Friday, January 1, 2016

2016 goals

Just for ease of remembering, my mileage goal for each year is always going to be the same number as the current year, so I hope to ride 2016 miles in 2016.  I fell very short of that goal in 2015.  So, for 2016, to try to keep myself on track, and Mr. Just Keep Pedaling has agreed to join me in this endeavor, we have joined the Facebook group Ride Streak, a community of cyclists who are committed to attempting to ride everyday. Doesn't matter how far each day, it's really just on the honor system, but it's just a way to keep ourselves accountable. I attempted this last year in April when I did the April 30-day biking challenge, but by the first week in May I had already fallen off the wagon.  This year, I'm vowing to try to keep it alive.  As the administrator of the Ride Streak page noted, if we ride every day this year, we will ride 366 days in a row, because this is Leap Year. We won't have that opportunity again for another 4 years.  We'll see how it goes.

~~H


OUR 2016 RIDE STREAK LOGS


Hers:
Going to try this again. Husband said he would join me in the attempt. As long as it's winter, all of these are going to be in my basement on the trainer because I'm just too lazy to deal with getting dressed in all the clothes cold-blooded me requires for a comfortable ride when the temps are anywhere below 70. I've been there and done the snot in my balaclava and on my glove and sleeve and I'm just not up for that. Too. Much. Trouble. That's just the way it is. So, all that said:

