Thirty One Days On the Bicycle

Today marked 31 days in a row, every day in the month of May, on which I rode my bicycle. I never did a long ride, but I did ride 349 miles, total (according to the National Bicycle Challenge calculator, where I logged my rides).

I commuted to work and rode back and forth to the coffee shop, etc. Call it "utility cycling", or "transportation cycling", if you like. I'll call it a challenge successfully undertaken.

I'll probably miss riding, the next couple of days, as I am heading to PA for my nephew's high school graduation. The dog sitters/house sitters are lined up, and I fly out of Denver, tomorrow. When I get back, though, I will likely continue riding to work on a regular basis.

Who knows, maybe I'll go on an actual recreation ride, or two...


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Wildlife and Bike Rides and Busy Days

Well, I have been on the bike, at least for a few miles, every day in May. Twenty one days of bicycling, in a row, has been great ... especially after the lazy months leading up to it.

There has been some rain, some cold temps (relatively, anyway, for this time of year) of 35 degrees on the way to work, and 40 on the way home. But, there have been some really nice days, as well.

Springtime in the Rockies...

Monday, as I rode through Garland Park on the way home from work, I saw probably 25 goslings hanging out with their parents. This family happened to be the closest to  the spot where I like to stop and take photos. Mom, Dad and 7 kids. 

I call them the Laudemans, because Steve and Martha have 7...

Yesterday, on the way home from the coffee shop, I cut through the DU campus. There, I spotted this Kestrel hanging out beside the water. I couldn't get real close, so the picture is a bit blurry.

And, just a few minutes ago, I was sitting on my front patio, and happened to glance over to the kindling pile. This guy was emerging from the pile. He eventually crawled off into the shrubbery to help rid the world of mice (I hope).

The everyday riding is a bit more of a challenge than it was the first time around, and not just because I'm 7 years older. Band practice and a different schedule at work have conspired to make for some long days. Thursday, for instance, I got up at 3:45, left the house at 4:25 AM, ran a class all day, rode home, had band practice, then went out for a beer, afterward. Twenty one hours after I got up, I went back to bed.

Got a good night's sleep last night, though, in preparation for playing a show at Herman's Hideaway, tonight.

Busy, busy, busy...
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Bicycle Challenge Time

A few years ago, I was feeling a bit down about how little I was riding my bicycle. So, I challenged myself to ride to work, every day, in May (since that's my birthday month). I ended up riding to work, every day that I went to the lab, for a little over 4 years.

Fast-forward to now. I am, once again, feeling down about my lack of bicycling, and my fitness level.

 You might say I'm feeling a bit flat...

My 55th birthday is around the corner, and I am feeling every one of those years. So, I am going to do the "every day in May" challenge again, this year.

I don't think I'll end up doing 4 years of daily bicycle commutes, this time, but I hope to at least get comfortable with both myself and the bike.

Now, if it will just stop snowing!

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Another Guitar? Yep!

Last week, I went down to the local Guitar Center, to check out their used-guitar racks. There, I spotted this:

It's a Gibson SG Faded, a guitar I have been looking for for about a year. I could find them, here and there, on the internet, but I do not like to buy a guitar that I haven't test-driven. Plus, they tended to be a bit pricy for me.

This one was priced reasonably, even more so since I knew I could trade in a couple of my extra amps. And, that's what I did. I ended up with about $60.00 out of pocket, and now my list of Gibsons that I want has another checkmark on it.

Now, to find a buyable (for me ) Explorer and an RD Artist...

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