Don-O

Sooo, true!

2012-01-23T07:52:00.002-06:00

Jeff and Steve out for a spin...guess which one's Jeff.

"Is this the lightest bell you have?"

Middle of January

2012-01-16T09:09:00.001-06:00

I'm riding mostly indoors during the week, mainly because of the darkness and I'm not a big fan of riding on the roads at night (even with proper lighting).

But, I did get in a nice (but windy) 20 miles outdoors on Sunday.

The roads were mostly dry, except for some shaded areas. Those areas were wet going out and were just starting to ice up as I rode back home.

Good thing for studded tires. :)

Is this real life?

2012-01-09T08:22:00.002-06:00

40 degrees in early January???

Well, I had to take advantage of that.

So on Saturday, I met Dr. Tim, Beebe, and 3 others for a nice 45 mile ride to Byron, Genoa, Douglas, and then back to Rochester.

Then on Sunday, I made my way to Simpson, Pleasant Grove, Chatfield, Dover, and Eyota, all by my lonesome. Tack on another 51 miles.

The winds picked up as I neared home. But Hey, I was outside riding on the road in January.

2012!!!

2012-01-06T15:29:00.001-06:00

Beautiful weather, but I'm not too thrilled about riding the roads at night with lights.

So, mostly indoors this year (so far).

But I plan on getting out for some outdoor miles on the weekend. Mid to upper 30s is pretty good for January.

Sat. 12/17 and Sun. 12/18

2011-12-20T10:09:00.000-06:00

After a quick bout with a flu (or something), I was feeling much better and decided to take my chances outdoors.

For Saturday, I decided to take on the Douglas trail.
Big mistake, with a light dusting of snow, you could not tell were the ice was and after several close calls, I turned around and made my way back to the car. I did manage to get just north of Douglas before I turned around, so about 10+ miles or so.

For Sunday, I braved the moderate to strong SW winds and did my 20 mile out-and-back route. Nothing major to report, except that my legs have forgotten how to go fast.

I will need to get some more miles in over the January and early February timeframe, so I don't look too pathetic in Arizona.

Sun. 12/11

2011-12-12T09:00:00.000-06:00

I made my way out on Sunday morning for a nice 20 mile ride.

The strong SSW winds made the going tough in spots, but the nice sun and mild temps (~30) were very nice.

There were a few shaded spots were I was glad I had the studded tires on, but overall nothing really exciting.

Just nice to be on a "real" bike...

It's cold outside, campers...

2011-12-02T13:17:00.004-06:00

Haven't done too much lately.

Mostly riding indoors at the DAHLC.
Still hoping to get out on the weekends for some road riding.
I did ride the Douglas Trail to Pine Island and back the other night.
Cold, windy, and dark.

Meanwhile, I switched my CX bike over to 10 speed Shimano. "Used" stuff for the CX bike. My plan is to put the 9 speed Ultegra stuff back on the white USPS Trek. Then I can hang it on the wall as "all original".

Who knows, I might take it down once in awhile just for the fun of it.

I thought I had the 10 speed stuff all setup correctly, until Bill took a look and made several changes to my handy work.

It did shift much better after he was done...

Sat. 11/12

2011-11-14T08:32:00.002-06:00

I met up with Dr. Tim and Dave on Saturday for a ride.

And with the SSW winds we headed toward High Forest via Cty 8.

Each of us took our turns at the front, Dave and Tim a bit more than me.

As we turned west out of High Forest, I realized I just didn't have it today. So after a few miles, I let Dave and Tim go ahead and enjoy their ride at a tempo better suited to them.

I turned about and headed for Stewartville.

With a slight tail-cross wind, I managed to get a little of the feeling back in my legs and I moved along nicely (at my slower pace).

After a quick stop at the Casey's store, I continued east and then north for Simpson.

From there it was more north and east for home.

I actually felt pretty good by the time I rolled into the drive. To bad Dave and Dr. Tim got to see me at my "best".

Lately...

2011-11-11T15:16:00.000-06:00

Mostly indoors stuff.

It's been windy on the weekends, and cold/dark on the weekdays.

Maybe this weekend...

Sat. 10/29

2011-10-31T09:37:00.001-05:00

What a nice cool fall day to be out for a ride.

I made my way to Eyota and then on to Dover with a slight tailwind pushing me along.

Then I did the "about face" and worked a bit harder to make my way home.

Lots farmers combining their fields and hauling the bounty out of the fields.

Great temps and great ride.

Sun. 10/23

2011-10-24T09:02:00.000-05:00

Bill and Cathy were over on Saturday, so not plans to get out while they were back.

It was a bit windy on Sunday, but I did manage at least a quick 20 miles.

I guess you could say, I'm officially in the "off-season" mindset.

Sat/Sun, October 15th and 16th.

2011-10-17T07:57:00.001-05:00

I got for a nice windy ride on Saturday. I was pushed along at 20+mph on the trip out and had to struggle to maintain 14mph on the return leg.

Then on Sunday, I made the trip up to Lakeville to ride with the Silver Boys.

They had about 50 people show up. A lot of the usuals, a few new faces, and even a couple of surprises (i.e. JT).

We rolled along nicely and from my position near the middle-back, I could hardly notice the wind. I'm sure the big dogs up front were feeling it though.

Around mile 16 or so, someone just ahead of me caught their front tire in one of the vertical cracks in the road. As he attempted to maintain his upright position, he tapped the front wheel of a gal just behind him. And unfortunately she went down, taking a couple of others behind her. I saw the whole thing in super-slow-mo and started heading for the ditch to avoid the ever growing pileup. Just as I thought I could ride it out in the ditch, a riderless bike slide into my path and I caught the back wheel. That was all I needed to launch me over the handle bars, tumble head first into the ditch with the bike still nicely clipped in.

I must have done a nice tuck-and-roll, because there were no injuries or damage to me or the bike. My left brake and my handelbars were a bit mis-aligned, but other than that I was fine.

The gal landed kinda hard on her hip I think, but there was no visiable signs of major damage. She continued the ride as if nothing had happened.

I think the only other casuality that I saw was Shad's left brake handle was broken when he went down somewhere in the mayhem.

Pretty exciting weekend of riding...

The Fast and the Furious...

