Reminder of the cold last winter because of all the whining about the heat.
Mad dogs and Englishmen.  Riding outside the last week was extremely hot 95 with heat index 110.  The good news is I would start out at around 7:30, do my 35-40 miles and get in before the extreme heat of the day.  My Friday ride was to Mackinaw, 20 miles, 40 miles round trip.  I got in around 10:30 just before the heat of the day set in.  Wind was from the SSW at around 15 mph but the trip back was fast.  Knee replacement surgery in August and I hope to turn my bike computer over to 10,000 miles. I should be make it easily.  My computer shows 9,776 so another 300 miles in the next 3 weeks should not be a problem.  Hopefully, I can do another century before my surgery but we'll see.  Stay tuned.

Wow, been over a month since my last entry.  I thought I had added some during June but they were never posted.  Anyway, while the rain has finally ceased to the point riding outside is once again possible, the heat and humidity have set in.  It seems like it went from winter to summer with no real spring.  And, the farm fields got planted as late as they have in a long time.  The 4th of July when the corn should be at least shoulder high was no higher than 4 feet and is some places shorter. This fall we will see how this effects the crops.  I am coming up on another 10,000 mile mark on my bike computer.  Hopefully I can pass it this month as next month I will undergo knee replacement surgery.  On the biking front, I am back to my usual 35-40 rides and have biked to Champaign (101.2 miles) once this spring.  I noted on my facebook page that my usual route to Champaign, state route 150, from Farmer City to Mahomet, about 15 miles, was in such bad condition I will need to find an alternate road in future rides to that destination.  Illinois roads are the worst!!  No big rides planned in the near future.  And, as stated earlier, I will undergo knee replacement in August.  Friends and family have told me time and time again to get the procedure since I appear to be limping more and while biking is not an issue walking any distance is problematic.  I will not be waiting so long to add to this blog so adios until next time.

So, when is all this rain going to stop?   While I haven't gotten caught in any this spring, my outside riding has been limited.  Many farm fields look like lakes and some even have ducks on them.  Currently the knee is problematic.  Looking forward to finally resolving the issue.  Until it happens I will do my best on the bike but I can tell something needs to be done.  Stay tuned

Finally got a few days of biking in the great outdoors.  Got to ride two days last week and once this week.   Two rides to Leroy the last two weeks were accomplished so things are going pretty good.  Monday I had planned riding my first century of the season.  While the temperature was supposed to be in the low 60's the wind was reported to be favorable.  So, Monday, I looked at the weather map and the temperature didn't get into the 6o's.  Instead of the wind being from the NNW at 15 mph it was, in fact, from the NNE at 10-15.  That meant I would be riding into a wind for the entire 100 mile trek.  Common sense prevailed so I cancelled my century and rode at the rec center.  What a disappointment but sooner or late the weather conditions will be favorable.  No big riding adventures planned for this summer but who knows, something always comes up.  Later Amigos.

Finished the 105 mile two day bike ride from Key Largo to Key West with the Champton Group (me, Fred, his boys Justin and Aaron and our lovely wives, Sue and Ronni.) The guys rode and the girls provided needed support. And trust me they were invaluable both days but especially on day one as the wind came from the west (our riding direction ) at a strong 15-20 mph all day. Justin thinks it may have been around 40 or 50 mph and since he was riding a beach cruiser it probab...ly felt that strong. Our first day we rode 50 miles to Marathon and after a 10:00 start time, our last rider arrived at 6:30 p.m. However, we did take several breaks and lunch lasted around 5 hours (well acutally only one, but it seemed longer.) Day two the wind turned around and was at our back all day. Balance in the universe prevails! It was great fun and I enjoyed my time riding the keys with the Hamptons. Enjoy the video crossing the 7 mile bridge. 

So on April 14 we had 4 inches of snow.  I have already mowed my lawn and have ridden outside several times.  Now this.  It's not going to last long but boy what a shock. Enough of the snow.  Lets get this Spring thing going.
Two good rides over the last 4 days.  Preparing for the Florida ride I rode my usual 55 miler to Leroy.  Without a strong tailwind my time was not as good as I would have liked it to be but it was 55 miles so objective achieved.  My recent ride was short but it was on a trail through Glen Ellyn and Wheaton Illinois.  The temperature was a balmy 78 degrees and the wind was howling from the south at between 15 and 20 mph.  The trail was mostly gravel and there quite a few stops.  Not my preferred ride but at least it was an outdoor trek and not the stationary bikes at the rec center.  Looking forward to the Florida trip and another biking adventure.

Finally......the weather was good enough for three days of outside biking.  I rode 120 miles over those three days.  After a 40 miler Sunday, Monday turned out to be a travel day.  On Tuesday, there was virtually no wind, the temperature was in the low 70's and my average speed was 16.5 mph for another 40 miles.  So, yesterday was another day in the 60's but the wind picked up quite a bit.  During my 40 mile ride I once again realized that bicycling, for the distance biker, is a metaphor for life.  There will not always be a tailwind.  There will not always be a downhill.  There will be obstacles.  When the wind is howling into your face, and the road takes an uphill turn, and some idiot in a car has come into your lane, drop the bike into whatever gear that will get you through and push on.  There are no obstacles on the biking road, or the road of life, that cannot be overcome with determination and effort.  Strive for excellence, never settle for less and at the end of the day you can look back and say "hey, who was that asshole on my side of the road"  or something as prophetic. Anyway, enough philosophizing.   Just sayin!