Bike to the Park

It was a Wednesday evening and I wanted to stretch my legs a bit before the big Lakewood Valley triathlon on the weekend. I headed down to Jack C Fischer Park on the Greenbelt and then decided to try out the new leg which goes South from Schiffley Park through MidAmerica Park. When I got to Tamarack I followed that to South Griffith and then back home. It was a nice little ride.

Day's Mileage: 11.11 miles
2009 YTD Mileage: 177.84 miles
Miles to 2009 goal of 1,000 miles: 822.16
Avg Price of Gas in the 'boro: $2.68

David Yewell St. Joseph's Peace Mission for Children Trek XII

Today was a perfect day for a bike ride, especially one for a good cause. This trek is a fundraiser for the St Joesph's Peace Mission. St. Joseph's is a shelter for Neglected, Dependent and Abused Children, Pregnant teens and Sibling Groups. This trek is 13 or 20 miles from Calhoun to West Louisville. I rode with a couple of friends from the Italy trip last December and saw many friends along the way and at the party after the ride/walk. We did the 20 mile route and then felt good enough to ride the 13 mile route back to the cars. It was great fun with good people and a good cause.


Day's Mileage: 34.42 miles
2009 YTD Mileage: 166.73 miles
Miles to 2009 goal of 1,000 miles: 833.27
Avg Price of Gas in the 'boro: $2.58

Happy Thanksgiving!

Went out this afternoon with a couple of friends after they ate an early Thanksgiving meal. We rode over to Panther Creek Park and did the loop twice and I rode home. It was about 55 degrees and a very nice day to ride. I had a delicious turkey dinner, with mashed potatos, rolls, and a nice Riesling when I got home. There is much to be thankful for, including good weather, generous friends, loving family, a healthy and active life and much, much more.

Yesterday's Mileage: 36.2 miles
2008 YTD Mileage: 710.7 miles
Miles to reach 2008 goal of 750 miles: 39.3
Avg Price of Gas in the 'boro: $1.66

Great Pumpkin Metric

Today, a group of us from the Big O travelled to E'ville for the Great Pumpkin Metric bike ride. A more perfect day for a bike ride, would be hard to find. It started off cool and steadily warmed up, but didn't get too hot before the ride was over. Close to a 1,000 riders were expected for the 27th annual event hosted by the Evansville Bicycle Club.

At each of the Rest stops, which were placed about every 13 miles, there were volunteers in costumes and scary make-up to go along with this year's theme - "Close Encounter". It was a great day riding through the bucolic countryside of north Vanderburgh County. After the ride, there was a spaghetti and chili dinner, ice cream and live music. The event was well organized, plenty of food and drink at the rest stops, great weather and a good group of friends to ride with. Definitely worth doing again.

Today's Mileage: 66 miles
2008 YTD Mileage: 618.2 miles
Miles to reach 2008 goal of 750 miles: 131.8
Avg Price of Gas in the 'boro: $3.64

Sunday, Sunday, Sunday

A quick ride at the end of the weekend. Hopefully, we'll have at least one more Monday night ride at Panther Creek tomorrow night. It's hard with the sun going down at 6:30 now. It's almost time for spinning classes to pick-up through the winter.

Today's Mileage: 8.2 miles
2008 YTD Mileage: 552.2 miles
Miles to reach 2008 goal of 750 miles: 197.8
Avg Price of Gas in the 'boro: $3.79

Monday Night Ride

With it getting darker sooner, the Monday night ride started at 5:30pm. We still had light when we finished, but not much. I dread these days of waking up in the dark and coming home from work in the dark. I'll still get to ride on the weekends for a few more weeks, but soon it will be spinning class to get my time in the saddle.

Today's Mileage: 20.3 miles
2008 YTD Mileage: 544 miles
Miles to reach 2008 goal of 750 miles: 206
Avg Price of Gas in the 'boro: $3.91

Monday Night Ride

I joined the ride tonight after a long weekend. It felt good to stretch my legs a bit after the triathlon. I said I wasn't going to go out fast and I didn't on the first lap. On the second lap I did okay, until we turned at the big tree (which is no more), now just a big stump. Then I just couldn't resist seeing if I could catch a group about a 1/4 mile ahead of us. I finally managed to catch them and rode in with them until the last turn back to the park, when a sprint broke out. I hung on Jaime's back wheel for a bit and then eventually passed her to try and catch David, but faded at the end. It was cool that I have some sprint in me now. I might pay for it tomorrow, but it felt good tonight, even though it was quite warm this evening.

