GPBC New Years Day Breakfast.

Some drove, some rode, but one way or the other a good sized group of us met up at the Village Inn for breakfast and a chance to visit about the rides we are looking forward to during 2011. Today's miles = 2.48

Photo Credit: Mary Poe

2010's last "official" Nacho Ride. The "unofficial" Nacho Ride starts next Tuesday. Yeah!

The Nacho Ride is listed with the GPBC and tonight's ride was the last one on the schedule this year. But that doesn't mean cyclists have any intentions of quitting. Make plans to Nacho Ride in the weeks to come.

I rode to work and back today. Counsel is still complaning about the wall of gnats that were out on the trail. Other than that, tonight's Nacho Ride was gorgeous! We made good time and Patches and I had time to kill before our curfew so we took the 84th Street Trail to the Antelope Creek Trail to extend the ride a bit before going home. I ended the day with 53.2 miles.

2010 GPBC's Heatstroke 100.

Almost exactly 3 years ago we moved to Lincoln and started biking. We did the annual Kool-Aid Days ride that summer. Last year my whole family did the BBC Rolling To The River Ride. And this year we decided to ride the GPBC Heatstroke 100 together.

With me on my loaner Surley Cross Check from Bike Pedalers, the wife on her new Ruby, our oldest on his hardtail Marin MTB, our daughter on her Marin comfort bike and our youngest on his Felt MTB we set out along with my brother-in-law and hundreds of other cyclists on today's ride.

We decided to do loop #1, from SAC, through Ashland across the Gretna - I-80 exit, to the SAG stop at the LIED bridge and back to SAC.

I somehow got a flat just before the end. It's my 6th of the year. Otherwise it was a perfect ride. The kids weren't used to the hills or wind, and today was the longest ride any of them had done. But we took our time and really made it a great way to spend the morning. Today's miles = 24.5

Wabash Trace GPBC Ride.

Saturday I was up at 4:30am, I picked up Patches and Craig and we left Lincoln for the Wabash Trace trailhead in Council Bluffs (same trail the Taco Ride is held on) for the GPBC's "Blanchard And Back" ride. We met up with a few others from Lincoln who rode and a special thanks to Jon for sagging us all day! Great job!

Pat races past the signs at the start of the ride. He was our leader and this ride wouldn't have been possable without him.

The 63 mile long trail is almost completely covered in a canopy of trees. It helped keep it cool and block the strong south wind. But it still was a very hot and humid day. Also the trail was a little mushy robbing us of some energy.

Silver City had booths set up in the park. We took a quick break and I picked up a homemade cookie from the 'friends of the library'.

Jon met us at each stop to make sure we were hanging in there, we'd have been toast without him.

Yeah, you've got to be a pretty serious cyclist to get in here. Funny though, they didn't unlock the door for me. Someone must have made a mistake.

We came across a couple of spots like this where recent storms had dropped trees across the trail. We ("they" really, I took pics, lol) did what we could to clear them off.

We crossed about a zillion bridges on the ride. The trail runs through the loess hills making for some beautiful views and scenic valleys.

We ate at The Depot in Shenandoah. Talk about atmosphere! I loved it! This is where Pat had to turn back, and where we should have.

Cool views! I wanted to jump... in more ways than one. lol!

The next stop was Coin Ia. We met up in the park and I laid down, this is the last thing I saw before falling asleep on the grass under the trees. My core body temp was way more than it should have been, and several others were spent too. Patches and Scott continued to the very end another 7 miles farther in Blanchard Mo.

It was then that we realized it'd be late into the night before we were done riding back to Council Bluffs (like 11pm!) so I hitched a ride with Jon while Patches and Craig rode back to Imogene. I got my pick-up from the trailhead and met them there. We were all really disapointed. It was supposed to be a 126 mile day, no one even broke a century. We had a lot of fun, and it was beautiful. But boy, I just couldn't get the lead out. And everyone else seemed to be in the same boat. Sometimes everything just clicks, and sometimes it's a day like today. But hey, any day on a bike is a good day! :)

I ended up with 57.8 miles from Council Bluffs to Coin Ia.

Avoid the wind & heat or embrace it?

Embrace it!

The ride to work was rocking, the ride back was murder. This afternoon's high was 96 and the winds out of the south were unreal.

