30 Days of Biking - anyone?

[hulagirl]

I was planning on trying to do a "if it's within 5 miles of my home, I'm not using the car" challenge for April, but then I saw this:

http://30daysofbiking.com

And decided to sign up for that instead. :-) Plus it could help get a child a bike!

Anyone else?

Denise

[colorisnt]

I'd love to but I am fearing the weather. I am going to try to do it but I will supplement with the gym on a spin bike if I can't make it out on the real bike! I have been trying to commute whenever I can. I have gone 5+ weeks without filling up the tank I usually fill up every 3 weeks!

My boyfriend and I have pledged to get out EVERY day we can weather-wise (not easy here right now, unfortunately) even if it's just a jaunt around the neighborhood. We're training for a Century in August and want to be fit.

[rebeccaC]

Or if for whatever reason you can’t ride each day you can always do a donation to Free Bikes 4 Kidz (http://fb4k.com) :)

http://fb4k.com/wp-content/gallery/photos/original_010.jpg

[colorisnt]

Okay, I signed up!

I'm gonna do this. Worst comes to worse, a great charity gets some more money!

[shootingstar]

I wish I could join in on this one...but already they are predicting some more snow in a few days next month. (I'm tired...of this fluffy white stuff.)

Sure I've done 30 days straight of cycling --tends to be in late spring-summer.

[colorisnt]

Can we log our days here?

Yesterday (doesn't count but it was fun), I did 12 miles. Today I will do about 5 miles in commuting distance (maybe more if I can get out before the rain again). I rode to work in the brisk cold but it was WORTH it. Such a beautiful and fun ride in the AM.

[Crankin]

I'd love to, but I know I won't ride in rain, unless I'm caught in it.
And I know this would be a stretch for me, as I do other exercise, and I do need some rest.

[rebeccaC]

WHOA.....there's been over 1000+ more signers of the pledge since I signed up yesterday!!!

[colorisnt]

WHOA.....there's been over 1000+ more signers of the pledge since I signed up yesterday!!!

That's awesome :)

No cycling outside today but I am going to hold myself accountable and go spin later. That's the only way this pledge would work here in April. As I was leaving to teach class, it was hailing. I have plans to ride tomorrow but I think we'll be rained out. I tacked on an extra 10 miles of hillwork yesterday with the BF on my MTB with my commuting gear at his behest. Ironically, I am not sore but he is.

[hulagirl]

I love this! I'm happy to say that I'm logged for day 2! Whew!

I've got some serious speed bumps ahead of me though. April 16th I'm getting a tooth pulled and a titanium post put in! I'm going to be in bad shape for a few days but I MUST get on that bike. Even if it's just to the end of the block and back, I'm going to do it!

Yesterday I got in some serious loops for Ride the Rockies training. It was a good day to bike!

Good luck everyone!

[colorisnt]

That's dedication.

I ended up getting on the bike in drizzle to ride to/from work to pick something up. 5miles!

[Boudicca]

I'm going to give it a try. Did about 15km yesterday (including a patch of trail where the snow had not melted yet), and then used the bike to run a few errands today for a small but still existing 7Km. Saturday will be the challenge - forecast says a high of +3C (that's 38F or so), and rain. I can ride in rain, and I can even ride at +3C if I have to, but the two together?

[colorisnt]

Snow?! Yikes.

I'm contending with severe storms is all. It sucks but ick. No more snow! We had a terrible storm this morning and terrible flooding all around, so I got out on the roads in between storms and did about 5 miles. It was great minus a really awful motorist who blew through a stop sign and then proceeded to blare her horn on a designated cycle route by a school and college in town. She tried to run me off the road. A cop saw the whole thing and did NOTHING, which was very disheartening.

[hulagirl]

Ugh…cops. Don't get me started. Glad you are ok. Karma will get her (I hope!)

For those of you riding in foul weather I say WOW! If it gets down to 70 degrees here I'm useless and freezing. I don't think I could do it in rain/sleet/snow. Nope.