Today's Mileage: 20 miles
2008 YTD Mileage: 484.8 miles
Miles to reach 2008 goal of 750 miles: 265.2
Avg Price of Gas in the 'boro: $3.68

Panera Bread Ride

I finally joined the Panera Bread Ride today. It meets at the Brookhill subdivision entrance to the Greenbelt and rides about 20 miles to Panera Bread for breakfast every Sunday at 6am. It was early, but I got up and biked over to the meeting spot and had a nice ride as the sun came up. At Panera I enjoyed good company and a French Toast Bagel with cream cheese. Rode home after that. I was going to take a nap, but didn't find the time all day. Oh well! I enjoyed the ride and may have to do it more often, as long as I get to bed early Sat. night.

Today's Mileage: 24.7 miles
2008 YTD Mileage: 422.9 miles
Miles to reach 2008 goal of 750 miles: 327.1
Avg Price of Gas in the 'boro: $3.78

Riding in the rain...

...he's a bike club hero! Well, not exactly. But I did have an easy ride on the eastern part of the Greenbelt with Matt and Tami. And it did rain most of the time. Hard some of the time. Oh well!

Today's Mileage: 16.8 miles
2008 YTD Mileage: 335.9 miles
Miles to reach 2008 goal of 750 miles: 414.1
Avg Price of Gas in the 'boro: $3.94

Monday Club Ride

After work, I was able to join the Owensboro Bicycle Club ride at Panther Creek park. My legs were a little sore, but not too bad. I took it easy on the first lap and was cruising through the second when a group came up on me and the 2 women I was riding with and the race was on. Well, not really a race, but the pace definitely picked up. We were going about 20-21 mph with 6 of us in a pace line. It felt good and not too difficult. It nice to see progress in my conditioning. This time last year, I wouldn't have been able to keep up that pace for 5 miles, but tonight I did and wasn't that winded. We wrapped up the evening with Meatball Madness at Fazolis. I had 5 breadsticks to go with my meatballs. Yum!!!

Today's Mileage: 20.7 miles
2008 YTD Mileage: 319.1 miles
Miles to reach 2008 goal of 750 miles: 430.9
Avg Price of Gas in the 'boro: $3.94

OBC Monday Night Ride




I joined the Monday night ride at Panther Creek. I took last week off after the triathlon and my mom's visit. It was good to be back with the group and we had good weather for the ride. We took off and I did one lap of the hills and then another flat lap. My legs were sore or tired, but I survived and still average 17.1 mph. The other good news is that the Owensboro Bike Club jerseys are in!!! They are available at Quality Bike Shop for all who order them. Here's what they look like:

There was also an article in today's M-I about Bike Lanes. We had funding available and the city passed on it because they had to study it some more and the engineering dept placed restrictions on the width of roads that could have lanes. I think that was a bad idea to leave money on the table. However, our very own Claudia Roberts is trying to organize a rally at the City Commission on the 3rd Tuesday of July. All bikers are encouraged to show up and show the City Commission that we want safe bike lanes throughout the city, not just the Greenbelt and that bike riders are not all drunks who have lost their licenses, but actually students, professionals, and active people who enjoy safely riding around the Big O.

Today's Mileage: 23 miles
2008 YTD Mileage: 277.7 miles
Miles to reach 2008 goal of 750 miles: 472.3
Avg Price of Gas in the 'boro: $3.90

First Century (metric)!!!

Today was the Big Rivers chapter of the American Red Cross Ride for the Red. I felt rushed getting there, but I was ready to ride at 7:30am when we took off. The weather was hot and windy! Temps were in the mid-to-high 80's and winds were 14-18 mph. It felt like the wind was in our face most of the ride. The first SAG stop ran out of water and Gatorade, but the other 3 were well-stocked, thank goodness!

Somehow, I managed to average 15 mph and my ride time was 4 hours and 9 minutes. With all the SAG stops, I was done in about 5 hours and enjoying water and burgers at Waymond Morris Park. I felt okay after the ride. We'll see how I am tomorrow. I'm ready for a nap, now!!! Next week is my first triathlon of the season - Lakewood Valley.