  • Day 1 (01/01/2016): 7 miles in the basement with Pandora.
  • Day 2 (01/02/2016: Made myself ride outside today after all. It wasn't so bad, 46 degrees. Rode out to the town golf course and back. 5 miles.
  • Day 3 (01/03/2016): 3 miles. Basement.
  • Day 4 (01/04/2016): 6.25 miles (or a little over 10k if you're anything other than American.) That sounds more impressive anyway.
  • Day 5 (01/05/2016): 5 miles in basement.
  • Day 6 (01/06/2016): 6.25 miles. Basement.
  • Day 7 (01/07/2016): 6.25 miles in basement, preceded by 15 minutes of core exercises. I'm almost certain I'll be questioning the wisdom of that decision tomorrow morning.
  • Day 8 (01/08/2016): (start of week 2, so far so good): 6.25 miles in basement. Tonight on Pandora -- Peter Gabriel, Lou Gramm and ZZ Top. "You left the beat box on, Dusty."
  • Day 9 (01/09/2016): 6.25 miles in basement. I love the "route" it shows. Usually it's much more scribbly than this. So, I'm calling this one an out and back ride.
  • Day 10 (01/10/2016): It was take a break day, so a slow 1 mile in the basement in my pajamas and slippers. 
  • Day 11 (01/11/2016): 6.25 miles on trainer and another 30 minutes of arm work and crunches.
  • Day 12 (01/12/2016): Some rides just seem quite difficult. Tonight was one of those. I struggled to get half of what I normally shoot for. 3 miles on the trainer. 
  • Day 13 (01/13/2016): 5.35 miles Outside. And had our first real encounter with a dog in our 2-1/2 years of riding. It charged at us barking and snarling, bit at husband's ankle, then turned around and ran right into my front wheel, causing me to almost eat asphalt. 
  • Day 14 (01/14/2016): 8 miles on trainer. Trying to make up some from wimping out the other night.
  • Day 15 (01/15/2016: 6.25 miles on trainer. Musical notes: Journey' s Separate Ways is almost the perfect steady make-you-sweat tempo. Journey' s Be Good To Yourself, on the other hand, has an unsustainable tempo. LOL
  • Day 16 (01/16/2016: Trainer. 7.25 miles. On Pandora tonight: Springsteen, Hall and Oates, Bruce Hornsby
  • Day 17 (01/17/2016: Just one short mile. I have spent the day starting to catch up on our really-behind bike blog. Got our Montana and Idaho ride posts from September done. Video takes a hella lot of time to edit. 
  • Day 18 (01/18/2016): 15 minutes on the trainer. My app decided not to log my miles. I'm going to guess 3-ish. 
  • Day 19 (01/19/2016): 6.25 on trainer. 
  • Day 20 (01/20/2016): 5.25 miles on the trainer with some Mellencamp Cherry Bomb to help me close it out. Nothing wrong with that. Nothing at all. 
  • Day 21 (01/21/2016): Trainer 6.25 miles.
  • Day 22 (01/22/2016): 6.25 miles on trainer. Have you picked up on a touch of OCD yet?
  • Day 23 (01/23/2016): 5 miles on trainer. Note to self: Do not ride when you are hungry. You will not go the distance you wanted to. This is the second time now. LEARN.
  • Day 24 (01/24/2016): Just one mile on the trainer after a long day and many miles spent in a car. Back to the hospital to visit mom-in-law and the rest of the day filled with vehicle browsing. The events of this past week point out clearly that we need another personal vehicle at our disposal. Our list of criteria were: Compact SUV, hopefully 30 mpg highway, all wheel drive or 4WD to handle snow, and be able to fit both of our folding Montague mountain bikes in the cargo area, ideally without having to fold down the second row seats. After looking into the backs of every SUV model known to man at many different dealers today, we have decided that a Subaru Outback meets every one of those criteria and is very likely going to be joining our family soon. Now, we just need to find the perfect 2- to 3-year-old one that fits our budget.
  • Day 25 (01/25/2016): 1 mile. Had a headache all day. Wasn't really feeling the bike riding love. But I kept it alive. 
  • Day 26 (01/26/2016): An extremely frustration-filled day, the kind of day in which the excrement that life sometimes lobs at you is best dealt with only by a leisurely bike ride with a gentle 80-degree breeze and blue sky, but it's January, so .................. whatever. 10 very slow-paced miles on the trainer. Tonight definitely called for mellower music: Chris de Burgh, Mr. Mister, Chicago.  
  • Day 27 (01/27/2016): 6.25 miles on trainer.  I had company on my ride tonight.
  • Day 28 (01/28/2016): Just one quick mile. Almost ran outta day. Monthly bill paying ate up my entire evening, but I wanted to get that chore done so I was free to spend the weekend with my sweetie while he takes care of the parental units. We have awesome weekend plans like adding another car payment to the debt trough and filling out college FAFSA forms. (Be jealous.) I'm hoping somewhere in there with the nice weather we can squeeze in an outside ride since we'll be in a town with a large number of great bike paths.
  • Day 29 (01/29/2016): Happy birthday, Kansas! 1 mile on the trainer on my husband's 27-foot tall bike
  •  (01/30/2016)
    Her: Day 30
    Him: Day 9, Part Deux
    A much needed "together" day today. We bought our new Outback (we LOVE it!), date lunch at a Mexican restaurant, then a 7.25 mile outside ride (yeah, you read that right) on this beautiful afternoon. Good day.
  • Day 31 (01/31/2016): 1 quick mile at 11 pm. That makes one whole successful month of streaking and 150.25 miles ridden! That's 18 miles short of the 168 I need to average each month to reach my goal of riding 2016 miles in 2016. Guess I better step it up. 
  • Day 32 (02/01/2016): 6.25 miles on the trainer
  • Day 33 (02/02/2016): 7.5 miles on the trainer 
  • Day 34 (02/03/2016): You know what I'm going to say. 6.25 miles on the trainer.  
  • Day 35 (02/04/2016): 7.5 miles on the trainer. 
  • Day 36 (02/05/2016) for her, Day 15 Part Deux! for him! 3 miles outside with my Sweet Husband (in the cold AND the dark)!
  • Day 37 (02/06/2016) for her, Day 16 Part Deux for him!  10 miles on South Lawrence Trafficway Trail  
  • Day 38 (02/07/2016): 1 mile.
  • Day 39 (02/08/2016): 3 miles
  • Day 40 (02/09/2016): 7.5 miles on trainer. I'll leave all the north-wind-winter-riding to the macho men on here.  Yep. 
  • Day 41 (02/10/16): 1 mile on trainer
  • (02/11/2016): Day 42 for her, Day 21 Part Deux for him! 6.25 miles outside in the daylight with my Sweetie! Enjoyed having her with me! That's a 38 degree outside ride, and a 4 am alarm this morning to take MIL to surgery.
  • Day 43 (02/12/2016): 2 miles outside in 28 degrees, the first half uphill into north wind. Therefore, here are tomorrow's options: A) Husband kindly puts a bicycle back on the trainer for wife OR B) The streak ends.Because the nonsense of tonight is NOT happening this weekend.
  •  Day 44 (02/13/2016): 6.25 miles on trainer. Felt good to do a longer ride after several days of short ones.  
  • (02/14/2016) Day 45 for her, day 24 Part Deux for him: A beautiful day for a 12.5 mile ride on the Lawrence River Trail levee with My Funny Valentine! Knowing my love for Nantucket, he took me where I could at least see seagulls in Kansas! 
  • (02/15/2016) Day 46 for her, day 25 Part Deux for him: 8 mile ride on the South Lawrence Trafficway trail. The first part in daylight, the last part in darkness. 
  • (02/16/2015) Day 26 Part Deux! For me. Day 47 for her 5.25 miles outside. Beautiful sunset as we finished our ride.
  • (02/17/2015) Day 48: 3.5 hilly miles on the South Lawrence Trafficway Trail out by Rock Chalk Park.  Lawrence is not flat! 
  • (02/18/2015) Day 49: 1 short mile outside just around the in-laws' neighborhood where we would be somewhat sheltered from the 40-50 mph winds. Shame the wind had to be doing that because it was 77 degrees in February! But I suppose it was 77 degrees in February because of that south wind. 
  • (02/19/2015) Day 50 for me and day 29 Part deux for him : 7.5 miles around the suburbia of Lawrence in gorgeous weather, then spaghetti dinner with the in-laws, and then we got to COME HOME!!!!! Very proud of my guy for everything he did over this last month and for keeping his streak going in spite of everything, only missing that one night when mom got rushed to ICU. In fact, I'm thinking he should really get a pass for that. 
  • (02/20/2015) Day 51: 14.25 mile ride in beautiful 70-degree non-very windy weather along the Lawrence River Trail levee 
  • (02/21/2015) Day 52: 1 quick mile on the trainer.  
  • (02/22/2016) Day 53: 7 miles on trainer
  • (02/23/2016) Day 54: 5 miles on trainer
  • (02/24/2016) Day 55: 6.25 miles on trainer 
  • (02/25/2016) Day 56: 5 miles on the trainer
  • (02/26/2016) Day 57: 5 miles on the trainer
  • (02/27/2016) Day 58: 11 miles outside in breezy but B-E-A-YOU-TIFUL weather. Here's the thing, though: When this girl can comfortably ride for over an hour outside in February bare-armed in a T-shirt, global warming is fer reelz, folks. 
  •  (02/28/2016) Day 59: 3 miles on trainer
  •  (02/29/2016) Day 60: 1 mile on trainer 