Today is a big training day on the bike. Repeats in the wind…it's blowing strong today so we will ride along the flight line on the base near our house. Talk about serious heart rate training. Crazy hard stuff.

Safe riding today everyone!

[colorisnt]

It's hit or miss with cops around here. I get why people here HATE us. I hate driving and riding around poorly-trained cyclists as much as anyone. It's because the kids at the colleges have no bike manners for the most part and competitive, crazy male cyclists are downright awful to deal with. There are so many ignorant hipsters, too, one who almost killed me at the start of my commutes this year who are trying to do the "good" thing but have no education on how to safely commute. I wish they would just go out and ride with a group ONCE. They would learn manners and all of us could learn to get along again.

There are free/cheap programs abound here, too. Great resources! I wish more people would take advantage of them.

[hulagirl]

Yesterdays ride was so intense that I just shudder at the thought of getting back on my bike right now! We did sprint repeats with a 25mph headwind along a runway. It was NUTS. Wish I had a power meter for that ride.

Today I will ride to the bank and I think that's about all I have in my system!

[Boudicca]

So I failed miserably to ride yesterday. It rained all day, and the temperature barely climbed above 3C. It just wasn't worth it.

It's not much warmer today, but it is not (yet) raining and I am all dressed and ready to ride. I won't go far, but I will go somewhere. Tomorrow is supposed to be better.

[colorisnt]

I got out today and did almost 20 miles (which was the goal for the BF and I today, so YAY!) . We are still taking it easy as he is just getting back into shape for the season. I didn't get out yesterday, either. The weather was gross and we both got sick to our stomach after eating out. So, there's a $1.00 charity will be getting! That's okay, though. Sometimes you gotta take care.

[hulagirl]

Day 10! Yay! I'm afraid it's going to be a cold (for Hawaii) and rainy ride today. It's a group workout too so I can't cut it short. :-)

Total miles ridden last week = 100.3! I'm quite happy with that. Buuuut….I also know that come May I will need to triple that if not more for the Ride the Rockies training. Yikes. I've been focusing on hills, hills, and more hills and now I need to start focusing on distance. It's 430+ miles over the course of 5 days so I need to get the miles in too.

Good luck everyone! Keep riding!

[colorisnt]

Rode a test ride on a small surly cross check they had and going back to do another today. Haven't been getting a ton of miles in this week (yet) but will be getting about 32 in tomorrow, which is really all that matters. I may be down for the week, though, if Sunday refuses to co-operate.

[Boudicca]

I'm 11 out of 12 for days of riding for April so far, although one day (to the library and back) was something under a mile. And it's 260km for the month so far. I think this is moderately respectable.

[colorisnt]

I'm now 10/13 days. But that is going to get worse because it will 10/14 tomorrow since it's just too gross to ride today and will be storming all day (dang you, weather!). Only 1 of those days was out of laziness (I was too tired to ride). The rest were legitimate weather or election complaints. I am going to try to ride regardless of weather this week. I have to remind myself that it doesn't take long to commute, so the weather can't bother me THAT much.

I knew I wouldn't be able to do EVERY day realistically but I want to keep challenging myself to ride daily to make a habit of it.

[Boudicca]

Thirteen out of fourteen up to yesterday (I snuck out at 5pm when the rain finally stopped). But there's snow and ice on the ground today, so little chance of a ride today. Tomorrow I have to take the bike in to the shop, so I guess that will be my ride.

But I admit if it hadn't been for this "challenge" I probably would not have ridden yesterday, given all the other things I had to do during the day. It was just 11km, but a nice little bonus.

Temperature yesterday was almost 20C. Today it's down below freezing.

I am so done with winter.

[colorisnt]

Me, too. We had snow here yesterday - plenty of it, too. It didn't stick but it went on FOREVER. Now it's going to be back up to 60 tomorrow and it's 50 here today. My allergies are unsure of how to act, I think.

[Boudicca]

Change of plan. I did ride today, all the way to the post office and back. Bitingly cold, but the roads were wet rather than icy, and I'm glad I went.