I caved to peer pressure and went on the GPBC Slow & Go ride. We went south on 77 to the Sprague turn off. I had a average speed of 13.4 mph. It was tough pushing into that hot wind. Going back with the wind I averaged over 21 mph. I got home with 45.7 miles on the bike for the day.

This Mornings ride was rained out.

At 8am the GPBC had a ride that was to start at Oak Lake. It had rained in the early morning hours, but had stopped at 7:15 when I left home. Shortly there after it started up again.

Since it's only water, I decided to continue on and see if anyone else was crazy enough to show up.

On the R.R. overpass N.W. Of Memorial Stadium I found this nasty used syringe. Yuck! As I arrived at Oak Lake I found a big crowd gearing up for a 5k run for ARK. But no cyclist braved the rain so I turned back for home.

The trail underpasses that weren't flooded had gutter water pouring into them since the rain was coming down pretty hard at that point. Back at home I waited out the rain.

GPBC's Slow & Go ride & work commute.

Today's work commute was great as usual. And tonight was the GPBC Slow & Go ride. The Slow & Go is a slower road ride held every Thursday at 6pm. They meet up at the bench behind Shopko on 27th & Hwy 2. I've gone before, but this is the first time this year. Dan, Diane, Ned & I took the Rock Island South to 14th & Pine Lake then went South on 14th to Hwy 77, we took it South to the Sprague turn off before turning back into a sweet tailwind and sailing back.

Between the commute and tonight's road ride I got 45.8 miles in today.

The Ride of Silence is Wednesday at 7pm

Make plans to be at the Ride of Silence tomorrow at 7pm.

Meet at Sawyer–Snell Park, 1st and South St (West of Gooch’s Mill). Join cyclists around the world who are riding today to honor those who have been injured or killed while cycling, to raise awareness that cyclists are here, and to ask that we all share the road responsibly. 8 mile ride through Lincoln. Helmets required. It will be a very slow quiet ride to remember those who have been hit and raise cycling awareness.

Platte River State Park Lied Bridge Ride.

Today was another fun GPBC ride. We left Lincoln and rode out to the Lied bridge and back. We had a nice tailwind back making it another great day on two wheels. I logged 65.3 miles.

Just Do It!

This morning a dozen of us met up at Holmes Lake for a road ride with the GPBC called the "Just Do It" ride. We took the trails out to Hwy 2 then East before turning North to Eagle and back in the wind to Lincoln. It was a fun and fast ride. Now, for a little R & R before a very early morning race. Today's miles = 38.5

Getting excited about TDN and a summer full of biking.

The TDN handbook came in the mail a few days ago and I finally got around to opening it. I can't wait! Today's ride to work was cake, but the ride home into the wind was slow and I just took it easy and enjoyed the sights of the city. Tomorrow is Critical Mass, and Saturday the 'Just Do It' ride starts at Holmes Lake at 8am. Today's miles = 19.8

1/2 a commute & the GPBC Full Moon Ride.

I rode to work this morning, but this afternoon's 30 mph headwinds with gusts up to 45 mph found me driving home.

Tonight was the GPBC's Full Moon Ride. I rode to Peterpan Park from home for the start of the ride. A dozen of us went down the Mopac to Walton and back before Patches and I turned for home. Today's total miles = 34.8

GPBC Spring Fling ride. Wind 1 - Bikers 0.

Today was the GPBC's Spring Fling. I had a great time riding with a bunch of good friends and had a chance to make some new ones. But, as far as epic miles, today was a epic fail.

I left home and rode to Eagle for the start, the route was up to 30 miles from Eagle to Lewisville, or less if you wanted to turn back early. The Northwest wind was unbelievable! Most made it to Murdock then rode back. We did too. I was hoping for 85 miles for the day, but it wasn't in the cards. We even rode through some rain. It was a great day socially, but not weatherwise. Today's miles = 60.4

The 1st Annual NSFW Ride was a success!

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

30 cyclist skipped work and braved a light rain today to ride around Lincoln on the NSFW (Not Sorry (for) Forgetting Work) Ride.

The ride was just over 43 miles and included stops at 5 Lincoln bike shops and lunch.

A special thanks to the Great Plains Bike Club, Joyride, Bike Pedalers, The Bike Rack & both Cycle Works locations, as well as Havelock area restaurants for making the NSFW ride so fun!

Including the ride there and back, and an evening spin with our youngest I logged 60.7 miles for the day.