Every Day in May - Day 7

Today got hectic and before I realized it, it was 10:20 pm and dark. But there had been no bike ride yet! OK - I know I wrote that I don't like riding in the dark, but I can do it and with Maya protecting me, we did a quick loop around the block. I wore my bright electric headlamp that does well enough to light the way for me, as long as I don't ride too fast and outrun the light. Maya appreciated it!

Bike: M
T: 10:42
O: 16.1
M: 14.0
A: 7.8
D: 1.40

Every Day in May - Day 6

Today was a great day to commute to work by bike - beautiful weather and not a hectic schedule. I rode straight in (~4 miles) and changed in my office. I keep some clothes there in my closet so I can wear biking clothes which are much more suited to riding. Then I just change back into them for the ride home. I returned via the Brandywine Creek - a great ride with a few hills (including a big one to get home) but otherwise light on traffic, stop signs and no traffic lights!

Stats for today:

Bike: R
T: 55:19
O: 52.8
M: 32.9
A: 12.2 (Need to improve this)
D: 11.32

Every Day in May - Cinco de Mayo

So today's biking was just a little jaunt to show you how I walk Maya on the bike. She really knows the drill, although with Pat hanging around as photographer she was quite distracted...

This one shows us coming towards Pat. Maya is always on my left, just as when we walk her. She is only slightly behind but there is no risk of "dragging" her as she still has about another 15' of retractable leash to go.

This panned shot shows us in motion, about 10-12 mph. This is about our top speed and you can see she sometimes lags behind and sometimes she's ahead. I always try to leave at least a spare 10' of leash so she doesn't pull me off my bike.

Our first dog Shasta used to do this out of the car - at a top speed of 20mph! I don't think Maya will ever get to that speed, but she does love to run and this works for us!

Every Day in May - Day 4

Today was a beautiful day weather wise and I didn't have to be in to my office until 11, so I rode to work via the Brandywine River and through the Radley Run Country Club. How nice it is to be able to take a semi-rural, moderate ride in (about 10 miles) then get a shower at work before going to my office! The ride home, more direct through town but with lots of stoplights, stop signs and traffic, is about 4 miles.

I've often thought that I should commute to work more often by bike. I've done it on and off for years, typically more in the summer and fall than winter or spring. Night teaching assignments can make it difficult but there are plenty of remaining day trips available. It's only four miles one-way, but I like to make it interesting with a longer loop either on the way in (as here) or way home. Maybe "every day in May" will help me jump-start this.

Here are today's ride stats from my bike computer:

Bike: R

T: 1:10:30

O: 41.4

M: 33.4

A: 12.9

D: 15.16

Here are some stats and illustrations from the interesting bike mapping program (based on Google Maps) from http://bikeroutetoaster.com/:

Every Day in May - Day 3

OK - I hope to turn this thing around. Today I was insanely busy again so I only got in a short ride, but hey, at least I did it. Maya and I went around the block again. Here are the stats:

Bike: M
T: 9:43
O: 13.6
M: 16.4
A: 8.8
D: 1.42
Tongue (Maya's, not mine): Out 3"

Every Day in May - Sunday May 2

Today I set out for a slightly more ambitious ride. After another busy day that included performing in the spring concert for the Chester County Concert Band, it got late again. I left home about 7 pm hoping to do this 10.5 mile ride before it got dark:


I made it the first 2.5 miles when I suddenly noticed that climbing the first hill was really tough - with a flatted rear tire. I knew that by the time I could get it fixed it would be dark, so I called Pat for a rescue. She showed up quickly and now here I am at home posting this...

Inauspicious stats for today:

• Bike = R (where R = road bike; M = mountain bike)
• T=13:44 min = pedaling time, total
• O=26.2 miles = odometer, zeroed January 1. Not much so far this year!
• M=34.4 mph = maximum speed
• A=12.1 mph = average speed (includes some walking my bike with flat)
• D=2.77 miles = distance traveled this trip, zeroed at beginning of each trip

Every Day in May - Saturday May 1

So here's my project idea: I want to complete a bicycle ride every day in May 2010. This seems doable enough; I love to ride and the weather this time of year is great. By setting this goal I'll actually integrate PLANNING to ride into my day, too. Not every ride has to be long or hard; just getting on the bike will count. I know I can build up to longer, faster rides, and this may be just the ticket to do so.

After sailing all morning and working around the yard all afternoon, there wasn't time for a long ride so I set off around the neighborhood loop with Maya. OK - I don't have a picture of Maya and I riding bike together, but here she is. She loves to run and we often watch a brown blur go across our view of the yard as we sit in the living room or kitchen.

To ride together I take Maya's retractable leash and hold it loosely in my left hand while on the bike. She knows what to do - and off we go, usually at about 10-12 mph, at least until we see another dog...or a cat...or a deer...

It was an easy start - our loop took us about 1.5 miles at an average speed of 10 mph. We both enjoyed it!