Again, no way would I have done that without the "challenge."

Am at 14 out of 15, and that (surely) has to be the last snow of the year.

[colorisnt]

That's how I felt yesterday, Boudicca. I was like, "eff it, let's go!"

I got about 12.5 miles in today. So, yay. I'm at 12/15 now!

[rebeccaC]

half way there:)...may the second half go even better than the first, especially for those with weather to deal with!!!! I'm to the point where the night before I now just automatically think about where I'm going to ride the next day:)

[colorisnt]

half way there:)...may the second half go even better than the first, especially for those with weather to deal with!!!! I'm to the point where the night before I now just automatically think about where I'm going to ride the next day:)

Me, too. I literally live to ride right now. It's the new bike partially. I'm like, "What can I throw at her?". I was even thinking of riding way South of here (through some BIG hills) with my commuter gear to see this place we might rent. The BF is not coming because he's working still (regular, adult schedule now) so I was like, why not? Then I remembered that they might show me two units and I'm not sure I will be able to ride between the units. I'd feel bad to bother the agent, so I will grudingly drive. Maybe we will both ride to the other house later when he gets off work? Either way, I commuted today, so that's riding!

[Boudicca]

Another baby ride today, taking the commuter bike into the shop for her annual checkup. Except that it's not annual, and I may need a new chain (which is not a surprise) and a new cassette (which is).

Oh, and maybe a new bottom bracket too.

Commuter bike was my first road bike, and I admit I'm starting to think I should trade her out for something a little more practical, especially if I get into rail-trail riding.

[colorisnt]

That's what did it for me, Boudicca. I wanted to be on the trail as much as the road and the roadie couldn't do it, so I was riding the MTB but the MTB wasn't really what I liked. So, I got a cross bike and I'm really happy as of now (less than a week but VERY happy haha). How long is your commute?

ETA: I ended up getting a call from the agent who said I was only looking at one place today not two (they rented the other quickly) and so I decided to brave the incredibly gusty wind for a very hilly 6.5 mile trek that way. Ended up taking the long way back here since it felt so nice with my computer and everything. Made it back - 20 miles for the day!

[hulagirl]

I've hit every day this month and only had to play one "just ride down the block and back" card last week. But I need to do it again today due to medical reasons. Had a dental implant SCREWED into my jaw yesterday (details on my blog) after my ride. Can't get the heart rate up just yet so I'll just do a ride down the block and back to cover today. Then I'll be 17/17!

[colorisnt]

Dang! That's crazy.

We did 15 miles today after the BF got home despite the weather. Riding to work tomorrow so that I can beat the traffic on my way home. It's been CRAZY recently because of a detour. Driving 2 miles would take an hour again.

[Boudicca]

Spend most of the day yesterday waiting for the shop to call to say I could pick up my bike, and they called an hour before closing to say it needed more work (bearings are going on the front wheel), so it wasn't going to be ready until Monday.

So I pumped up the tires on the Bike Friday and took her out for a 20km evening spin, including the local hill I see as training for my big ride this summer. It's short -- less than a kilometer I think -- but it gets up to 12 percent, which is enough to get the heart pumping nicely.

[colorisnt]

Good for you :) We did a steep grade of about 12% yesterday because the BF insists we challenge ourselves with hills. There are about two around here that qualify. I did one of them Thursday twice but he still insisted we do it because "he doesn't want to lose it". If I never saw a hill again, it would be quite alright.

Bike commuted in today. Feeling like a boss bike messenger on the Surly. This bike is so easy to get up and over the saddle to push it for a bit. Beautiful day to ride. We have softball tonight for the dept. so we won't be out riding but my commute will suffice. After this, I will already have 57 miles in since Monday and another 50 planned for the weekend if the weather holds! My goal was to do 65 this week. I think I overshot it a little but I'm feeling too good to stop.

[Boudicca]

Another 20km today, but I rode with the spouse which always counts for extra because he goes faster than I do. About 60 planned for tomorrow and Sunday, which will bring things to 19 out of 20.

