Although I’ve had a few rides since my last update to the blog, the September training calendar at the Garmin site looks rather sparse. There are already two weeks with only 20 miles logged each – clear evidence that my outdoor cycling season is winding down.
But – it’s can’t be over because I am just short my of 2010 goal. Earlier in the year, I wanted to get 2,000 miles into my bike for the entire season. For some, this may seem like a lot of miles. For other, more-dedicated cyclists, this may seem like “nothing”. For me, it’s just about right as a recreational cyclist who likes to carve out a few hours each week on the bike. 2,000 miles meant about 70-80 miles each week, which is a good amount of riding for my available time.
A winter project will include the replacement of my worn, dirty handlebar tape and also some updated cables. I find as much joy in maintaining the bike as I do in riding it. Must be the engineer inside me.
As of Saturday Sep 25th, I am sitting at 1,964 outdoor miles in the season. Which simply means that I am not done until I have a few more rides in the saddle.
That’s really no big deal since there can be tons of bike-friendly weather in the fall months of Minnesota – as October can yield some warm, calm days. The biggest challenge is the limited daylight, where early morning and late evening rides are out of the question.
You can’t help but smile while on a bike. Even when the days become cooler, it still beats just about any other outdoor activity (at least in my book).
After spending the day with my 91 year old grandfather (it was his birthday this past Friday), I headed out for a ride at about the latest possible time while still having the sun appear above the horizon. After the daytrip to Glenwood, I pulled back into Plymouth and was on the New Steed rolling out at 5:30pm. The sun was already pretty low, so I targeted a one hour ride.
Back in Glenwood, where I spent most of the day, the trees are in full “fall” mode with beautiful colors on display. Around the metro, we are still one or two weeks away from the peak of the color season. Cycling still offers some wonderful views that you don’t really notice when riding inside a car.
With the reduced miles in my legs these past few weeks, the ride wasn’t much to brag about. Here are the simple numbers, as I rode through the typical Medina countryside:
Along the way, had a few observations. The first came after being yelled at by a group of teenage boys packed tightly in a car. For those who don’t ride often, this is a regular occurrence that happens nearly once every ride. The characteristics are almost always the same. There is a group of teenagers – all boys – riding around in a cheap pseudo-sports car (think something like a Pontiac Grand Am). There is the pulsing of a thumbing bass from a distorted stereo as the car approaches. One will lean out from an open window and yell something that is completely incoherent to me due to the speed and the lack of pronunciation skills by the teenager. They will then ride away, laughing to each other as if winning some courageous battle.
For the un-prepared cyclist, it can scare the crap out of you. It’s not that it’s all that frightening from a “threatening” sort of way – it’s just that cycling is generally a quiet, peaceful event. The drone of cars passing you on the highway is generally not even considered a disturbance to the soothing nature of the ride. But throw in a yell from a motorist a few feet away from your ear and you’ll jump right out of your saddle.
This behavior is something I don’t understand – because I never went through this as a teenage. There must be some primitive urge to grunt at other members of your species – indicating some level of superiority. Maybe it has something to do with a “bully gene” that some people have where they take tremendous joy in disturbing some gentle event with a violent action. Whatever it is, take that some person and put them on a bike on the highway, while someone shouts out a surprising yell – I’ll guarantee they will crap their pants.
Although there is a very scientific reason (like the lower angle of the sun), the sky seems so much more “blue” during the fall months in Minnesota. Even the camera doesn’t do it justice.
My other observation for the ride was that every third car was a limo – due to the “semi-formal” Homecoming Dance at the local high school. Kids have far too much disposable income these days. Plus, this desire to live a “celebrity lifestyle” is lost on me.
I will never understand the teenage mind. I think I’ll stick to riding the bike in peace (even when listening to the Subculture Collective on the iPod).
