Week #42. The weather is changing!

Week #42 - 560 miles

The weather is getting colder but we still managed to have a nice ride on Saturday down to Paper Moon for a cinnamon roll. Lance and Randy joined me and we headed down to their festival. It has been fairly chilly for the last few days and the wind is back. Hopefully it will warm up a little this coming week.

Happy to get over 91,000 miles for the ride streak. Getting closer to that 100,000 mile mark. 

 

Week #41 Feeling recovered from Cannonball

 

Week #41 - 510 miles

I feel like I have recovered good from Cannonball. Got in 170+ miles on Saturday and the body actually felt pretty good all day. Rode easy but that was the plan to just get in the miles. It was also nice to get in over 90K miles during the ride streak this week. The big goal is try to get to 100K miles but who knows. Lots can happen in the next few months but it will be cool if it does happen.

Week #40 Well Cannonball didn't go quite as I expected!

 

Week #40 - 514 miles

September - 2552 miles

Well Cannonball 550 turned out to be hot and windy the first day. I thought I was eating and drinking enough along with managing my efforts. Turned out I would get really sick early in the evening and never really be able to recover from it. After throwing up a few times, I tried to take it easy through the night. I hoped that by the morning my stomach would settle down and I would be able to get back to eating some solid foods. I tired stopping for an hour around noon to rest, but still was having issues. Finally around 3:30pm on Saturday afternoon I decided to pull the plug after only going 290 miles. Not what I hope for but that is sometimes how it goes. I did managed to get in over 2500 miles for the month and I am up about 1450 miles over last year at this time.

Week #39 Ready for Cannonball 550!

 

Week #39 - 587 miles

Hopefully things are ready to go for Cannonball 550 starting on next Friday. It looks like the weather will cooperate but I am still planning on taking a few more layers than last year. I got caught in some foggy conditions and it got really cold. The plan is to take a couple naps if I need them. I probably can go a little faster if I take one or two 20 minute naps.

This week I managed to get over 20,000 miles for the 4th consecutive year. Not sure what the total will be come the end of December, but so far it has been a great year.

Week #38 - Feeling like things are coming together

Week #38 - 577 miles

This was my first week under 600 miles in over 5 weeks and I still got in three 100+ mile rides. My body is feeling pretty good even though there were a couple days that I was a little tired. Probably try to back things off a little bit more for the next couple weeks while getting ready for Cannonball. I was happy to get over 1360 days of consecutive riding and getting closer to that 100,000 mile mark which should happen next spring. Right now I am about 89K into it. This coming week will get me over the 20K mark for the year, which is about 700ish miles ahead of last year.

 

Week #37 Five weeks - 3,196 miles

Week #37 - 607 miles

This was my fifth week of 600+ miles. Also was able to get over 19,000 miles for the year, just over 900 miles at this time last year. Most of this prep is going into Cannonball 550 this year. Hopefully the weather will cooperate and we will have a fairly dry, windless year. Tough ask, but one can only hope! Weather and mechanicals are probably the two biggest issues in ultras and it's hard to predict them. No matter what happens, there will probably be some really cool roads down there.

 

Week #36 4th week of 600+ miles

 

Week #36 - 610

August - 2700 miles

This was the 4th week of 600+ miles: 673, 653, 652,& 610. Not my biggest 4 week but the first time I have had 4 consecutive 600 mile weeks. Also 11 rides of 100+ miles in the 4 weeks with LV being one of them. This should set me up good for Cannonball 550 at the end of the month. I will do one more longer ride next Saturday where I will leave a little after midnight and ride down to Marysville and watch the start of Pony Express and ride home. Hoping to get in 160+ miles that day.

Week #35 Nebraska: The Gravel Life Trailer

Week #35 - 652 miles

I am really excited for this film to come out. Three Pillars Media is doing a great job of putting it together. This week was the Gravel Worlds Long Voyage. I rode with JR Volcko, who was riding Single Speed. JR had a great race and won the SS Division and I came in 3rd in the Masters. In the last 3 weeks I have put in 1979 miles, with 8 rides of 100+ miles. This should be good prep work for Cannonball 550 at the end of September.

Week #34 Another solid week even with a few mechanicls

 

Week #34 - 653 miles

Another solid week of riding in the books. There was a few mechanicals along the way on Saturday. First I stuck a piece of wire through the tire. Thought I would be able to plug it, but I couldn't get the one hole to seal. Tried the first tube but it must of already had a hole in it. The second tube lasted for about 35ish miles and then I was lucky enough to bum a tube from someone on the trail to get me home. Got in 139 miles on the day so it wasn't all bad. Today I rode with Eric Mellow who is in town for Gravel Worlds 150 on next Saturday. We got in about 70 miles together and had a stop in Cortland for a donut. Good way to end the week. Next Friday evening we start the Long Voyage. It will be nice this year and not racing it but just getting in a good training ride in preparation for Cannonball 550 next month.

