Day 10 Commute

Success!! Day 10

Weather: 60 deg F. cool, clear not much humidity and sunny

Time I left my house: really late again! 8.11 am.

Time I arrived at work: 8:45 am

Distance: 8.15 miles

Avg. Speed: 14.3

Max Speed: 24.0

Time: 34.06 min.

Pre-game: I love summer when it’s a good, cool, sunny morning and you know you’re going to have a great ride. No incidents with the kids, and my 4 year old kept asking when he could ride with me…stuff like that breaks my heart and I tell him I can’t wait until he’s older to ride with me, but for now we can ride around the block when I get back. Sometimes you wonder why you’re a parent and it’s these little moments that resets your whole perspective. Anyway, I had checked my tires, pumped some air and lubed the chain last night so I would have no worries.

Nice ride in – less traffic since it’s Friday and I have to admit, my legs are feeling it since it’s my 3rd day this week on the bike. I love it. Watching the Tour last night always gives me some motivation like a kid, and yes my wife thinks I’m nuts too.

I realize now that I’m riding in more frequently this summer that I need more cycling clothes. I still don the old running/coolmax/drifit shirts and cargo shorts, but I have to admit, wearing the bike shorts my wife got me for Father’s Day underneath have definitely made a difference in comfort. I can’t imagine NOT riding in on these for more than 10 miles at a clip. Imagine doing a century in regular knickers and underwear. I’m starting to understand all the funny accoutrements that comes along with this sport- possibly even delving into that Butt’r stuff.

UPDATE: The ride home.

Weather: 75 deg F. sunny and pleasant

Distance: 8.42 miles

Avg. Speed: 14.2

Max Speed: 23.9

Time: 35.35 min.

It was a nice ride home, good to have off on Monday as I need to recuperate from this week. There was a point where on my last climb on the North Service Rd. close to my house, I was of the saddle and Jeep honked and scared the bejeesus out of me. I was angry at first and then I thought of the TDF of people cheering and all the noise, so maybe give the driver the benefit of the doubt and maybe they were cheering me on… I’m cynical by nature (and by way of being close to 40) so I thought it was some idiot driver telling me to beware even though I was well within the shoulder.