2,000 miles!

Current Seasonal Total: 2,003.6

On this final day of October (Halloween), I surpassed the 2,000 mile mark for the season and set a new monthly mileage record! I had been contemplating and (more recently) pursuing the 2,000 mile mark for several weeks. Ironically, I didn't even notice that I was on the verge of the latter record until the night before, when I entered the mileage of my previous ride and realized that it brought my October total to within 15 miles of my previous monthly high. With one more day in October, and with a favorable weather forecast, I quickly mapped out my Halloween ride.

Today's ride was nothing special -- it was only 21.1 miles --but I will always remember it. My route followed familiar roads in Bartlett, crossed through the Hanover Park Metra Station into Hanover Park, continued along the new Hanover Park-Schaumburg path, and followed a generous stretch of Weathersfield Way before turning back through Roselle toward home. Fifteen miles into the ride -- on Devon Avenue in Roselle -- I attained 321 miles for the month, surpassing my previous monthly high, which I had only set this past June. What makes this particularly remarkable is that in previous years, October was a rather unimpressive mileage month for me, with figures of only 90.1, 123.4, and 122.2. This year's October total of 327.0 is largely due to the length of the rides I've taken, which is attributable to my discovery of the Salt Creek Greenway Trail and how it so conveniently connects Busse Woods with the Great Western Trail. This October, I had 6 rides over 30 miles long and 2 rides that surpassed the 40 mile mark.

Fifteen minutes and 2 1/2 miles later, in front of Lake Park High School in Roselle, I reached the 2,000 mile mark for 2010. I paused, took a few pictures with my cell phone camera, and then continued my final stretch toward home.

As I rode toward home, I reflected on my 3 1/2 year cycling journey. In 2007 (the year my father died of cancer), I was proud to ride 882 miles. In 2008, I was proud to break through the 1,000 mile mark and end up at 1,226 miles. And last year -- in 2009 -- I bested this number by 249 miles, ending the year at the 1,475 mile mark. And this year, with a few more rides yet to come, I've already bested my 2009 figure by over 528 miles! Wow!

As high as these mileage figures are, they perform a greater good by providing additional funding for the Lance Armstrong Foundation and the worldwide fight against cancer. Although my numbers are just a drop in the bucket, when they are combined with money raised by thousands of other grassroots fund raisers like me, they total nearly $3 million dollars -- a significant amount indeed. Onward and upward! Livestrong!

On the Verge

Current Seasonal Total: 1,982.5

Today (Saturday), I rode to Busse Woods and completed most of its 8-mile loop before continuing southward along the Salt Creek Greenway Trail to the head of the Great Western Trail in Villa Park. With stiff westerly breezes, the first (northeasterly) leg for my ride was easy, while the western leg along the GWT was far more challenging. In the end, I rode 44 miles over leaf-covered trails and streets, and by so doing, I reduced my magic number to 18! I enjoyed two Starbucks pit stops -- one at the Roselle location about 20 minutes into the ride (for hot coffee) and the other on the final leg near home (for iced coffee).

With satisfactory weather tomorrow (Sunday), I am likely to surpass the 2000 mile mark. Stay tuned!

October rides, Part 2

Current Seasonal Total: 1,938.2

On Monday, October 25th, which was predicted to be the last really warm day for awhile, I took a half-day off and rode an additional 37.5 miles to Busse Woods . . . then a long stretch westward to Bartlett . . . then back home. I started my ride at 2:40 p.m. and returned home at 6:00. Skies were mostly cloudy with temperatures starting in the low 70s and ending in the upper 60s.

With the completion of this ride, my Magic Number was reduced to 62. I am now poised to accomplish what I never thought I could -- riding 2,000 miles in one season.

Details for all my rides can be found at
http://www.bikejournal.com/journal_public.asp?rname=Antares.

October rides, Part 1

Current Seasonal Total: 1,900.7

In the period of October 2-24, I rode 8 times, totaling 224.1 miles, and stated working in earnest to surpass the 2,000 mile mark before the end of my 2010 cycling season.

On Sunday, October 3rd, I surpassed the 1,700 mile mark for the season. On Monday, October 11th -- 3 rides and 8 days later -- I surpassed the 1,800 mile mark for the season. Finally, on Sunday, October 24th -- 3 rides and 13 days later -- I surpassed the 1,900 mile mark for the season.

SeptemberFest in Wisconsin

Current Seasonal Total: 1,676.6

On Sunday, September 26th, I drove up to the western suburbs of Milwaukee to ride with my friend Gary Sampson. Gary has been a good friend of mine in the planetarium field for many years. We often roomed together at planetarium conferences, and through our many discussions, he too developed an interest in cycling. . . so much so, that in the spring of 2009, he purchased a new Trek hybrid bike (very similar to mine). He's been a regular cyclist ever since. In June, Gary and I rode the 36-mile course of the Trek 100, and he regularly rides the paved and unpaved trails throughout southeastern Wisconsin.

We called our get-together "SeptemberFest," and on its first day, I followed the Glacial Drumlin State Trail with Gary and another planetarian friend, Dave DeRemer. Just as my love of cycling "rubbed off" onto Gary, Gary's frequent rides similarly inspired Dave to start riding his bicycle a few weeks before. Gary and I drove to the starting point in Waukesha (near Prairie and Cottage Avenues), met Dave there, and the three of us (i.e. the Three Amigos) rode westward to Wales, continued to Waterville Road, and then returned along the same route. We started our ride just before 2 p.m. and completed it by 4 o'clock. The weather was mostly cloudy, with temperatures in the upper 50s and light to moderate northwesterly winds. It was a little chilly, so I wore long tights and a long sleeve base layer under my Livestrong jersey. Our ride lasted nearly two hours and was 22 miles in length.

The following day, Monday the 27th, I pre-arranged a vacation day and rode again with Gary. This time, we drove to a starting point farther to the west, so that we could ride a slightly different section of that very long trail. Beginning just before 9 a.m., Gary and I drove from his house to Wales (after a delicious breakfast of Gary's famous waffles), then began our ride westward. We passed through Dousman and Sullivan before turning around near the intersection of Route 18 and County Road P. We then retraced our route back to Wales, which we reached at about 1:00. On the way back, we visited the Bicycle Doctor (a great bike shop!) in Dousman. They were nice enough to adjust my front brake pads at no cost, eliminating the squeal that had started the day before. In part to say "thank you," I purchased a pair of winter cycling gloves and some Clif bars. Temperatures started in the mid-40s and rose to about 60 with very light easterly breezes. Our ride lasted nearly three hours and was just over 30 miles in length.

As it turned out, these were my last two rides in September, a month that featured 12 rides covering 279.1 miles, bringing my seasonal total to 1,676.6 miles. With my seasonal pace nearly 500 miles ahead of last year, I started to entertain the idea that I might actually reach the 2,000 mile mark before the season ended. By mid-October, I would elevate this "possibility" into the most significant goal of my four-year cycling effort.

Mid-September rides

Current Seasonal Total: 1,624.2

In the period of September 14-25, I rode six times, totaling 92.9 miles.

On Wednesday, September 15th, I surpassed the 5,000 mile mark for my Trek bicycle since purchasing it in March of 2007. On Sunday, September 19th, I surpassed the 1,600 mile mark for the season.

Details for all my rides can be found at
http://www.bikejournal.com/journal_public.asp?rname=Antares.