2011-10-07T08:33:00.003-05:00

Jeff, Steve, Jim, and Tim getting ready for Saturday ride.

I really like Jeff's new wrist watch.
He will never be late for a ride again.

Sat.9/29

2011-10-03T13:33:00.000-05:00

Well, I missed the ride with Jeff and Steve.

Since it was cooler out, I waited until the afternoon and did the 51 mile loop to Chatfield. Of course the winds had picked up a bit, but not bad a ride.

Sat. 9/17

2011-09-19T11:59:00.001-05:00

I did the group ride Saturday morning and to my surprise Jeff showed up.

We rode with the group to Spring Valley down cty 1. And then after a stop for some water (and in Terry's case, donuts), the group decided to brave the ESE winds head for the border (Iowa that is, not Taco Bell).

Jeff, Dan, and I decided that we were going to turn around at Spring Valley and head back from there.

We headed west, across hwy 63, and then finally turned north on cty 8.

Then up through High Forest, past the airport road, and down into town past Bamber Valley school.

Dan turned north, while Jeff and I turned east into town.

I finished with around 75 miles.

Over in Wisc...

2011-09-16T15:50:00.002-05:00

Big Brian at #5 and Mrs. Brian at #3

Jesse James ride

2011-09-12T09:38:00.002-05:00

Well, I attempted the Jesse James ride this year with the guys.

I knew from the email chain that they wanted to go fast and I had not been on the bike for over a week. So, I was a bit nervous about the pace.

And it turned out, I was right.

Around mile 70, my right hamstring cramped up and then after getting that worked out, so I could continue on without too much pain, my left calf decided it would join in the fun around mile 85 or so.

So needless to say, I suffered all the way back to the car.

Other than that, it was a great day to be on the bike...

I found my new bike shop...I just have to go to Rapid City, SD.

2011-09-12T09:32:00.001-05:00

Wed. 8/31

2011-09-01T09:19:00.000-05:00

Last day of August, so I had to get out for a nice easy 35 miles.

Light SE winds were not much of an issue and the temp/humidity was descent too.

Daylight is fading fast these days... :(

Tues. 8/23

2011-08-25T08:08:00.000-05:00

I made my way to Eyota and then east to Dover.

But with the quickly fading evening daylight, I turned around and followed my route back home.

It was a nice ride, though.

I won't be able to make it to D-to-D this year, but I wish them all a safe ride and I'm already planning for next year.

Sat. 8/20

2011-08-22T07:48:00.000-05:00

Epic ride with the Dunn Brothers South group.

We had nine guys that decided to follow Terry all the way to the Mississippi (or close to it) and back.

Along the way we had some great climbs, terrific weather, light winds, plenty of detoured routes due to road construction, and we even tired out Tim B.

I finished with just under 100 miles, but I didn't start out at Dunn Brothers South (I met the group at RCTC), so I'm sure the others had their 100+ miles. And Jim P. must have had closer to 125 or 130.

Great time...

What's Jeff been up to.

2011-08-18T10:25:00.000-05:00

I'm not 100% sure that is Jeff...

Wed. 8/17

2011-08-18T10:06:00.000-05:00

I managed to get in my 51 mile route to Chatfield tonight, but it won't be too much longer as sunset is already around 8:15pm.

Just when I start to feel like I'm ready to ride... :(

Tues. 8/16

2011-08-17T10:14:00.000-05:00

I got out in the wind tonight for a quick 30 miles.

I did head into the wind for the first half and got a nice fun ride back home.

Then we went out for supper...

Getting some miles in.

2011-08-15T07:46:00.001-05:00

Been trying to get a few more miles in lately.

I need them in order to survive the D to D.

Saturday was a bust, as there were too many "other" things waiting for my attention.
I woke up too late to get with the group going to Lake City, but I did get in 67 miles on Sunday.

Weekend rides

2011-08-08T08:20:00.003-05:00

On Saturday, I made the drive up to Northfield and met the Silver boys at the annual Tour de Nick. We did the 50 mile route with the gang from Northfield. I'm guessing there was 20 or so in our group at various times. I felt pretty good all day long.

Tour de Nick

Then on Sunday, I did the Chatfield route of 51 miles in the later morning. It was getting warm out, just as I returned home.

8/4/11

2011-08-05T09:10:00.001-05:00

Same route as yesterday, except SE winds made the journey out more work and the stretch for home more fun.

Wed. 8/3/11

2011-08-04T10:25:00.003-05:00

I brought in the bike today and headed out from work.

I made my way south on cty 8 to High Forest, then continued south and east to Racine.

I stayed east and now north a bit back to cty 1 and then north on cty 1 through Simpson.

And finally east and north on cty 11 to home.

Light NW winds on the way out disappeared by the time I turned north, so no real headwind to speak of.

A nice, pleasant 48 miles...

Weekend miles...

2011-08-01T08:07:00.003-05:00

Well I met the boys for an early Saturday ride.

To my surprise, Steve and Jeff both showed and along with Dave, Terry, Bruce, Jim P, Tim B, and Dr. Tim it was like old times...

We headed to Spring Valley and under Terry's watchful eye the group stayed "civilized" (that was the word of the day).

Once in Spring Valley, the group of 19 split as some had to get back to town.

The remaining 12 of us (after Jim P convinced Jeff to tough it out) continued to Leroy and then down across the Iowa border and then back to Leroy for water.

Now the fun part as we turned back to Rochester with a slight tailwind, we cruised along at a nice brisk 23-27 mph pace.

I hung on until we got the the airport road and that is where I turned and headed east for home.

The temps were starting to get to me as I neared the house, but I had plenty of water and made sure I took a drink quite often.

A great "civilized" Saturday ride and think everyone had a terrific time.

Tues. 7/26

2011-07-27T08:20:00.001-05:00

I did the ol standby (my 51 miles) route.

Light winds from the SSE meant the way out was more work and the way back was more fun.

I felt really good the whole ride (even though I did slow down in a couple of places).

Sun. 7/24

2011-07-25T09:31:00.003-05:00

Got out on my 51 mile route this morning, trying to beat the heat of the day.

There was a NNW wind, so the last stretches were the worst and by the time I pulled into the driveway I was plenty tired.