I could get used to this ride-every-day lark.

[hulagirl]

Well I'm past the worst of the tooth/dental surgery pain I think! I got in a hard 60 min ride Wed morning before my dentist appointment. I went in around 10:30am, they pulled a tooth, then screwed in a titanium post into my jaw, then packed in some bone, but a little cover over it and sewed me up. All done in less than an hour. By the time I got home I was in horrible pain. Took 4 advil and made myself one with an ice pack. It was a long rest of the day/night.

Thursday I walked about a mile later in the afternoon. That didn't feel well at all - any sort of elevation in the heart rate just started things hurting a lot. And I was told to be very careful to keep the blood clot where it was. So, all I did on Thursday was ride my bike down our street and back.

Yesterday I put in 4 miles of errands on the bike. Lunch time was 2 miles nice and easy. Dinner time I went to the grocery store - another 2 miles. That night hurt a bit, but not that bad.

Today I did 30 minutes of very easy riding. Had to go up a few little hills but spun in my easy gear and took it very easy. Tested out my new SpurCycle bell. Sexy and loud! Tooth doesn't feel too bad but it's only 4pm. Will probably get worse tonight.

Tomorrow I'm helping the all women's half Ironman group on their ride. I said I needed to stay in the back and be a sweeper this time around. I'll draft and keep the HR low and not do any hill repeats. I've got the GoPro on the handle bars too so it will be a fun ride for me!

Happy bunny day!

[colorisnt]

Hulagirl, good for you for keeping with it despite the surgery :)

I rode this AM despite a flat really cramping my style. Replaced it and was ready 5 minutes later to go! Rode about 11 miles today. Did 33 yesterday averaging 16 mph on the trail. Heck yes! 101 miles for the week!

[rebeccaC]

hulagirl….good for you for not letting a little pain distract you from our goal. :)
For what its worth…. After wisdom teeth extractions I didn’t leave the dentist office until I got a script for hydrocodone.

Yesterdays ride in the Angeles National Forest took more out of me than usual I guess. A friend wanted to do the Santa Monica Adelaide Drive stairs workout on our ride to the farmers market this morning. I made it more than halfway and started feeling the twinge of a beginning cramp. (did my usual yoga after a days hard climbing when I got home yesterday) Did some stretching and came back down, did some more stretching and rode to the market and home. 7 miles and around 100 stairs. 20/20

[colorisnt]

It's good to stay active especially with a bit of a crampy feeling after a hard day but so hard to be motivated! Good for you!

I didn't commute in today because of rain but then that dried up (OF COURSE), so I ran home quickly between lecture and meetings and put in 5 miles of pretty brutal hillwork before coming back. I did it without cycling shorts and still felt great afterwards. That means my sitbones are finally "happy" again.

[Donna1960]

This has been quite a challenge with our weather here in upstate NY but so far I'm 21/21. I have had extreme fog, rain, snow, below freezing temps, and one oddball day where I actually got a little sun burn....there are no other weather events left ;)

[Boudicca]

Sounds like you are still missing hail, sleet and plagues of locusts, Donna, but congratulations.

Me, I'm 21 from 22, including a couple below freezing and a couple of sunburns. Will race out to run errands between rain showers today.

[colorisnt]

I'm 19/22 and doing great. Beautiful weather today for a commute. Gonna do about 20 miles later with commuter gear in tow since the trail head is close and it's easier than fighting rush hour.

[Donna1960]

HAHA plague of locusts! Ummmmm NO THANKS!

[colorisnt]

25 miles in total with a FULL panier of work stuff! I feel like a woman on fire :)

[Boudicca]

Today's longish ride cancelled because of temperatures around freezing, and winds of up to 40 mph. Will wait for it to warm up a little and hit the trails.

Still only missed that one day of riding for the month.

[colorisnt]

That sucks, Boudicca but that's not bad. You can't help the weather. I may have another day missed tomorrow.

Today all I got in was a short trip around the neighborhood when the flat situation got fixed. Then it started to drizzle. Gross! It's supposed to be bad tomorrow again.