    That made 153.5 miles for February, which was still 15 miles short of my monthly goal to get me to my ultimate goal of 2016 miles in 2016. So far in 2016 I have ridden 303.75. Looks like I am averaging roughly 150 miles a month, which is only going to add up to 1800 miles in 12 months. Dang it.

  • (03/01/2016) Day 61: 4 miles on trainer
  • (03/02/2016) Day 62: 8 miles outside around town. Got chased by two dogs, neither seemed intent on harm. One was a bulldog -- and that was actually hysterical. He didn't keep up with me for very long. :)
  • (03/03/2016) Day 63: 7.5 miles around town.
  • (03/04/2016) Day 64: 10 miles around town.  
  • (03/05/2016) Day 65: Spent the afternoon caucusing for my candidate. Just did 5 minutes on the exercise bike without recording the mileage. I'm calling it a mile.
  • (03/06/2016) Day 66: 1 mile on the trainer (too windy)
  • (03/07/2016) Day 67: 1 mile on the trainer (a little too strong of a $1.50 Monday margarita special for a person who very seldom drinks -- LOL)
  • (03/08/2016) Day 68: Back in the groove. 6.25 miles on trainer.
  • (03/09/2016) Day 69: 10 miles around town. 
  • (03/10/2016) Day 70: 11 miles around town.  
  • (03/11/2016) Day 71: 4 to 5 miles around town.  Map My Ride seems to have done an update because the screen looks different, and it is not calculating correctly and shutting itself down repeatedly.  This is a problem. 
  • (03/12/2016) Day 72: 1 quick mile on the trainer before the 3-hour drive to watch our town high school boys win the basketball state championship in their class. 
  • (03/13/2016) Day 73: Again, 4 to 5 miles around town. Again, Map My Ride playing very not-nicely. Regarding the intended distance, my mind said, "Listen. You really need to do at least 10 miles today." My heart laughed and "Nope. I just want to watch TV." And as is almost always the case with me, my heart wins.
  • (03/14/2016) Day 74: 10 miles around town. 
  • (03/15/2016) Day 75: 5 miles on the trainer and an episode of The Officof
  • (03/16/2016) Day 76: 6.25 miles on the trainer and spent the rest of the evening finishing up a blog post of  our Colorado ride from 6 months ago.  LOL  
  • (03/17/2016) Day 77: 1 mile on trainer
    (03/18/2016) Day 78: 6.25 miles on the trainer
    (03/19/2016) Day 79: 1 mile on trainer
    (03/20/2016) Day 80: 1 mile on trainer
    (03/21/2016) Day 81: 1 mile on trainer
    (03/22/2016) Day 82: 6.25 miles on trainer
    (03/23/2016) Day 83: 1 mile on trainer
    (03/24/2016) Day 84: 6.25 miles on trainer
    (03/25/2016) Day 85: 32.25 miles on Prairie Spirit Trail (blog post attached)
    (03/26/2016) Day 86: 5 miles around town
  • (03/27/2016) Day 87: 1 mile on trainer
  • (03/28/2016) Day 88: 5 miles around town. 
  • (03/29/2016) Day 89: 5 miles on trainer. Too windy.
  • (03/30/2016) Day 91: 1 mile on trainer. 
  • (03/31/2016) Day 92: 6.25 miles on trainer.
  • (04/01/2016) Day 92: 6.25 miles on trainer. 
  • (04/02/2016) Day 93: 8.5 miles around town. Bought a Bluetooth headset and was able to have a phone conversation with an out-of-state friend I never get to see while I rode! That was awesome, and made the time and miles go very quickly.
  • (04/03/2016) Day 94: 2 miles over to check on some property I own. 
  • (04/04/2016) Day 95: 1 mile errand down to the high school.