Today's Mileage: 62.2 miles
2008 YTD Mileage: 236.3 miles
Miles to reach 2008 goal of 750 miles: 513.7
Avg Price of Gas in the 'boro: $3.88

Monday Night Ride

I joined the regular ride tonight at Panther Creek Park. I only did one lap, but it was kinda fast. I started out really fast averaging over 21 mph, but that only last about 3.5 miles. Still kept a good rhythm going, though. Still maintained a 17.5 average mph.

Coming up Saturday is the Big Rivers Ride for the Red - a fundraiser for the local Red Cross Chapter. If you haven't signed up yet, do! It's a nice ride with many different distances to choose from. I'm going for 62 miles this year. i hope the rain stays away and the humidity, too.

Today's Mileage: 12.6 miles

2008 YTD Mileage: 174.1 miles

Miles to reach 2008 goal of 750 miles: 575.9

Avg Price of Gas in the 'boro: $3.88

Memorial Day Weekend

This weekend, let's take a moment between family BBQ's, yard work, car washes, and other events during this 3 day weekend to remember those who served in the military and public safety, including police, sheriffs, firefighters, and EMS, and sacrificed for freedom and country.

Now back to grilling and car racing...

Today's Mileage: 5.1 miles
2008 YTD Mileage: 148.7 miles
Miles to reach 2008 goal of 750 miles: 601.3
Avg Price of Gas in the 'boro: $3.89

I had to work a little late tonight. I didn't join the Owensboro Bicycle Clubs Monday night ride at Panther Creek, but I did ride Monday night, just a little later. My mountain bike has a front flat tire, so I get to practice changing that sometime this week. I took the road bike out for a spin and was trying to push myself a bit in the higher gears. It felt good. It helped that the weather was perfect - mid 70's, sunny, not too much wind.


Today's Mileage: 12.6 miles
2008 YTD Mileage: 84.2. miles
Miles to reach 2008 goal of 750 miles: 665.8
Avg Price of Gas in the 'boro: $3.57

Perfect Bike Day

After a gorgeous Sunday, which I spent working in the yard instead of biking, I was gnawing at the bit to get on my bike tonight after work. The Owensboro Bicycle Club ride has been riding on Mondays out at Panther Creek Park for a few weeks. However, I preferred that the weather be warmer, less damp and sunnier before I joined them. Today, my wish came true. It was a perfect day for biking - sunny, in the low 70's and not much wind. It was a great first ride on the road bike with many more to come.

If you'd like to join us we meet Monday's at 5:30pm at Panther Creek Park and Wednesday's at Waymond Morris Park for about a 20 mile ride. Tonight a few of us met at Fazoli's afterwards for spaghetti and breadsticks! YUM!!!

Today's Mileage: 20.3 miles
2008 Year to Date Mileage: 62.8 miles
Miles to reach 2008 goal of 750 miles: 687.2
Avg Price of Gas in the 'boro: $3.46

First Day of Winter

A few days before Christmas in Kentucky and the high temp today was almost 60 degrees. I had to go for a bike ride with that weather! I returned some movies to the video store, on my bike, and then headed towards the west trail of the Greenbelt before riding back through the neighborhood to home. It was windy, but warm enough (barely) for short sleeves

Today's Mileage: 14.5 miles
2007 Year to Date Mileage: 464 miles
Miles to reach 2007 goal of 500 miles: 36

Winter Riding

Well, winter in Kentucky, at least, is more rain than snow (bummer). Yesterday was overcast, but dry. Today there was mist this morning, but rain and possible thunderstorms are expected the rest of the day. Yesterday, I rode down to the West Owensboro Trail. I had rented some movies for the weekend, so today I rode the bike back to Blockbuster to return them.

This weekend's Mileage: 17.9 miles
2007 Year to Date Mileage: 443.2 miles
Miles to reach 2007 goal of 500 miles: 56.8

Sunday, Sunday, Sunday

Went for a quick ride around the neighborhood after watching some football.


Today's Mileage: 6.0 miles
2007 Year to Date Mileage: 422.2 miles
Miles to reach 2007 goal of 500 miles: 77.8

Just Ridin'

Rode around the nieghborhood, and the Greenbelt and through the city and back through the eighborhood. Just felt good ridin' in the city.

Today's Mileage: 17.1 miles
2007 Year to Date Mileage: 416.2 miles
Miles to reach 2007 goal of 500 miles: 83.8