I think yesterday's ride was still weighing heavy on my legs.

Man, do I need to get back in shape...

Sat. 7/23

2011-07-25T09:21:00.002-05:00

Well I decided to take a gamble and ride with the group from Dunn Brothers South today.

The plan was to ride SE to Chatfield, so I figured I could turn off at a number of locations if I needed to.

The pace was high enough that I hung out at the back all morning.

We stopped in Chatfield for some water and stuff. Then it was up cty 2.

The pace was high again, but still not too high that I couldn't hang on.

But as we got over the top, the pace ramped up and that is where I started to feel it. About halfway to cty 1, I ran out of gas and was dropping off the back. I had come to the realization that I would be riding back by myself when the group slowed up. I told them, that they didn't need to wait, but they did anyway.

As we turned on cty 1, you could see the sky getting dark.

Everyone turned on hwy 30 and headed for Stewartville, except me and one other guy. We stayed heading north on cty 1.

As we got near Simpson, the sky really went dark. I mentioned to the other guy, that he could head to my house and wait out the storm, but at the last minute he decided he was going to push on toward Mayo High School.

I turned and hightailed it for home, but as I neared Burr Oak School the sky let loose. So I ducked into the entry way of Burr Oak and watched as it poured, hailed, lightning all around, and terrific wind gusts.

I hope the others found shelter somewhere...

Wed. 7/20

2011-07-20T13:55:00.001-05:00

Hot, Hot, Hot!!!

Sat. 7/16

2011-07-18T09:57:00.000-05:00

I got in the 51 mile route today.

The SE winds were a bit more than I expected and the heat was starting to ramp up there just as I got home.

Plenty of water along the way helped me get through it.

Sunday was a bust, as the 90% humidity and 80+ degrees already at 8:00am signaled a "rest day"...

Back in the saddle again...

2011-07-12T09:54:00.002-05:00

Well, lots of things have gotten in my way of riding lately.

But I'm hoping most of that is behind me now.

Time to get some miles in.

So, I got in 35 miles on Sunday and again on Monday.

Next up, some longer days in the saddle...

Fri. 6/24/11

2011-06-27T07:37:00.002-05:00

Well, I finally got back out on the bike today.

Either the "honey-do" list or the weather seemed to be against me this past week+.

Needless to say, I felt like a slug.

But I did get in the 51 mile route. This time I did it the opposite direction.
No, not facing backwards. I went south to Simpson, then staying south to cty 2. Then east to Chatfield and from there north and east to Dover.
And lastly, west to home.

I bumped into Martin as I was making my way north to Dover. I stopped and chatted for just a bit and then the heat started to get to me.

I needed to keep moving to keep cool(er).

Thur. 6/16/2011

2011-06-17T07:20:00.002-05:00

I did the same route as last Sunday, tonight.

The WNW winds were under 10mph, so the trip west and north wasn't too bad.

The humidity was up because I was sweating quite a bit for the average amount of energy I was expending.

So, I made sure to drink plenty and made it home without any problems.

Wed. 6/15

2011-06-16T07:48:00.002-05:00

Drove through the pouring rain to get up to the Farm Dog TT today.

With the weather and the fact that the Nature Valley Race Series is in town, it was a light turnout.

The course looked in real good shape and those that made it out had a nice night

I did my "whip" thing and headed for home.

Sat. & Sun. 6/11 & 6/12

2011-06-13T13:27:00.002-05:00

I missing the group ride on Saturday morning, so I headed out on my own.

I got to Dover and checked out the progress on north cty 10. Still closed.

So, I headed for Chatfield. Once there I headed west to cty 1, then I decided to extend the route by heading to Racine. On the way I bought a glass of lemonade from a couple of young entrepreneurs standing out at the end of their driveway.

The NNW wind made the west and north stretches a lot of fun.

I continued west and north to High Forest and then on to the airport road, where I headed east and north to home.

On Sunday, I was going for an easy "recovery" ride, but as usual the wind made the ride challenging.

I did the same route as Saturday, minus the Racine addition.

So I ended with 51 miles and not a much "recovery".

Wed. 6/8/11

2011-06-09T10:33:00.002-05:00

I did the 35 mile route again tonight and with the WNW winds I flew to Dover.

Then the real fun started as I turned around and had to fight the wind all the back home.

One of these days, I should start to feel like I'm getting in shape.

Mon. 6/6/11

2011-06-07T10:20:00.003-05:00

Another scorcher, today.

So I took it a bit easy and did the 35 miles making sure I drank plenty of water.

I sweated a lot, but otherwise felt fine.

Tuesday is set for 100+ degrees, so I'll be inside watching TV...

Sat. 6/4/11

2011-06-06T11:24:00.002-05:00

Hot, hot, and hot. And windy.

The last couple days have been very warm (records or near records) with the winds picking up in the afternoon.

I did my 35 mile route on Friday after work. The strong south winds were not too much of a concern for this mostly east and west route. But I did need to lean a lot.

Then I got in another nice Chatfield loop on Saturday morning. Didn't have to deal with the high temps as I was all done by noon. I didn't ride with the normal Saturday group, because we had several Graduation parties to go to and I wanted to make sure I got home with plenty of time.

Wed. 6/1/11

2011-06-02T12:14:00.002-05:00

I made it up to Farmington to help the Silver Boys with the first 2011 Farm Dog TT.

I was a holder again and things went pretty smooth. I did forget to let the race official know about the number 26 scratch, which caused his numbers to be off by 30 seconds. But he said it was no big deal and he would factor that in to the overall finish times.

No results posted as of today, but it was a great evening for the race and everyone seemed to have a great time out there.

One of these days, I should actually bring my bike and race this course...

Sat. 5/28/11

2011-05-31T08:50:00.001-05:00

I decided to head into the SSW wind until I was tired or I got a decent distance from home and then turn around.

Well, I got to Dexter before I turned around and then zipped all the way home with an nice tailwind.

A total of 70 miles for the day...

Thur. 5/26/11

2011-05-27T08:39:00.002-05:00

I did the Racine loop today.

I left from work and cut south across town to Bamber Valley, then south to High Forest and continued south on cty 8.

Then east to Racine and stayed east (and north a bit) to cty 1.