[rebeccaC]

There was a death in my family and I'm leaving for France tomorrow morning so my pledge goes on hold. Hoping for good weather and good rides for those who are continuing on...

[Boudicca]

Sorry to hear that rebeccaC, and safe travels.

You can (mentally) extend April when you get back and ride then.

[colorisnt]

That's too bad. Sorry to hear that.

[Boudicca]

20km, including that killer hill.

I am shaving the occasional second off that killer hill, but it kills me every time. I just can't get enough oxygen into my lungs, or enough oomph in my leg.

I'm just hoping it will get better if I keep trying.

[colorisnt]

Good for you for trying :)

I missed another day. Important day of departmental schmoozing ment I missed out on the only "nice" part of the day and had to endure thunderstorms. Made me so angry! Will ride tomorrow!

[Boudicca]

Twenty six out of 27 April days, including a surprisingly hilly 65km today.

Next week is supposed to be rainy. Will have to sneak out between the raindrops.

[Donna1960]

27/27 with my longest ride ever today a 95.28 mile solo with 4200ft of climbing....going to bed now ;)

[colorisnt]

Geebus, that's a long ride! Good for you.

I'm still 24/27 today. Bike commuted in. Despite tornado and storm warnings off and on yesterday, we still got some mileage in in between things going awry.

[Boudicca]

Hoping for a gap of some sort between the rain clouds today, so I can at least run an errand or two. But it's looking really wet out there right now.

[colorisnt]

Same. This may be a "round the block" situation for me. I am hoping to go "home" (the apartment I rent but never reside in) to get my spring rain gear out of hiding.

[Boudicca]

I give up.

It's still raining, it's 5 degrees and I need to be somewhere 45 minutes away in just over an hour.

27 out of 29.

:(

[colorisnt]

You cant help that. I looked at it as a way to form better habits.

Did my ride today (in the rain). I felt like a hipster riding over in skinny jeans (because they are durable and comfy in gross weather), my long rain mac which covers my bum, and my British flag keds (bought them in Britain to abate the weather). Went to new craft brewery behind the bike shop. Great beer, talked to a few people since my BF couldn't come, watched some hockey stuff, got to know the beer, and then rode back. Also ran into the former dept. chair who didn't know me that well while there (we don't study the same things) who marveled at the new bike and agreed I was awesome for riding in the rain to get beer. Gotta love political scientists. Rode back through the bike shop parking lot and saw one of the wrenches out with a Straggler. We chatted for a bit about my bike and how it was doing (awesome!) and then he talked about the BF's bike. I told him it already had a lot of mileage and he seemed happy with that. Rode home and feel great about getting some more work done.

So glad to have gotten some miles (and some beer) in. BF is sad he couldn't come but we may go tomorrow when he gets off of work :) My mom texted me while I was there and she was all, "I'm so glad you feel safe doing these things alone." People always tell me this when I go to a tasting or a sports bar alone to watch something (usually while travelling) and I find it odd. I'm out on my bike, having a good time, and meeting cool people. I don't understand why being female and meeting new people is so scary. I love it. And the bike makes me even more extroverted right now because of its cult following. It's a great way to start a conversation.

[Donna1960]

29/29 here. Managed to escape the rain today but tomorrow is going to be a wash out. I will at least commute to work for 6-1/2 miles but may hitch a ride home if it's worse when I get out of work but then again I just may suck it up!I look forward to totaling all the miles after tomorrow as I have not done that yet!

[VeganBikeChick]

So glad to have gotten some miles (and some beer) in. BF is sad he couldn't come but we may go tomorrow when he gets off of work :) My mom texted me while I was there and she was all, "I'm so glad you feel safe doing these things alone." People always tell me this when I go to a tasting or a sports bar alone to watch something (usually while travelling) and I find it odd. I'm out on my bike, having a good time, and meeting cool people. I don't understand why being female and meeting new people is so scary. I love it. And the bike makes me even more extroverted right now because of its cult following. It's a great way to start a conversation.

