“About” update!

It looks like I wrote, or updated, my “about me” a little over 2 years ago.  I just finished changing a few things but nothing significantly.  I wanted to do this “update” separately.  I have had two additional years of cycling and have changed my riding style a bit.  I have decided that the rides that I do daily are maintenance rides.  They maintain a healthy blood glucose level and weight for me but they also maintain a certain level of cycling fitness for me as well.  What I have discovered over the last two years is that I desire to become more of a touring cyclist.  The daily rides are my means to ride overnight and multi-day tours more easily.

In addition to the 2012 DNR Katy Trail ride (photos are on this blog) I also did the 2013 ride and the 2013 RAGBRAI ride.  Both of these rides are multi-day rides but are supported.  I want to do rides that are not supported.  In May of this year, I did a 3 day, non-supported, ride with a friend.  Details of that ride are at 2014 RUSBRST Ride.  I will try to post pictures and perhaps and entry about that ride in more details.  I really enjoyed that ride and it created a desire in me to do more.  Ultimately, I would like to do a cross country ride but I am uncertain as to if, and when, that might happen.  So for now I must do shorter rides when I can.  I am preparing to do a 5 day ride from Springfield, MO to Topeka, KS and it is the main reason for this update.  The link to the Topeka Ride is both on the blog menu and here.

Until later….

Galloway Trail reopens

Today was the “official” reopening of the Galloway Trail here in Springfield.  Several members of the Springfield PSYCHOlists cycling group went on an early morning ride and ended up at the ceremony which took place at 11am.  Lunch followed at Galloway Station.

Cotton Ramble 2012

Friday after Patti got off work, she and I drove to Sikeston for the 2012 Cotton Ramble.  This was our first “organized” ride together, and on the tandem.  After checking into our hotel we went on a short 16 mile ride.  That was all we could get in before it got too dark to ride.  The next morning, we woke up, checked out of hotel, and got ready to raaamble!!  We rode the 26 mile route.  It was a good ride.  Patti especially liked it because of the flat terrain around Sikeston.  However, we did have a pretty stiff South wind on the way back.  We will definitely think about going back next year.  Some of our pictures can be seen here or by going to the link to the right under Rides I’ve Ridden.

COTTON RAMBLE 2012

Springfield PSYCHOlists’ Katy Trail Ride

Friday evening Patti and I drove to Rocheport, MO to spend the night so that we could ride the Katy Trail with some of the members of the Springfield PSYCHOlists.  We spent the night at the Katy Trail Bed and Breakfast where we stayed in the Jefferson Suite.  This was the same B and B that we stayed at when I rode the BikeMO ride in August.   The next morning we ate breakfast with some of our group and headed out for a very chilly ride.  We rode from Rocheport to Cooper’s Landing and then back to the MKT trail at Hindman Junction.   We then rode to Columbia to get a bite to eat.  Being a game day it was hard to find someplace that wasn’t packed with people.  We did find a place, ate, and then headed back to the Katy and to Rocheport.

Sunday, we had breakfast with the group again and headed out for New Franklin.  The main reason in heading West from Rocheport that day was go through the tunnel, which we accomplished within the first mile.  Still, we managed to get in a 19.5 mile ride before we had to head back to Springfield.  The mileage for both days totalled 71.5 miles.  I did take a few pictures and they can be seen here.

Wednesday night supper ride

Last night Patti and I rode our tandem with some of the people, from our bike riding group, on a evening supper ride.  Wayne, a member of our group occasionally organizes an evening ride or sometimes even a breakfast ride.  The evening rides often include checking out the rooftop levels of some of the downtown parking garages.  Last night was no exception.  Our final destination was Millies.  The food was good, the service not so much but the conversation was great.  Photos from last night’s ride can be seen here.

BikeMO 2012

Friday evening Patti and I drove to Rocheport to spend the night so that I could ride the BikeMO 2012 ride.  We spent the night at the Katy Trail Bed and Breakfast where we stayed in the Jefferson Suite.  There were other cyclist there and I figured that they were there to do the BikeMO ride but they weren’t.  They were all riding the Katy Trail from Clinton to St. Charles.  I highly recommend the Katy Trail B and B.  Our room was small, but nice.  It was the perfect option for us.  In fact, we’re staying there again in October when we do a ride on the Katy with “our group”.  The ride started at the Les Bourgeois Vineyards.  I did the 67 mile route that went to Arrow Rock and back.  The J. Huston Tavern was the turn around point and the 2nd SAG stop.  I meant to take a picture of the tavern but forgot to.  In fact, I included the links to the websites in this post because I didn’t have pictures for them.  However, I did take a few pictures and they are posted in the Rides I’ve Ridden.

Our new tandem

My wife, Patti, and I decided to buy a tandem.  After my Katy Trail ride Patti surprised me by saying that she would like to try to do the Katy Trail next year.  After some discussion and her talking with the couple that rode with me on the Katy, who owns a tandem, we decided to buy one.

We wanted to try one out first.  Believe me, tandems to test ride are not easily found.  However, we found a Trek at Phat Tire Bike Shop.  We went down one Sunday afternoon to Bentonville, AR and gave it a try.  We were really looking for an entry level tandem and the Trek seemed like the way to go.  We ended up purchasing our Trek at A and B Cycle, our local Trek dealer.

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