From there, I headed north to Pleasant Grove and Simpson and then home.

With a NE wind of ~15 mph, I felt it in my face for the better 2/3rds of the ride.

I think the lungs and heart are in shape, now to concentrate on the legs...

Sat. 5/21/11

2011-05-23T10:43:00.002-05:00

Iffy weather all weekend.

The morning was a bust, but I did get in 51 miles starting around 2:00pm.

A bit more wind, but not as much rain.

Since today is the last day of the world, I thought I had better get in a good ride.

Thur. 5/19/11

2011-05-20T11:27:00.001-05:00

same route and results as Monday...

Tue. 5/17/11

2011-05-18T10:27:00.003-05:00

I felt good the first part of today's ride, but started to run out of gas with around 12 miles to go.

I think I went out a bit too hard and the slight headwind didn't help much.

I went east to Eyota, then continued on to Dover. From there I headed south to Chatfield, then west on cty 2 to cty 1.

From there I turned north for Simpson and eventually home.

I'm not sure if the wind changed from E to NNE while I was out there, but it sure felt like I was in the wind most of the ride.

Anyway, another 51 miles on the books.

Mon. 5/16/11

2011-05-17T09:51:00.000-05:00

I got in 35 miles today after work.

I headed east into the stiff NNE winds to Dover, then did an aboutface and got a nice push all the way home.

Needless to say, I went much faster on the return leg.

Weather looks good the rest of this week with rain for the weekend (figures)...

I hope to get in a few more nice rides this week.

Tues. 5/10/11

2011-05-11T08:41:00.002-05:00

Warm and toasty, with high humidity and stiff SSE winds, meant that my ride today was hot, sweaty, and 2/3 of the ride was into the wind.

Needless to say, I was tired and drained by the time I rolled into the driveway.

But I did get the entire 48 miles in, so I don't have to hang my head in shame...

Saturday, May 7th

2011-05-09T09:13:00.003-05:00

The skies looked to be clearing and the roads were drying up nicely from the early morning rain, so I made my way down to Dunn Brothers South for the Saturday group ride.

We had 10 riders and the group decided to head toward Spring Valley for donuts.

We went out of town on cty 1, though Simpson, Fugel's Mill, Pleasant Grove, and on into Spring Valley. Cty 1 was a bit busy for a Saturady morning and the road is really starting to show it's age in spots, but we all made it to Spring Valley safely.

After a quick stop at the donut shop and a quick nature break at Kwik Trip, we headed west out of town on a nice rolling cty road. We had a nice tailwind on this section, so the pace stayed nice and high. We crossed over hwy 63 and continued west to cty 8. From there it was north (and with a stiff east crosswind) on cty 8 to High Forest.

Shortly after High Forest, the pace picked up and the group split. I was with the slower group (of course). But we kept a nice pace all the way back into town.

I split off at Bamber Valley School and headed west to home (into a stiff headwind).

I finished with 72 miles and very tired legs.

Back on dry land...

2011-05-03T15:18:00.003-05:00

Just got back from a week-long cruise vacation.

So the miles have been mostly treading water.

I did sit on an indoor bike a couple of times, but the pool-side chairs and cold Corona kept calling me back.

Now that my sea legs are gone, it's time to get back on the bike.

It looks like this week, the temps will start to cooperate as well.

Sun. 4/17

2011-04-18T09:03:00.002-05:00

I got out for a later afternoon ride and made the whole 51 mile Chatfield loop.

Ths sun went behind the clouds about halfway through the ride, so the temps did dip a bit on me.

Overall, I felt pretty good and I was glad I salvaged some of my weekend riding...

Fri. 4/15

2011-04-15T16:21:00.003-05:00

Nasty weather approaches, so it's indoors for a few days.

The past couple of 60 degree days really know how to spoil ya...

I actually got out on Tuesday in just the bibs and short-sleeve jersey.

Sat. 4/9

2011-04-11T08:10:00.004-05:00

Chef and I made it up to Lakeville for the big Silver Coffee Ride.

It was supposed to be nice and warm, but it was a tad cool so I kept a couple of layers on with hopes of being able to peel some off as we went.

It was a large group (as you can tell by Bob's pictures):

Everybody on the ride

And there were quite a few Silver as well:

Silver Cycling 2011

We had a nice group ride to Prior Lake, stopped for coffee, and then back to Lakeville.

Things split up on the way back as one guy from Northfield got a flat and some of the group waited and others decided to keep rolling. Chef and I were in the "waited" group.

We rolled back into Lakeville with about 35 miles and lots of fun memories.

Thanks Silver (Steve K), for getting this organized!

BTW, the sun never really came out, so I'm really glad I put the extra layer on...

4/6

2011-04-07T07:35:00.004-05:00

Got in the same route as yesterday, except no Chef and no flat.

The winds were out of the NW, so the stretch home was a bit less fun (and more work).

I was still tired from yesterday, so I took it a little easier.

Feels good to get some decent base miles in (I think I'm ahead of last year, even without the Arkansas trip).

4/5

2011-04-06T07:19:00.002-05:00

I packed my bike today, as the weather was supposed to be pretty nice.

It was so, I took off from work and headed south out of town.

As I got near Bamber Valley School, here comes Chef heading back into work after a quick spin. He looked like he had a great time and has been doing some riding this spring. We chatted for a bit and then we both headed our opposite directions.

I continued south past the airport, to High Forest. From there I kept heading south to Racine. About a mile or two from Racine, I noticed the back tire getting bouncy, so I stopped in Racine to change the tube.

After the change, I continued east to cty 1, then north past Pleasant Grove and down an up through Fugel's Mill. Then into Simpson, north to cty 11, and then east and north to home.

I finished with about 48 miles. I felt good and my flat was just some loose "guts" in the valve stem.

Good thing I saved the tube.

Wed. 3/30/11

2011-03-31T15:24:00.002-05:00

Jim and I played hookie on Wednesday and in 45 degree temps went for an epic ride.

We started from Jim's house and headed NE to Oronoco. From there we went east on some gravel. We wound around for quite a bit, but eventually we landed in Zumbro Falls.

We stopped for water and then it was more east and north on a mix of gravel and paved roads. Just as I was sure we were lost, we emerged in Lake City.

