had started the adventure and we had already been home for two weeks.

It was great to see him and even greater to ride with him again. During our rest stop at a convenience store (they sell Starbucks power drink Dalton Gang) Jim took the following picture with my bike.













There was another picture of the two of us together, but apparently it did not come out that good. I would have preferred that picture.

No Camelbak today so it felt a little lighter riding today. It was a pretty hot day (close to the days in Arizona).

Of course what would a ride be without a broken spoke. Same back wheel. It is the fourth broken spoke I have had (two during the cross country trip and two during my rides in California). I brought it to a bike shop today and the wheel is good as new.

I do not know when my next post will be, but check back fellow XC09.