Ah, Spring!

Warmer temps, drivers who have forgotten to look for cyclists and dealing with a serious lack of fitness. It's that time of year again. I spent 11 hours at the office today and went home quite a bit later than normal. The smell of burgers on backyard grills as I pedaled home was overwhelming. I'll be in Columbus, West Point, Columbus again and Fremont working the next few days, but hopefully I'll be back on the bike soon.

Today's miles to work and back = 20.44

A body at rest...

Wow, it's been too long! I've been working on the road a lot lately and unable to ride to work. I've also been dealing with a serious case of laziness. I've never been busier at work than I have this winter. And all this time spent behind the wheel has taken a toll on my fitness and motivation. I need to get back into riding for my health and sanity. Anyway, I was able to spend a day in the office today and took advantage of it by biking to work and back. On the way home I stopped in to Monkey Wrench Cycles to secure our last stop on the 2011 NSFW Ride. Full details about this year's NSFW ride will be posted next week. It'll be on 4/20/11, so tell your boss now you'll need that day off.

I'm hoping work will settle down in the weeks to come, but I'm glad I got today's ride in totaling 20.8 miles.

I don't need your rockin' chair.

After playing possum all winter it's great to be back out on the trails riding to work. This fat ol boy was walking off some calories on the John Dietrich Bike Path till I spooked him into the trees. I'll spend the next couple of days working on the road, but these warm temps will have me biking to work as much as possible from now on. Today's miles = 21.01

Ya gotta start somewhere.

Lincoln cyclists were invited to join Mayor Beutler this morning for a presentation by Andy Clarke the President of the League of American Bicyclists. He shared what communities are doing to encourage drivers to bike, walk and use public transportation. I rode the Austro-Diamler to the meeting, then continued on to work. After a long hiatus, this is my first work commute of 2011.

The presentation was well attended with around 75 bikers and community leaders in attendance. Other than a few icy spots the ride was great, I've really missed it and the forecast calls for more good biking weather! Today's miles = 19.71

2010 was a great year spent outdoors!

2010 was another great year to spend time outdoors! The NOA blog had 362 posts. Now has 27 followers and 13,785 unique hits during 2010. And I have 771 facebook friends. I've had a great time sharing my adventures with you and hope you've made an effort to spend more time outdoors.

You've seen our family have a ton of fun outside and watched me mature as a cyclist. I started riding in 2008 and put on 2,000 miles that year. During 2009 I racked up an additional 4,681.78 miles on the bike. This year brought 6,270.43 more miles giving me a total of 12,952.21 for my first 3 years as a cyclist. During 2010 blog readers have followed me on the following outdoor adventures:

129 round trip commutes to work and back (aprox 20 miles)

18 one way work commutes (aprox 10 miles)

We attended the Big Buck Classic in Omaha.

I rode in 6 of Lincoln's Critical Mass rides.

Tried my luck at the KC Sprints.

16 Hustle alley cat style races.

You saw me try and fail at riding an indoor trainer.

Couch sledding with our oldest.

Participated in the following GPBC events: Holiday Dinner, Easter Candy Ride, Spring Fling Ride, Full Moon Ride, Just Do It Ride, Lied Bridge Ride, Ride Of Silence, Wabash Trace Ride, and the Heatstroke 100 Ride.

Riding to Pepe's for the Sunday 'Biker Special'.

The purchase of Trusty Rusty.

Riding gravel with the Adventure Racers to Branched Oak and Beatrice.

Riding gravel in Kansas.

The opening of the Antelope Valley Trail.

18 Tuesday Night Nacho Rides.

Biking to church 7 times.

You saw me Demo the Bike Pedalers Marin Mount Vision 5.9 and Pivot Mach 4 mountain bikes.

I put together and hosted the 1st annual NSFW ride.

Attended the LPD bike auction.

The Cycle Works Tomac open house event.

I was a spectator at the following races: ACA 12 hour MTB race at Wagontrain. Xterra Bolt Branched Oak race. Flatwater cyclocross races at Van Dorn Park. Lincoln Cyclocross races at Pioneers park. And the Capital City Criterium.

You saw me get road rash in the shape of a heart from a tight turn on a downhill section of bike trail during a wet work commute.

We attended the Joyride Specialized demo event.

Spring and fall turkey hunting with our youngest.

Camping, air boating, and catching monster catfish on the Loup River.

I spent 9 nights in a tent and 5 nights in campers during 2010.