By this time, I was starting to feel the hills and the time in the saddle.
We stopped in Lake City for something to eat and to rest a bit.

Then it we started the journey home. We stuck to mostly paved roads, as my legs continued to complain and ultimately slow Jim down.

Needless to say, I was more than happy to see Bellechester, Mazzeppa, Oronoco, and finally Jim's place.

We finished with 98 miles.

Now it's rest time...

Sat./Sun. rides

2011-03-28T08:22:00.003-05:00

It was sunny, cool (cold), and windy, but I still managed to get two back-to-back days of riding in.

The winds were out of the east, so I headed to Eyota, then Dover, then south to Chatfield, then west to Cty 1, north to Simpson, and then back home.

The loop was 51 miles and I did the same route both days.

The wind stung a bit as I made my way north and east, but other than that it was a lot of fun to be out riding for some much needed "base" miles.

I was noticably more tired on the second day...I guess that means I'm not in shape, yet.

3/25/11

2011-03-25T07:49:00.002-05:00

Mostly indoor riding, yet.

But I did manage to get in 50+ miles last Saturday and another 25 miles on last Monday.

I think I have the new bike dialed in, except I need to put the road pedals back on as I've been riding the egg-beaters (so I can where the warmer shoes)...

That may change up the bike setup a small bit.

Otherwise, very happy with the New Stuff.

3/16/11

2011-03-17T11:13:00.002-05:00

Probably one of the warmest days we've seen in awhile, so I took off work a bit early and hopped on the new ride.

With temps in the mid 40s and nice sunshine, I didn't put too many layers on.

I made my way east to Eyota and then kept going east to Dover.

At Dover I decided I still felt good, so I turned south (into a brisk SSE wind) and headed for Chatfield. I could always cut the ride short at cty 23 if need be.
It hurt going into the wind, but my legs never complained too much or cramped up.
So, I rolled into Chatfield relieved that the windy stretches were all done.

I made my way west on cty 2 and rolled along nicely to cty 1.

At cty 1, I got a nice tailwind all the way back through Simpson and onto cty 11.

Then a quick "into the wind" stretch on cty 11, then back to the nice tailwind all the way home.

I finished with 51 miles and about 3 hours of nice riding. Sure beats the 30 to 60 minutes on the indoor bikes.

The sun went behind some clouds and it did cool off a bit, but I was on my way home so I toughed it out.

The new bike handles great and feels really quick.

New for 2011

2011-03-07T10:38:00.003-06:00

Hollywood set me up with a sweet new ride!

"Light and Lively"

Sat. 2/19/2011

2011-02-21T07:53:00.004-06:00

The roads were snow-free (not quite dirt-free), the sun was shining, temps in mid-20's, and light ESE winds, meant hit-the-road time.

I waited until early afternoon before I headed out to help get the temps up a bit more, then I headed to Eyota.

The ESE breeze was slightly colder than I had planned on, but I toughed it out and kept going east until I go to Dover. From Dover, I turned around and got a nice push back home. The added benefit was some nice warm sunshine and much less wind-chill.

I finished with 35 miles. It was great to be back on an actual real bike for a change.

2/11/2011

2011-02-14T12:32:00.000-06:00

Silver Cycling Team Night!

This year they had the event at Hollywood's shop. A bit more informal, but still great to see everyone.

I even won a wheel bag for a door prize.

1/23/2011

2011-01-24T07:24:00.000-06:00

Riding mostly indoors and getting pretty bored already.

I did attempt a trail ride today, but the snow was way too soft and I turned around after a very short distance.

It would have been great to get out and spin for a few outdoor miles.

Hopefully not too long...

Sunday, January 2, 2011

2011-01-03T09:43:00.004-06:00

I attempted a ride on the Douglas Trail - off-trail route today, but the rain we got on New Year's Eve really left a good coat of ice on the snow and there hasn't been enough snowmobile traffic or fresh stuff to make it very ridable.

Needless to say, I turned around and headed for home before I ended up in the ER (again).

Cabin fever is setting, gotta get out...

11/28/10

2010-11-29T08:23:00.002-06:00

Steve and I got out for a nice ride this morning.

We met by the colored condos and started out on the off-trail, but as the weather got warmer the trail got softer.

So, by the time we got just north of Douglas, we jumped onto the road and headed toward Oronoco.

From there we continued heading east, then we turned back around and doubled back to the Douglas Trail.

Then we made our way back to the cars from there.

Nice to get out...

CX gravel ride

2010-11-22T10:13:00.002-06:00

Well, I made my way up to Lakeville on Saturday to ride with Silver and the boys.

We had eight total as we headed south and east out of Lakeville and it wasn't long before we were on some nice quiet gravel roads.

The cold NE winds were in our faces as we headed east on some sections, but it was to our backs going south.

Then we turned more east and started the northward sections. Here is were the cold wind was the worst. Fortunately, it had warm ed up a little bit during the ride.

We stopped at Farmington for some nice warm coffee and to dry out a few things...

Then we wrapped up with a nice 10 mile ride back to Lakeville.

We finished with around 40 miles of great friends and good times.

11/07/2010

2010-11-08T10:38:00.003-06:00

Met up with Jeff and Steve on Saturday for a nice offtrail ride to Pine Island and back. It was a bit chilly, but Jeff still managed to show up in shorts.

We hit the same route again on Sunday, but this time Dr. Tim joined in the fun. He's in great shape and kept the tempo right up there.

Sunday was even warm enought for Steve to do the ride in shorts and short-sleeves. What a macho guy.

11/2/10

2010-11-02T16:18:00.004-05:00

Get out and vote!

I missed the big ta-do for Silver. Wasn't feeling too well Saturday morning. Looks like everyone had a good time (and Silver looked to be having a great time), by the pictures.

I was feeling a bit better on Sunday, so I got out for a spin with Jeff, Steve, Jim, and Dave. We made it to Douglas, then Dave turned back (as he had been out for awhile already). The rest of us continued up to Pine Island to inspect the misplaced bridge...

Then back to Rochester.

10/14/10

2010-10-14T09:15:00.000-05:00

Been hitting the indoor stuff lately.

With the darkness setting in so early, riding after work is a bit sketchy.