 
His:
  • Day 1 (01/01/2016): 3 Miles. Day 2: 5 Miles, and today, Day 3: 3 Miles. All in the basement. Kicking off 2016 with revolution of the pedals!
  • Day 4 (01/04/2016): 3 Miles A Balmy 70 degrees in the basement Cause its 26 degrees outside!
  • Day 5 (01/05/2016):1 Mile in the basement. Had to squeeze a quick ride in between work and having to take my parents to visitation for an old family friend that passed away.
  • Day 6 (01/06/2016): 5 miles in the basement. Only thing to report is Winter is Coming! So say the Starks.
  • Day 7 (01/07/2016): 3 miles in the basement. Only thing to report is that Doctor Who nobody knows saved the World again!
  • Day 8 (01/08/2016): 5 Miles In the basement. Figured I better share a picture of my bike so you streakers would believe me! Only thing to report is to never call Dalek Exterminators unless you have a Gilligans Island size Cave Spider in your House!
  • Day 9 (01/09/2016): 3 Miles on the trainer. 31 Miles so far for the year.
  • Day 10 (01/10/2016): 1 slow mile in basement just to keep the streak going.
  • Day 11 (01/11/2016): 6.25 Miles on the Trainer Going to increase my miles this week. Started off good!
  • Day 12 (01/12/2016): 6.25 miles on the trainer. Calling for 50 tomorrow. Guess I better commit to riding outside.
  • Day 13 (01/13/2016): 5.35 Miles Outside on this Beautiful 50 degree day! Starting a pedal revolution for Waste Management!
  • Day 14 (01/14/2016) - 3 Miles on the trainer in between periods of the Blues/Hurricanes hockey game! Go Blues!
  • Day 15 (01/15/2016) - 6.25 miles on trainer! 59.24 miles total of Streaking!
  • Day 16 (01/16/2016) - 2 Miles in between periods of the Blues/Canadians hockey game! Go Blues!
  • Day 17 (01/17/2016) - 7.25 miles on the trainer. 11 degrees outside. It was a balmy 72 in the basement!
  • Day 18 (01/18/2016) - 7.25 miles on the trainer. Got the ride in before the blues game tonight! Go Blues!
  • Day19 (01/19/2016) -- Think we forgot to record, but he did ride. 
  • Day 20 (01/20/2016) -- 3.25 miles on the trainer. Had to ride quickly so I could hit the road to Pittsburg before the weather rolled in. Made it just as sleet started to fall!
  • Day 21 (01/21/2016) -- Unfortunately, the streak has broken. Aging parents with hospitalizations and caregiving needs takes precedence.

