Left the house around 7am and took off not really knowing where I was going. I thought about a road I drove on the night before coming home from my nephews kids birthday party, a lot of hills and a nice road surface but for some reason I didn't. I went to Point Lookout Md. instead and got in 125.1 miles! This is my longest ride ever. My brother lives about 10 miles from where I went and it is where he rides to a lot but I didn't stop because I thought he was at church.
It was a great ride and I took a different route home due to it being flatter. Paid off too. Average speed for the 125 , 17.2mph. I stopped several times for drinks, bought 8 total and took two so 10 for the whole ride, and once for a ice cream cone. I took a banana and a plum and 4 gel packs and a Cliff bar. I didn't eat the Cliff bar and only two gel packs.

Avg time may be a tick higher due to me not resetting Cateye the night before, I think the time may be more like 17.4 but whatever, 17 is close enough to be honest.

Sunday 8/29/2010
23.1 miles today
405.6 miles this month
4522 miles this year
147 ride days LY vs. 146 ride days TY
2977 miles needed to hit 2010 goal (7500 miles)
I am @ 60% of my goal. I need to be @ 66.6% (5000 miles) by the end of August
95.64 miles ahead of last year at this date

Has any one seen my motivation? If you happen to come across it tell it that I am looking for it and want it back. Today was a beautiful day to ride, tons of people out and about, high 70s low 80 but a bit of a head wind on the return trip. Everything was perfect except me, I just could not get going.

You might consider a ride with your computer turned off, checking out a new area simply for the joy of nature or whatever else might turn you on. I thoroughly enjoyed visiting at the "Art in the Park" festival yesterday.

Just a thought from a different perspective on bicycling.

Well on a scale of 1-10 my motivation today was about 5 so perhaps there is hope for me yet. The morning was perfect 75-87 degrees and humidity below 90 for a change and the sky was clear. I did have to fight a 20 mph cross wind most on the way out and in. Beats a head wind though doesn't it.

Monday 8/30/2010
25.2 miles today
430.2 miles this month
4548 miles this year
147 ride days LY vs. 147 ride days TY
2952 miles needed to hit 2010 goal (7500 miles)
I am @ 60% of my goal. I need to be @ 66.6% (5000 miles) by the end of August
121 miles ahead of last year at this date

DnvrFox, thanks for the different perspective. I spent 5 days in the hospital earlier this month and I just don't seem to have the strength that I had prior to that. I do need to change my ride to get a different view. I have been riding the same area for over 3 years now with a few exceptions. Thanks for the advise.

Got out for a short ride this afternoon to stretch the legs. Nothing much or hard but it sure was nice and cool (68º to start) up on the mountain.

Knocked back a little over 10 miles on my commute home. i
Im working up to round trips, but for now Im doing a multimodal: ride in - bike home.

No, had to fix a toilet, then the washing machine.

Yesterday I rode two hours on the cyclo cross bike. I rode 6 miles to a local park with mtb and cyclo cross trails and rode 6 laps trying to stay in Z2/3 then rode back home . Cross riding is hard work and I kept having to ease off the effort. Once home I practiced dismounts, mounts and carrying the bike over a set of barriers. First race is next Saturday. I'm excited because my fused ankle doesn't hurt like it did in past years and I can now attack while off the bike. I was able to run up the stair case in the park with my bike over my shoulder and the only pain was due to the effort.:thumb:

Tonight, 45 minutes of easy recovery.

Attachment 167512(click pic)The shack just below the top with Baldy in background
Attachment 167513 Shot of the trusty ride


Did a quick solo ride up GMR late this afternoon. 22.23 miles with 2539 feet of climbing. Great weather for a change lead to a great ride.

9.3 miles. Wanted to go 12 . This was on the 1989 fuji

I got out for my habitual 30k and the weather was so nice I decided to grab my P&S camera and go back to a couple of locations I pass and take a picture of my 928.

http://i871.photobucket.com/albums/a...8312010002.jpg

http://i871.photobucket.com/albums/a...12010005-1.jpg

I did 38 tonight and that gave me 902 for the month. It was 92° with 29% humidity, a little warm but in the low spots in the shade it was pretty nice.
It also put me at 4500 for the year.

I got this evening for a 26 mile ride up on the mountain. I had 2600' of climbing and the route was all above 5400' elevation. Not bad for the East. Low to mid 60s for temps. Nice.

http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p...k/IMG_3387.jpg

http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p...k/IMG_3385.jpg

BikeWNC,
Do you ride there from your house or drive there first? That looks sweet!

On the weekend I have the time to ride up to the BRP from either town or the house. From where I leave in town it is 10 miles up to the BRP or 12 from the house. Then to get to where this picture was taken would be another 12 miles up. Today and most weekdays I drive up to where I want to start riding. That gets me in cooler and higher conditions with little traffic. Once school lets out traffic gets a bit busy around town so I'd rather just drive up to ride.

Windtrainer after work.

The ride home - 13.03 miles, all uphill (or so it seems).

That road is too Smooth to be real.
If is real I am moving there.

50 miles, 12 in the rain with a flat.

You need to move there.

Western NC is the best road riding this one has ever found. The Blue Ridge Parkway is a roadies dream...

Smooth as glass. This section was paved about 4 years ago. Most sections are very good though there are a few that need maintenance.

What town is that near, in what state?

LOL. I'm surprised as much as you ride tours that you haven't done the near 600 miles of the BRP and Skyline Dr. This section is near Waynesville, NC.

Thanks