Maybe time to get the CX bike out and hit the off-trails?

10/10/10

2010-10-11T09:26:00.002-05:00

Well, today was a perfect 10!

The weather was fantastic for October and I was able to get in a nice 25 mile ride.

Light winds made the ride go great in all directions.

I do need to give the bike a good once over here in the next couple of days or so.

It's getting pretty dirty.

10/7/2010

2010-10-07T07:56:00.002-05:00

Not much for outdoor riding lately.

It's getting dark much too soon to get in any decent rides after work.

I'm holding off getting out the lights, but I'm guessing it's time for that.

Kathy and I have been getting over to the Healthy Living Center after work, so that's some consolation.

Riding (or running) indoors is just not the same...

Last day of Sept. 2010

2010-10-01T08:05:00.002-05:00

I got in a quick 20 miles again tonight.

Lighter NW winds didn't have much impact, other than you could tell you were working a bit harder on the way back.

I did spot Jeff and Chuck (I think that's his name) on their way back from Eyota.

It was a nice cool evening for ride.

Mon. 9/27/2010

2010-09-30T09:19:00.002-05:00

I got in a quick 20 miles tonight.

The WSW winds made the outbound leg very nice, but the homeward bound stretch was a bit more work.

As I got close to home I noticed another biker coming the opposite direction.

He had a real weird riding style, funny clothes, and looked a bit out of place.

When he got close enough I realized it was Steve, so that examples the weirdness...

Anyway, I turned around and chatted with him for just a bit and then let him get back to his ride.

From there I turned back and headed for home.

9/19/2010 S.C.U.B.A.

2010-09-20T08:57:00.006-05:00

No riding (outdoors, anyway) to speak of.

With Marie's wedding plans in full swing, Kathy and I have plenty to do. So, a few hours out on the country roads by myself are out of the question.

I did however, manage to get signed up for S.C.U.B.A.(Self-Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus) classes (go figure).

Both Justin and I completed the confined (in the Rec Center pool) dive portion last weekend. The plan was to do the open water portion together, also. But, Justin came down with a sinus infection and had to put the second weekend dives on hold.

I did make the trip over to Black River Falls, Wisc. to dive in an old taconite mine.

We did three seperate dives on Saturday, showing off our "skills". Then we only had to do one dive on Sunday to complete the entry-level Open Water Diver requirements.

Since I am typing this, you can tell I didn't drown or sink to the bottom (much)...

Floating at 30 feet below the surface was a lot of fun and once I got the hang of it, I got to play with the little sun fish that were curious.

The water was only 66 degrees, so even with wet suits you started to feel it after about 30 to 45 minutes.

Anyway, if you lose anything at the bottom of a lake (or a pool), give me a call. I might be able to help you find it...

Lately,

2010-09-02T13:37:00.004-05:00

Haven't seen too many road miles lately.

I got out with the group last Saturday, but they went easy because of their big ride planned for Sunday.

I was out for Sunday, because of the big move for Bill and Cathy.

I have also gotten out for a couple of short solo rides to help me not lose too much conditioning.

Oh well, the season is starting to wind down.

Time to hibernate.

Sat. 8/21/10

2010-08-25T08:07:00.003-05:00

A group of 10 from Dunn Brothers South decided to head NW today.

We made our way to Byron, one rider turned back as we neared Byron, then the remaining 9 headed west past the golf course and on to Mantorville.

After a quick water stop, we continued west toward West Concord. The winds started to pick up a bit as we rolled along. After West Concord, we turned north for Kenyon. By now the skies looked a little darker.

Kenyon was getting ready for their Rosefest, so we made another quick water stop and headed east out of town back toward Pine Island.

Now with a tailwind Big Jim and the several others decided to up the pace a bit and it wasn't long before we were rolling into Pine Island.

After our third water stop we headed for Douglas and at Douglas the group split a bit as Bruce wanted more miles and the rest hit the Douglas Trail for Rochester.

I parted ways at 7th Street and cut across town and headed east to home.

Sat. 8/14/10

2010-08-16T07:50:00.002-05:00

Well, I made it (again).

The annual Dawn to Dusk (number XIV) was this past Saturday.

We had 16 riders roll out of Lakeville just after 6:00am. This year Pat followed along in his truck, so with a SAG we all packed a bit different (except Steve, who went ole school and carried most of what he needed).

We picked one rider on the way to Northfield and another 10 riders at Northfield, now 27 riders headed south and east toward Pine Island.

As we neared Pine Island most of the short-timers turned back, so we were now down to our 13 original riders (one of the starters turned back at mile 55 and a couple of others headed back with the Northfield group) and five other Northfield riders who were continuing on a bit further.

We rolled in and out of Mazeppa and up toward Chef's. We passed Big Jim going the opposite direction, on the way. After a quick stop and regroup at Chef's we headed for Lake City.

At Lake City three Northfield guys headed for home and the rest of us 15 headed for Wabasha. At Wabasha, Ted's in-laws were there with a terrific lunch all setup and ready for us. Not only delicious, but a very fast and relaxing lunch stop. Great idea, Ted. And many thanks to the in-laws for the much appreciated lunch.

Then i was on to Nelson and up the Wisconsin side of the river. Here is were I first felt my left calf start to complain. And it continued to complain until we reached Red Wing. So, needless to say I suffered up the big climb after Maiden Rock.

The group split a bit as we left Bay City, but we caught back on just as the group rolled into Red Wing. Then is was onto the Cannon Valley trail for the 20+ miles of high tempo riding to Cannon Falls. Again, the group split a bit, but we eventually all regrouped at the Econo Foods in Cannon Falls. Even Pat eventually found his way there, so we could all get stocked up on water and gatorade. Except Shad had to get some roasted chicken from the store.

Then is was westward and northward back to Lakeville. We got just some very light sprinkles and had some nice cooling cloud cover as we rolled back to Lakeville. A much welcome rest after the warm sun of most of the day.

With the fantastic SAG support and the terrific lunch in Wabasha, we made record time back to Lakeville and were easily back before 8:00pm.

I vote for SAG support and the picnic lunch every year!!!

I'm really spoiled now.

Tues. 8/10/10

2010-08-11T07:43:00.002-05:00

Got out for a quick 20 miles in this hot and humid weather.