I think it's awesome that you venture to the bar alone! I wish I had your confidence but always feel like people stare at me when I'm out alone (in all reality they probably don't even notice me) and feel like I stick out like a sore thumb. Yay you!

[colorisnt]

I get people talking to me and, yes, I've had a lady say I was "sad" for sitting alone at Starbucks when she asked if she could borrow a chair. I said, "Sure" and she replied with "you don't need to save it for your husband or a child? that's so sad!" WTF?! But usually, I meet cool people. I think they realize I am alone and want to be friendly- and it's not just men creeping, ether. I made friends during the Stanley Cup last year in Ottawa and got a lot of drinks comped haha. I wasn't going to miss our win, so I went to a random bar while I was on business. It had a great beer selection and I took FULL advantage haha. It was something I won't forget.

[Crankin]

That is a weird comment from that woman.

[colorisnt]

My boyfriend said when I told him about it that I should have said, "Oh, I have a husband and kids. It's just the only time he lets me go out of the house is in between pregnancies." He's good with comebacks. I've had people tell me I was foolish for being single or childless plenty (we probably all have if we are kid-free) but that was beyond odd. It was like she was watching me looking for a way to put me down.

[Boudicca]

Rode to the bank and the post office. Back to being brutally cold and very damp, but at least the wet stuff wasn't carpeting down from the sky like it was yesterday.

27 out of 29.

Forecast for the next four days: rain; rain; rain; rain; rain.

That will see us into the weekend.

[colorisnt]

Rode to the bank and the post office. Back to being brutally cold and very damp, but at least the wet stuff wasn't carpeting down from the sky like it was yesterday.

27 out of 29.

Forecast for the next four days: rain; rain; rain; rain; rain.

That will see us into the weekend.

Yay! I rode back here (commuted to work) and it started to rain the minute I hopped on the bike. Blargh. But, hey, I got out! So cold out. Our heat was off the last couple of days and the house is now down to 58. Hate this weather change!

[Donna1960]

April Bike Challenge 2014 complete! 30/30.... Shortest ride was 8-1/2 miles and the longest was 95.2 with the grand total for the month 616.49. of course today went out in style with rain rain rain....

[Catrin]

Congratulations to all who took this challenge on - and Donna, that is some impressive mileage for this early in the year!

Colorisnt - I love your name for your Surly and also your Soul - I've one of those as well! Hopefully the weather will ease up for both you and Boudicca!

[Boudicca]

Amazing riding, Donna.

My shortest ride was 2.6 km (that was on the day it snowed, I think), and the longest was 71km. I was aiming at 80, but one of the many flat tires got in the way. Two zeroes. I will ride somewhere tomorrow if it kills me, but it probably won't be a long ride.

[colorisnt]

Yeah, I've got 3 zeros but, hey, I gave it a shot. You can't help feeling ill or the weather but I did a great job of sticking to it later in the game once most of that got together. I logged about 350 miles in the month! Yay for the first month back in training.

[Boudicca]

I'm roughly with you on the miles for the month -- almost 700 km, which is just over 400 miles. Waiting to see what tomorrow brings.

[colorisnt]

I may get out in the afternoon but definitely not the morning as planned. It's going to be about 40-something. AKA freezing for me now. I will hold off until it's the afternoon and in the 60s with the sun before venturing out.

Catrin,
Thanks. I name everything. My BF thinks I'm a dork but now that he got a new awesome bike he named his, too (The Hessian).

[rebeccaC]

Ended up missing three days of riding due to traveling etc. Got my older Rene Herse mixte cleaned up and back to riding condition so I could ride while I was gone. Riding in the French area I grew up in has always helped when I needed to let go of stress and center myself.

Had to drive to a project today so I got up early and did 23 miles and watched the sun come up.
27/30 longest day 83 shortest 6.

Hoping this pledge being done in April helped some of those who signed it to now think about continuing riding everyday into the better riding months of spring/summer.

thanks Boudicca for the nice post!!!