Week #33 Starting to prep for Cannonball 550

 

Week #33 - 674 miles

This week turned out to be a pretty good mileage week. I hadn't really planned on putting in a huge week, but the body was feeling good. On Saturday I got in 162 miles and found some cool roads over by Pawnee City. Hope to get back to that area again and do a little more exploring. Lots of MMRs that look pretty nice, so I will need to find a dry day to head that way. Started thinking about how I want to tackle Cannonball 550 this year. I plan on doing a couple of naps to see if I can stay a little fresher and hopefully ride a little faster than last year. The weather will have a lot to do with how it goes.

Week #32 Recovering time

 

Week #32 - 458 miles

July - 2667 miles

I was nice this week to take a little time off. Hard to think that 458 miles is a "recovery week" but my body feels much better. I was able to get one 100 miler at The Chug and it was probably a little harder of an effort than I expected. The front group took off in front of me after the stop so I had to chase back on. After bridging up to the group we rolled on. With about an hour left, I decided I better sit up and cruise on in. 

July was a big month with 2667 miles. I thought I might get over 2700 miles in but it didn't happen. This year has been pretty fun with the bikepacking trips and looking forward to doing some more this fall.

Week #31 Another solid week in the saddle

 

Week #31 - 571 miles

I got in another good week on the bike. Rode down to Marysville on Saturday thinking I was going to miss all of the storms. Well that didn't work out so well. I made it down to Marysville in pretty good time, but as I was getting into town the storm hit. I hung out at the bike shop for about 30 minutes before returning home. I got a few miles down the trail before I came across the first down tree. From there on, the trail was a mess. I was able to move a lot of the branches, but there were lots of big trees blown over by the storm. It was really slow going but I did get in 154 miles for the day. The last 3 weeks have been 571, 539, & 903. The Long Voyage is in a few weeks so a little recovery time is in order. This next week I am going to spend a little time in Lawrence and hopefully find some new roads.

Week #30 Bike packed to Sioux City

Week #30 - 539 miles

This week I rode up to Sioux City to visit Michelle who is doing RAGBRAI. I left on Friday and rode to Danish Alps Rec Area and camped. It was a nice campground about 15 miles outside of Sioux City. On Saturday I went into Sioux City and explored the trails a little bit and hung out at the expo. Still amazes me all of the people that do events like this. There were around 28,000 people signed up this year. Way too many people for me. It was great to see Michelle and her family before I rode back home with a total of 324 miles for the trip.

I also got over 1300 days during the ride streak this week along with 84,000+ miles. Fun keeping the streak alive but I know there will be the day that it ends. Be nice to get to 100,000 miles during it!

 

Week #29 Great Plains Gravel Route / Nebraska Edition - COMPLETED!

Week #29 - 902 miles

This week I covered 831 miles across Nebraska covering the Great Plains Gravel Route. We started at the Kansas border south of Beatrice and headed north. I had a few folks join in through Lincoln and then I headed west. Went through Seward and York, the a long stretch to get to Doniphan. On day #2 we rolled through Kearney and then looped up north for a bit before getting to Lexington. After a late lunch, I had to reroute a bit before we headed into Potter's Pasture for the night. Day #3 started with a little single track and then through the canyons before coming to North Platte. I took the canal system almost all the way to Lake McConaughy before heading south of the interstate again. Once we reached the Colorado border, we headed to Lewellen for the night and barley beating a storm. On day #4 we had lots of reroutes until we got over to Broadwater Road. Then it was into Alliance and finished up at Carhenge. Day #5 started out with some rain and mud along with some more reroutes. We rode by Fort Robinson and Crawford then north towards Toadstool Park and the Oglala National Grassland. After battling a headwind all day we finished up on the South Dakota border. Total of 831 miles with all of the reroutes and over 29,000 feet of climbing. An amazing ride and hopefully a very cool video to come out this fall.

 

Week #28 Great Plains Gravel Route - Nebraska Edition starts tomorrow!

 

Week #28 - 463 miles

We take off tomorrow morning to cross the state on the Great Plains Gravel Route. Covering over 800 miles in just 5 days. Should be fun, just some really big days of riding!

This week was pretty easy with only 1 longer ride on July 4th. Had a good group and got in 111 miles. Another good group ride on Saturday were we headed up north.

Week #27 Last Big Week!