I took it easy because of the heat index and the fact that the D to D is this Saturday (I'm tampering).

Then the storms rolled through as we were eating at BW3's with Marie.

Hopefully, I can get one more easy day in then it's "rest up for the big day".

Sat. 8/7/10

2010-08-09T07:30:00.003-05:00

The boys from Dunn Brothers were heading out at 8:00am, so I made my way down there.

Unfortunately the sky looked a bit dark to the west and sure enough the weather was predicted to be unfriendly to bike riders.

But like fools, we still decided to head out and if it didn't clear up we race back in.

We headed SW out on cty 8 past the airport and on to High Forrest, but by then the sky was really not looking very nice, so we decided to turn back for town.

I hung on with the group (as the pace got turned up a bit) until the airport road, where I turned east and headed for Simpson.

Just out of Simpson, I felt the first little sprinkle and it wasn't too long before I was on some pretty wet roads. The rain was mostly light, but enough to get me good and wet.

I got in just over 40 miles and now I have to clean my bike...

Tues. 8/3/10

2010-08-04T09:21:00.002-05:00

Man, it was hot and humid today.

I decided to take it easy, drink lots of water, and get some spinning time in.

I headed east to Eyota and then on to Dover. There were several other riders out as I neared Eyota, (I think it was Jeff and Chuck?, and I also spotted Martin out there). I continued to Dover feeling strong until I turned around and realized I was getting some help from the wind on the way out.

So, I did my best to keep the RPMs high and cruised back home against the wind.

At least I got a nice cooling breeze for the ride home.

D to D is on the horizon...

Sun. 8/1/10

2010-08-03T10:28:00.002-05:00

I made it to Dunn Brothers this morning, where we had 9 riders ready to head south.

We made our way to Simpson and then onward to Spring Valley.

We lost a couple of riders who had other commitments before we arrived in Spring Valley.

After a quick water stop, we continued south to Ostrander, then Leroy, and finally the Iowa boarder. From there we turned back to Leroy for more water.

The ride back to Rochester was a brisk pace as the group rotated nicely.

I peeled off and headed for Stewartville as the group turned toward High Forrest.

I finished the day with 97 miles and very sore legs.

Sat. 7/31/10

2010-08-03T10:25:00.002-05:00

I rode up to Jeff's from my house.

Then Jeff, Steve, and I headed NE toward Hammond, Millville, Elgin, then toward cty 9 and finally back to Rochester.

I finished with 57 miles. It was getting warm out by the time I rolled into the driveway.

Thur. 7/29/10

2010-07-30T07:24:00.001-05:00

What a beautiful night for a ride.

I decided to go long and did the 50 mile loop from my house to Dover, then Chatfield, Fugel's Mill, Simpson, and then home again.

I tried to push it a bit more, because I really need some miles before the Dawn to Dusk ride on August 14th.

Did I mention that it was a beautiful night for a ride???

Wed. 7/28/10

2010-07-29T08:27:00.003-05:00

Kathy and I went up to Lakeville and helped out with the Farm Dog TT that Silver was hosting.

They had about 60 riders, which wasn't bad for the first TT at the new location.

I was a holder and Kathy helped at the finish line calling out numbers.

There were a couple of chains that popped off at the start and one guy started his ride with a flat rear wheel (only to cut it short because the bike was handling funny).

Silver did the route twice (number 1 and number 60). Great job, Steve.

And congrats to Silver Cycling for another outstanding and successful event.

What a great group of guys!!!

The riding looked fun, I should really give it a try sometime...

Sat. 7/24 and Sun.7/25

2010-07-26T09:07:00.000-05:00

Jeff, Steve, and I got in 60 miles on Saturday.

After meeting near Century, we headed NE to Mazeppa, then we continued east to Plainview.

After a quick water stop we headed back to Elgin and then back to Rochester from there.

I got out for a quick 30 miles on Sunday afternoon. THe east winds made the trip out a bit hard, but the ride back was pleasant.

I should have gotten my lazy butt out of bed ealier and rode with the group as they planned a long route to the river and back. But I needed my beauty sleep...

7/21/10

2010-07-22T16:47:00.001-05:00

Jeff and Steve made their way over to my side of town tonight and we decided to head NE.

As we neared cty 9, we spotted several other riders (I assume Recyclers out for their Wednesday evening ride) and we also noticed that the first part of cty 9 had been sprinkled with pea gravel.

We made our way east on cty 9 until the pea gravel stopped and then we continued east until cty 7.

From there we turned north and then west back toward Viola.

And from Viola, we stayed westward unitl we reached cty 11 where I turned south and Jeff and Steve headed back to Rochester.

I wanted to go longer, but it was a good idea not to as we quickly were running out of daylight and Jeff would have had to ride home in the dark.

I think he's afraid of the dark...

7/20/10

2010-07-21T09:45:00.003-05:00

I got out for a nice spin tonight and decided to extend my route to Chatfield.

I pretty much followed the same route that Jeff, Steve, and I did on Saturday (without the climb to Century HS).

Unfortunately, the winds made the trip to Chatfield a breeze and the journey back much more painful and a lot more work.

But I made it back in spite of the wind and ended with just over 45 miles. Otherwise, pretty uneventful.

7/17/2010

2010-07-19T09:28:00.004-05:00

Well after spending the last week in the car driving thru Canada and back, I needed to get out for some spinning.

Jeff called and mentioned that he and Steve were heading out, so I went along for the ride.

We meet up by Century HS and then headed south and east to Chatfield. From there we climbed back west toward Stewartville on cty 2 and then home thru Fugel's Mill and Simpson.

I ended up with around 56 miles and the temps were starting to climb as I made it home.

So, it was a good workout for me considering I haven't been on the bike for a bit.

7/6/2010

2010-07-08T09:30:00.002-05:00

I did my Eyota to Dover route tonight, but they have started the road construction north of Dover.

So instead of coming back in on cty 9, I just turned around and backtracked home.

The humidity was pretty high and it wasn't long before the sweat was getting into my eyes. I guess I should carry just some plain H2O in a bottle for washing off on these type of days...

