I'm having the best year of my biking life, and not just because I'm logging more miles. I wouldn't trade this CoeBRAI experience for anything. The experiences we share and the friendships that develop are intensely rewarding.
Saturday night, for instance, I was able to have dinner with Gary and Gail Van Rooyan. Gary is an attorney in Houston who graduated from Coe in 1968. He and Gail are serious cyclists and really good people. As evidence, while visiting Cedar Rapids to visit Gary's daughter and celebrate a granddaughter's birthday, they made time to get together with me and my family.
Gary and Gail joined CoeBRAI in 2007, even though Gary was still recovering from a fall. Broken ribs as I recall. I was shocked to learn that, in addition to surviving Hurricane Ike in 2008, Gary suffered a serious bike accident. While biking in a group of 15, he was clipped by a semi hauling sod and spent a week in the hospital and three months in a wheelchair. Multiple fractures and a lengthy rehabilitation later, Gary is back on his bike and hoping to rejoin CoeBRAI in 2010.
While I remain accident-free (knock on wood), I can't imagine what it must be like to get back on the bike after such an experience. You are an inspiration, Gary, and I really hope you and Gail will join us again next year.
Today, I surpassed 400 miles on an awesome ride with 1985 Coe graduate and soon-to-be three-time CoeBRAI veteran Bob Untiedt. We ventured to Sutliff Cider, where we found fellow CoeBRAIers and Coe staffers Tom Hicks and Erik Albinson pressing apples. With stops at the cider company and Chameleons -- my favorite Mount Vernon eatery -- we covered 35 miles in about four hours.
I propose this as a group ride in the coming weeks. I'm in Wisconsin next weekend for a wedding and the following weekend is Coe's last June Reunion and Relay For Life, although my Sunday is open. I can't imagine a better way to celebrate Fathers' Day and the start of summer June 21. Any takers?
Coe College meets RAGBRAI -- Iowa's greatest college tackles the nation's greatest bike ride.
Sunday, May 31, 2009
Monday, May 25, 2009
Training for Two?
I've only gotten in on ONE Friday ride so far; a series of workshops and other commitments has kept me away from my bike at noons on Fridays. I miss the rides, and hope, now that classes have ended and May term is well under way, I can get in some Friday miles.
I am getting some miles in, however. My six-year-old daughter Willa and I have been commuting to school/work by bike. We have a tag-along that attaches to the seat-post of my bike. For those unfamiliar, her tag-along is a single wheel, handle bars and pedals. For the past week, we've been riding together to school, where we leave the tag-along locked up, then I ride on to Coe. We reverse the ride in the afternoon. It's about 14 miles round trip depending upon our route, but I wonder if I get to count double-miles if I'm towing 65+ pounds for some of those miles?
Ride on.
I am getting some miles in, however. My six-year-old daughter Willa and I have been commuting to school/work by bike. We have a tag-along that attaches to the seat-post of my bike. For those unfamiliar, her tag-along is a single wheel, handle bars and pedals. For the past week, we've been riding together to school, where we leave the tag-along locked up, then I ride on to Coe. We reverse the ride in the afternoon. It's about 14 miles round trip depending upon our route, but I wonder if I get to count double-miles if I'm towing 65+ pounds for some of those miles?
Ride on.
A century week
How is your training going? I seem to be doing quite well, by my standards, although I didn't have the 100-mile weekend I hoped for. I did have a 100-mile week, though, and hope they'll continue, although Zach's baseball season opens tomorrow night.
I was able to ride to work and get in noon rides on the trail on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, accounting for 45+ miles. The weather forecast doesn't look promising early this week, although Thursday and Friday could be ideal.
I spent Memorial Day weekend at a friends cabin near Cascade, on the same brutal road to Bellevue that many of you experienced two years ago as I opted to drive under the guise of handling logistics. I'd like to think I've made up for it by biking 16.6 miles to Bernard and back after Saturday's rain and, mostly, 35.4 miles round trip to Cascade on Sunday.
I felt it this morning and nixed my plans for a breakfast ride to Bernard, but did bike 5.4 miles home after dropping the camper off to my mechanic. Much as I hoped and intended to ride at least 10 miles, rain clouds and wind convinced me to take the most direct route home.
So the weekend total was only 57.4 miles. For the week, 103.2. For the year, 363.5. That's six weeks ahead of last year's pace, when I totaled 378.8 miles (or so) before RAGBRAI. I've already surpassed 2007 (251.6 training miles) and 2006 (147.8). 2005's 380.3 miles should be topped by June.
I was able to ride to work and get in noon rides on the trail on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, accounting for 45+ miles. The weather forecast doesn't look promising early this week, although Thursday and Friday could be ideal.
I spent Memorial Day weekend at a friends cabin near Cascade, on the same brutal road to Bellevue that many of you experienced two years ago as I opted to drive under the guise of handling logistics. I'd like to think I've made up for it by biking 16.6 miles to Bernard and back after Saturday's rain and, mostly, 35.4 miles round trip to Cascade on Sunday.
I felt it this morning and nixed my plans for a breakfast ride to Bernard, but did bike 5.4 miles home after dropping the camper off to my mechanic. Much as I hoped and intended to ride at least 10 miles, rain clouds and wind convinced me to take the most direct route home.
So the weekend total was only 57.4 miles. For the week, 103.2. For the year, 363.5. That's six weeks ahead of last year's pace, when I totaled 378.8 miles (or so) before RAGBRAI. I've already surpassed 2007 (251.6 training miles) and 2006 (147.8). 2005's 380.3 miles should be topped by June.
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