START THE STREAK OVER:
  • Day 1 Part Deux (01/22/2016) -- 3 Miles on the trainer Streak starting over. Missed yesterday because my mom was in the icu.
  • Day 2 - Part Deux! (01/23/2016) -- 6.25 miles on the trainer Spent another day at KUMED with my mom. Hopeful she can come home on Monday.
  • Day 3 Part Deux! (01/24/2016) -- 1 mile on trainer. Full day. Wish I could have taken advantage of the warm weather!
  • Day 4 Part Deux! (01/25/2016) -- 1.25 miles on the trainer that I moved to my parent's house so I could keep riding. Another long day with my mom. 
  • Day 5 Part Deux! (01/26/2016) -- 1 mile on my Wife's trainer because mine is at my parents house and I just had to come home and see my sweetie! Another long day taking care of my parents. 
  • Day 6 Part Deux! (01/27/2016) -- Bluetooth App was not behaving to measure my mileage on the trainer and I was just too tired to mess with it so I just rode for 5 minutes. Another long day helping my parents. Fingers crossed Mom will finally get to come home tomorrow! 
  • Day 7 Part Deux! 1 mile on the trainer. Mom got to come home today! Wish I could sneak in a ride outside tomorrow, but not sure I will get it done.
  • Day 8 Part Deux! 1 mile on the trainer. Sucks I did not get to ride outside on such a beautiful day! Tomorrow I am going to ride outside on the Haskell Rail trail!
  • (01/30/2016)
    Her: Day 30
    Him: Day 9, Part Deux
    A much needed "together" day today. We bought our new Outback (we LOVE it!), date lunch at a Mexican restaurant, then a 7.25 mile outside ride (yeah, you read that right) on this beautiful afternoon. Good day.
  • Day 10 (01/31/2016)Part Deux! 1 mile outside! Around my parents neighborhood. Just needed to get outside for a bit. Been a long day. 
  • Day 11 (02/01/2016)Part Deux! 2 miles outside! Felt good to breath in that cool air! 
  • Day 12 (02/02/2016)Part Deux! 1 Mile on the trainer. Watching the Blues game on my laptop while I rode! 
  • Day 13 (02/03/2016)Part Deux! 1 mile on the trainer. Was a battle getting motivated to ride. This page did its job in keeping me going.
  • Day 14 (02/04/2016)Part Deux! 1 Mile on the trainer! Looking forward to a ride outside this weekend with my Sweetie!
  • Day 15 (02/05/2016)Part Deux! for him, Day 36 for her! 3 miles outside with my Sweet Wife!
  • Day 16 (02/06/2016) Part Deux for him, Day 37 for her.  10 miles on South Lawrence Trafficway Trail. 
  • Day 17 (02/07/2016) Part Deux! 2 Miles outside in the dark! Was just a tad bit Windy!
  • Day 18 (02/08/2016) Part Deux! 4 Miles outside in the dark around my parents neighborhood! Actually had to avoid some people tonight. Last night there was not a soul out in that wind.
  • Day 19 Part Deux (02/09/2016)! 1 Mile outside in the dark! 21 degrees! When it hurts to breath you should consider other options 
  • Day 20 Part Deux (02/10/2016)! 2 miles outside in the dark around the Parents neighborhood! Double the temperature of last night at 42 degrees!
  • Day 21 Part Deux (02/11/2016) ! 6.25 miles outside in the daylight with my Sweetie! Enjoyed having her with me! 
  • Day 22 Part Deux (02/12/2016)! 2 miles outside! That crazy north wind is back! I don't like it!
  • Day 23 (Missing post, but he rode 3 miles outside in the COLD weather!!)  
  • (02/14/2016) Day 45 for her, day 24 Part Deux for him: A beautiful day for a 12.5 mile ride on the Lawrence River Trail levee with My Funny Valentine! Knowing my love for Nantucket, he took me where I could at least see seagulls in Kansas! 
  • (02/15/2016) Day 46 for her, day 25 Part Deux for him: 8 mile ride on the South Lawrence Trafficway trail. The first part in daylight, the last part in darkness.  
  • (02/16/2015) Day 26 Part Deux! For me. Day 47 for her 5.25 miles outside. Beautiful sunset as we finished our ride.
  •  (02/17/2015) Day 27 Part Deux! Around the neighborhood!
  •  (02/18/2015) -- Missing post
  •  (02/19/2015) Day 50 for me and day 29 Part deux for him : 7.5 miles around the suburbia of Lawrence in gorgeous weather, then spaghetti dinner with the parents, and then we got to COME HOME!!!!! Very proud of my guy for everything he did over this last month and for keeping his streak going in spite of everything, only missing that one night when mom got rushed to ICU. In fact, I'm thinking he should really get a pass for that.
  •  (02/20/2015) Day 30 Part Deux! 15.1 Miles on the Lawrence River Levee Trail with my Sweetie! What a Beautiful Spring day for a ride! 
  • (02/21/2016) Day 31 Part Deux! 1 mile on the trainer in the basement. 
  • (02/22/2016) Day 32 Part Deux! 2 miles on the trainer in the basement.  
  • (02/23/2016) Day 33 Part Deux! 3 miles on the trainer in the basement. 
  • (02/24/2016) Day 34 Part Deux! 4 miles on the trainer in the basement.  
  • (02/25/2016) Day 35 Part Deux! 5 Miles on the trainer
  • (02/26/2016) Day 36 Part Deux! 1 Mile on the trainer 
  • Kind of got lost on recording for a spell, but didn't break the streak. 
  • (03/09/2016) Day 48 Part Deux! 5 miles outside around town with my Sweetie! Beautiful evening for a ride!
  • (03/10/2016) Day 49 Part Deux! 5 Miles out and back on the Flint Hills Nature Trail Another beautiful evening for a ride!