1000 miles . . . and counting

Current Seasonal Total: 1,023.8

I reached two significant milestones on Saturday, July 17th. First, I surpassed the 200 mile mark for July. At my current pace, if I don't set a record for July, it will still rank as one of my top five months since beginning my fund raising initiative in 2007. Secondly -- and more importantly -- I broke the 1,000 mile mark for 2010. Having exceeded this mark in each of my past two cycling seasons, I wasn't surprised to accomplish this feat, but I was surprised how early in the season I reached it. In both 2008 and 2009, I surpassed the 1,000 mile mark in the first few days of September. In 2010, I reached the same goal in mid-July!

My three rides this past weekend were otherwise unremarkable. Friday's ride followed a new eastern route (President Street) to reach the Great Western Trail and a new northern route (Klein Road) to get from North Avenue's frontage road to Schick Road. Friday's ride totaled 24.6 miles, bringing me to within 11 miles of the magic number. On Saturday's ride along Schaumburg streets, I stopped at the Starbucks on Irving Park Road in Schaumburg and discovered a new taste treat -- iced coffee with milk and sweetner. Only a little more expensive than coffee, iced coffee is far more suitable for the hot, sticky days of summer. It is a welcome treat at any point during a ride. I reached the 1,000 mile mark on the corner of Walnut and Warwick Lanes. I stopped, took my traditional cell phone self-portrait (shown here), and continued riding. My Saturday ride totaled 21.4 miles. On Sunday, which was the hottest and steamiest of the three days, I rode to the Roselle Starbucks and back (for another iced coffee), adding an additional 13 miles to my tally.

As I write this, I need only 476 miles to reach my goal of 1,500 miles in my 2010 season. Also, I need only 392 miles to reach the 5,000 mile mark since I began my "One for All" fundraising initiative. Onward and upward!