 

Week #27 - 675 miles

June - 2070 miles

This is my last big week before I head off across Nebraska on the Great Plains Gravel Route. I ended up riding part of the Long Voyage course on Thursday and Friday. Got caught in a couple rain storms and camped out in Missouri Valley, IA on Thursday night. Riding with the bike loaded with all of my camping gear and food was a challenge. The route through Iowa is pretty tough with all the climbing but the gravel roads were in good shape. The gravel from Blair down to Wahoo is terrible. Super sandy, but not really that much climbing. Maybe after some more rain they will firm up a little bit. There will need to be some changes to the route but it still should be a good loop. This next week will be prepping to get everything ready and resting up. We are going to do a longer ride on the 4th but it should be easy down the trail and hit some gravel roads on the way home.

Week #26 Easy week filled with donuts

 

Week #26 - 465 miles

This week was pretty easy riding all week. Felt like I needed a little more recovery from the 200 mile ride last Saturday and with the long couple of days coming up this next week. Managed to get in 102 miles during the middle of the week and my legs are feeling good. The right hand is still giving me a little issue but we will see how the new handlebar setup works on the Seigla. My plan is to recon parts of the Long Voyage course this upcoming week. Hopefully the weather holds out and I don't get rained on.

Week #25 Ride for Randy (Solstice Gravel)

Week #25 - 576 miles

Rode down to Beatrice with Roger for Solstice Gravel then I rode home. Got in 201 miles for the day and everything, except for my right hand is feeling good. Josh was able to keep his streak alive for riding all of the Solstice 100 milers. This week will be a bit of a down week and then I will do a two day bikepacking trip to recon the Long Voyage course. That should be fun and hopefully the weather cooperates. Getting close to heading out for the Great Plains Gravel Route Video Project. The roads in western Nebraska have been muddy lately so I hope they dry out by the time we get there.

 

Week #24 Recovering from the Flint Hills Ultra

 

Week #24 - 384 miles

I feel like my body, except for my hands, are recovering well from the Ultra. The legs seem to feel good and I made sure to take everything really easy this whole week. I was worried that on Monday or Tuesday that I might get sick but managed to stay healthy. I still plan on getting in a big ride next Saturday, but that should be long enough recovery that it won't affect me. I need to make sure that I am fully recovered come the second week in July.

As far as my hands go, the left one is feeling better. I have a little more feeling in it and full range of motion. The right hand is going to take a little longer. Hopefully by this next week it will begin to get better. I keep massaging them and stretching hoping that helps.

Week #22 & #23 Flint Hills Ultra

 

Week #22 - 1248 miles

Week #23 - 104 miles

I am not quite sure where to begin. First I want to thank everyone for the messages over the week about Roxanne. I knew the Flint Hills Ultra Gravel Route was going to be hard, but never expected to have to deal with something like that. I am so grateful for the Musser family being there and also for taking care of Roxanne & I for the last 5 years.

Bobby Thompson designed an amazing route through the Flint Hills. I have rode in many places, but this route was truly unique. The Flint Hills are the best place in the world to ride and be able to experience all of it was magical. Bobby puts on a few events that highlight the Flint Hills and he also loves to give back to the community. Check out the Discover Gravel Fund - https://discovergravel.com/ This fund helps support youth in the Flint Hills area who are getting into outdoor activities like cycling and running. Hopefully someday a kid who got their start from this program will be able to complete the Flint Hills Ultra Gravel Route.

A huge

congrats

to Ashton Lambie & Trisha Luke for setting the FKTs on the course. Everyone had their own struggles, but Trisha gets the overall prize for the most miles walked!

When I had to stop at 90 miles into the ride and go back to Lawrence to be with Roxanne, I wasn't really sure that I would continue. I am really glad I did though. On Sunday, after 18 hours off the course, I got back to riding. With events like this your are mainly competing against yourself, but now I had a few folks to chase after. The north half of this course were somewhat familiar roads. My plan each day was to ride until I got tired and then sleep wherever I could find a place to lay down. I only had a sleeping bag and a space blanket. The goal was to take 20 minute naps and sometimes they would be 40 or 60 minutes long. I think the longest I slept from Sunday to Thursday 2 hours at one time.

As the days rolled by, I was able to think a lot about Roxanne and how good of a life she had. Being able to spent this time out riding was probably the best therapy for me. Roxanne was Joy's dog and losing her this past week felt like I lost a little bit of Joy again. The biggest thing that I take out of this experience is how it can make you stronger. I know now when I am struggling with something, I can look back on this time and know I can get through it.

I know this isn't a day by day recap of my ride. I got to see some amazing sunrises, met some interesting folks along the way and got to ride through a bison herd. I think to experience this route you have to do it yourself. The cool thing is you don't have to do it all at once. Setting out to complete sections is totally doable. I think pushing yourself out of your comfort zone is important though. You will get a different experience than you ever imagined.

My next little adventure will be the Great Plains Gravel Route Video Project - https://www.joypoweradventures.com/video-project-donation This will be July 10th - 14th