Tuesday and today I took my first rides after a two year break. During that time, there was a slow downhill trend in my health and in particular my breathing was getting worse and worse as time went by. Eight months ago I had open heart surgery to repair an internal heart valve that was leaking enough to seriously affect my ability to oxygenate the blood. A little worse every week. Not fun at all.

The surgery worked and finally I've been able to get back on the bike. Five miles Tuesday and six today. Both were good workouts. Lots of sweat even though they were moderate rides in terms of speed on a relatively flat creek side trail. trail. Both rides were wonderful. I'd forgotten how good a ride can be.

I am going to spend the rest of this years riding season getting back to my normal riding program.

Real happy about it at 71. bk

29 miles this morning on our tandem club's annual 4th of July ride. Midway stop at Dairy Queen in Sheridan IN and then lunch at an Italian diner in Westfield IN at the end. A large chunk of the return trip on the Monon rail trail. About 25 teams.

Yeah, 6.2 miles on a nearby spur. While it's a short ride, it's perfect for where I am now. Hilly enough to work on my legs and short enough for now... and not too far from home.

Went on this Today. 52 Miles

https://www.mapmyride.com/workout/3646211584

:thumb:

20 miles this morning on my 1974 Motobecane Grand Touring. Windy, muggy, and gray outside. I did stop for a cold brew coffee at the halfway point of my ride. This 45 year old bike groans and creaks as much as its 52 year old rider!

https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...49563cfc70.jpg
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...ba3ba787a0.jpg
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...ddeab99f77.jpg
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...bcc958c45e.jpg

62 miles on Tuesday then some HOT hedge trimming in afternoon. Yesterday was lawn mowing (riding mower thankfully) with temps 93°F to 95°F. Out this morning at 1:30AM with heat index at 90°F and wound up with 65 miles.

I'm at 150 miles for the week so if I want to hit 200 miles for the week I need to put up 50 more tomorrow. Was going to do a second ride today but the so called Accu weather keeps saying heavy thunderstorms but none so far.

That's really fantastic, great to hear.

51 miles this morning on the club's annual Cemetery Ride which passed by 18 different cemeteries in Morgan County. There were some hills, but some of them went down.

88 miles, 88 degrees, 4100’ of hills. Post ride picture.

https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...59eb3bf0b.jpeg

Today is my 4th consecutive day of 50. Since Monday was the 1st of July, I started to keep track of miles. Today gave me 325 in the past week. Today I rode my Orbea Avant. I cleaned and lubed both the Avant and my Ochsner steel yesterday, and today I did the same to my Airborne Zeppelin and my Schwinn SS DBX. Feels good to have all 4 of my bikes caught up with maintenance, but, all the bending, stooping and twisting has aggravated my lower back. I am having an early dinner and then I will be relaxing in my recliner with an ice pack. Tomorrow may be a day off the bike. I donate blood, actually double red blood cells, in the morning at nine a.m. I will see how the back is in the morning and if it feels ok I will get in an easy paced, shorter ride before that.

25 and a little, half of which was into a 15 mph wind. The wind at my back on the way home was insufficient compensation.:rolleyes: Even though the calendar says 'July,' I needed a long-sleeved jersey and tights for comfort. My tolerance for cool temps has gone way down in the past several years. As always, though, I'm glad I rode.

A hair over 45 miles in a tad under 4 hrs. That's about as much as I do.

Took my Bianchi out for a shakedown ride after putting the Suntour Cyclone parts and new Cyclone lookalike pedals and toe-clips on it. Did a very enjoyable 40 kms on it.

Hoping to get the Wrights saddle onto it soon. Had to return t he NOS one but am getting a used one very soon. When it's on the bike I'll take images of it and post them here.

Cheers

48 miles, 4,400’ - a stitched together loop of mostly gravel, starting in the itty bitty town of Stannard, VT.

https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...1d3f70fd6.jpeg

I was able to get 75 miles in yesterday. Bonked at about mile 55. That and the head wind killed my average speed.

5.3 miles on my lunch break. I may take another ride this evening. I’m a newbie to cycling and just learning the ropes, so to speak. Someday, I hope to be able to achieve these long rides I see here!

Yup, my standard 10 mile gravel road ride. Having to ride at near sunset because of the unrelenting heat and humidity means a short ride is better than no ride at all. Unfortunately, the unpredictable thunderstorms popping up at the end of the day mean I have to keep close to home, just in case. Still, the scenery and peaceful roads are worth the ride.
https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...06ce432082.jpg

Lowering skies and incoming thunderstorms at the start of my ride, so I didn't tarry other than to stop and snap this open vista of the mountains, fields, and sky...and the tractor simply left sitting in the field for some unknown reason.

Yep. 16.5 mile commute to work. I live 4.5 from work but it isn't worth riding for that small of a distance so I add on an extra 12.
This afternoon will be a 17.2 mile commute home. Same route but with some variance due to traffic on a few roads.

Well, it wasn’t hot riding in the Brushy Mountains in NC this morning! But it was really foggy and soupy in spots. It was so foggy I missed the turn onto one of my roads.

Apparently they had a really bad storm last night. There was a rock slide that covered one lane on Balls Mill Rd. A tree had fallen across another road. Lots of sand and gravel had washed out in curves. The DOT was out cleaning up the roads.

Streams were running faster and muddier.

Only 42 miles but 4800’ of climbing.https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...129c16753.jpeg

Thinking it was going to be sunny, hot and humid like it’s been for weeks I wore a white jersey. The mud stains look like art work!
https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...b47556594.jpeg
https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...204dc9864.jpeg
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...cfc880edf.jpeg

25 mile ride this morning - spouse rode her e-assist hybrid bike and I rode my long wheelbase ti ‘bent. Quite a few mild hills and rollers. Averaged 14 mph, which is 1-2 mph faster than our typical tandem rides and a bit slower than I ride solo. We’re both enjoying the e-assist.

Five miles in my neighborhood after work. I don’t go very fast yet. Only 10 mph. But, it’s only my fourth day of cycling. I’m sure I’ll get faster. I need to find somewhere more interesting to ride after work, too. The neighborhood is already getting a little old lol. Weekends, I’ve got the bike trail, but it’s a little far to go during the week. Sure enjoying the cycling, though. I ride around d with a smile the whole time. ��

69th Birthday ride today. Began under clouds and stars. Then torrential downpour. Clears but wind increases as sun comes up. HOT & HUMID. 141 miles.

50 miles with 2000’ of hills at 18.5 mph in the Carolinas high humidity. I stopped at a store to get a cold drink at 40 miles and wound up changing a tire on a young girls car. I haven’t changed a car tire in years!