Sat. 7/3/2010

2010-07-06T08:36:00.003-05:00

Well, I made it down to Austin and met up with a number of Silver boys as they once again placed their mark on the annual Spam race.

I didn't get an official count, but there had to be 12 to 15 Silver in attendence.

As usual, the pace at the start was brutal and with a stiff tail wind it was even more brutal this year. Everytime I glanced down at my speedometer, it read 32 mph.

Just before we turned east (and into a head-cross wind), H-wood and Todd Peterson launched an attack. Two others went with them (one guy from Flanders and one from the group from Owatonna).

With so many other Silvers in the group, the pace slowed as they let the break get away. No one else stepped up to the front to chase them down, so we all settled in for the rest of the race. Which was good for me, because I was well past my comfort stage.

We turned south (into the nice stiff 20+mph headwind), and I smartly tucked in back on the the left side of the group. There were a number of Silver near the front and to the right of the group. We moved along nicely, until someone cut off Chris and he went down (along with Sea Ray, Expresso, and two other riders).

As I went past, I noticed the Silver jerseys in the mix, so I pulled off and turned back to see if there was anything I could do. Chris was in the ditch and he laid there for a bit, while Ted was chatting with him. when he turned over, his face was pretty bloody, he had a nice couple of cuts by his left eye (one above and one below). Chris sat up for a bit and started to feel a bit better, but was pretty light headed. I told Expresso and Sea Ray to go on and ride in and I would stay with Chris until a SAG vehicle showed up.

I guess we waited about 10 minutes for the SAG, we put Chris' bike in and the SAG guy had some paper towels for Chris to hold over his cuts.

As Chris got in, I got back on and started the ride back in. Now of course, I was alone and had to tackle the headwinds for the next 5 or 6 miles by myself. But I made it back anyway.

H-wood ended second overall, with Todd finishing fourth, the girls finished 1, 2, 3, plus we had anumber of others finish up in the individual categories (Bruce finished 3rd in the 50-59 age group).

So a pretty good showing considering our group was missing 4 riders to the big crash (3 strong riders and me)...

7/1/2010

2010-07-02T09:22:00.002-05:00

Well, I've missed a lot of opportunities to get out a ride lately. Mostly because: the weather, family-related travel, weddings, work-related travel, and being lazy.

Anyway, I got out for 32 miles last Friday (6/25) and got in 20 miles today (7/1).

I am planning on meeting up with Silver and the boys at the annual SPAM race this weekend. And Yes, I am in no way, shape, or form, ready for a 25 mile race.

I'm guessing it will be more like a ride for me, as I watch the group pedal away at some point early on in the race.

Oh well, at least I can't get lost and I get a cool t-shirt out of the deal...

Wed. 6/16/10

2010-06-17T07:49:00.002-05:00

There was a good turn out for this evening's ride (I guess all the days of rain makes everyone ready to ride). I think we started with 11 riders.

We headed east on 40th and then north on 18th until we got to 75th, where we turned east again.

Followed that east until south a bit on cty 11 and then east (and north) to Elgin. There was a slight pause in the action as someone experienced a rear flat tire.

After the repair, we continued north to Millville, where we stopped for water.

Then a nice steady tempo along the river, through Hammond and up to hwy 63.

I started to feel my calves cramping up, so I slowed my pace a bit to recover. The group eased up a bit, so after a few miles I was feeling better and was able to latch onto the back of the group.

From there, we followed hwy 63 back to 75th, then west to 18th, south to 40th and east back to Erik's.

Great ride everyone and thanks for waiting up for me...

Sunday 6/13/2010

2010-06-14T07:32:00.003-05:00

I made it out with the Big Dogs (minus Big Dave) today.

I got there a bit early, so I sat and had coffee and read the paper till everyone showed up.

We had 8 riders as we headed east out of town.

Dr. Tim peeled off as we turned toward Plainview. At Plainview we stopped to refuel and that is where Bob turned and headed back. The rest of us fools followed Terry to the Mississippi River.

The run down to the river was much more fun than the climb back home and as we hit Rollingstone I could feel my legs starting to run out of energy. By the time we hit Elba, everyone was ready for a stop, but I had enough water and feared if I stopped I would never get going again (and Beebe would have to carry me).

So, I kept rolling up and out of the Whitewater Valley and back to Viola, then I went south until I got to cty 9 and then I headed west back to Rochester.

The boys caught up about halfway back on cty 9, so then I tucked in back for some nice draft.

I got home with just under 100 miles and according to Terry we had over 3700 feet of climbing for the day.

All under cloudy skies and the threat of rain all day, not bad...

Great ride and thanks for pulling me around (Terry, Dr. Tim, Bob, Beebe, Dan, Bruce, and JP).

6/7/2010

2010-06-08T11:33:00.003-05:00

I have been able to get out the last couple of days for some nice rides.

The other day I did my 32 mile route to Eyota, Dover, and back on cty 9.

And last night I got out for a quick spin on the 20 mile out and back route. I played "catch the rabbit" with a tractor that was up the road a bit. That gave me an excuse to push it a bit more than usual.

5/29/2010

2010-06-01T07:47:00.004-05:00

Met up with Jeff and Steve today.

There were pretty stiff winds from the SSE, so we headed mostly east to Elba.

Then we made our way back through Elgin and rode part of the new bike trail to Viola.

From there we backtracked to Rochester. I cut out at cty 11 and headed home from there.

Nice long miles...I'm still behind schedule.

5/28/2010

2010-06-01T07:46:00.001-05:00

Got out for a nice spin on the Douglas Trail with Kathy and Jamie.

It was nice to spin the legs, nice and easy.

I still need more miles, though.

5/22/10

2010-05-24T15:06:00.003-05:00

Another very big "Hats off" to Big Dave...

Congrats, Dave.

5/19/2010

2010-05-20T06:58:00.003-05:00

Made it out with the group from Erik's.

We had 10 riders and with the ESE winds, we headed across town and out past Century HS. Then we headed south on cty 11 and east past the gun club to Eyota. From there we went north on cty 7 until we hit cty 9 and we followed cty 9 back to Rochester.

We saw a lot of other riders out that way, must have been the Recyclers groups.

Anyway, I ended with just over 42 miles and we averaged just over 20 mph. Which isn't half bad considering all the crosstown riding.