I rode single track at: Wagon Train, Branched Oak, Wilderness Park and Bike Pedalers' secret MTB area.

I rode with the BP crew on the Bread & Cup ride and the Yia Yias ride.

Two Fox Hole 100 rides.

Did my 2nd Tour De Nebraska 5-day bike tour.

We did the Taco Ride in Iowa.

Took Gravel to Parkers Smokehouse in Ashland.

Rode day-1 of RAGBRAI and attended the Expo the day before.

Canoed at Holmes Lake a couple of times with the family.

Met Tom Snyders the bicycling comedian on RAGBRAI, saw his show in Omaha and rode to Pepe's with him in Lincoln.

Checked out the Cycle Works Giant ladies bike demo.

Rode in the 2010 GLGA Gravel World Championship.

Bought the wife a Specialized Ruby.

You saw the Felt Z70 frame become fatigued and separated.

I rode a loaner Surly Cross Check from Bike Pedalers.

Then got a new Felt ZA frameset from Felt free on warrantee.

Attended the Monkey Wrench Cycles grand opening.

Found the Austro-Daimler & a cruiser for $30 at the Bicycle Swap Meet.

Rode the Flint Hills Nature Trail in Kansas.

Rode a century going to Nebraska City and back.

I had 6 flat tires during 2010.

We attended the 2010 Ducks Unlimited banquet and the 2010 Quail Forever Banquet.

And, we deer hunted again on the Loup this year.

I'm not bragging, just wanted to see a tally, but it's not about the numbers, it's about the fun I've had. And I'm so thankful for all the great people I've met and spent time and miles with again in 2010.

I'm healthier, happier, greener, more responsible, fun and social than I've ever been. I'm looking forward to building on the time we've spent outdoors and making 2011 another unforgettable year of outdoor adventures.

My big cycling/blog goals for this year were:

10,000 unique hits on the NOA blog during 2010. *CHECK*

25 NOA followers and 500 facebook friends by the end of 2010. *CHECK, CHECK*

Another year with no serious wrecks. *CHECK*

6,000 miles on the bike during 2010. *CHECK*

5 Centuries during 2010. *NOPE, JUST 2*

125 round trip work commutes during 2010. *CHECK*

And another tour during 2010. *CHECK*

I'm not setting any specific goals for 2011 other than to finish Gravel Worlds and maybe get a MTB. Otherwise I just hope to keep doing what I have been.

Hope to see you spending time with friends and family outdoors in the year to come!!!

Have a Happy New Year!!!

This is huge! Holdrege St overpass is open.

After the cyclocross races I rode to the office and discovered that the new Holdrege St overpass is open! This connects the John Dietrich Trail to the Antelope Valley Trail. Taking it will eliminate over 8 blocks of riding on the streets during my work commute because the trails didn't connect until now.

Riding to the races and the office gave me 18.88 miles today on the Austro-Diamler.

Things are changing fast.

Work is progressing fast along the Antelope Valley Trail. And the weather is taking a turn for the worse. This morning was pleasant, but this afternoon's ride home from work was brisk! I ran some errands on the way home and ended up with 21.8 miles for the day.

Don't sit there like a bump on a log, ride your bike!

I made good time going to work this morning on the Felt, then cut through neighborhoods to meet up with the wife at the store after work. These November days with highs in the 70s shouldn't be wasted, just cause summer is over biking season is still in full bloom. Today's miles = 16.1

How do ya like them apples?

Campbell's nursery has a location along the Billy Wolff trail. They had a sign saying all trees were on sale and we've been wanting some apple trees for the food plot at the river. I was able to get three apple and a peach.

Otherwise the Felt made the work commute a pleasure and any day in November with highs in the mid 70s shouldn't be wasted indoors. Today's miles = 20.3

It's back!

The warm temps are back, just in time for the weekend. So is the Mc Mess! My pallet has been waiting all year for this! Besides Mc Donald's I also rode to the office today amounting to 21.5 miles for the day.

Wind ya ever have a better tailwind?

I took the Austro-Diamler to work today. This morning was peaceful, and this afternoon gave me a killer tailwind that pushed me home at top speed. I love these autumn North winds! Today's miles = 20.14

Crap! This screws up biking to work for awhile.

One of my key employees suddenly quit today. This means I'll be working extra hard till I get someone new found and up to speed. I'll be spending a lot of time on the road in the Columbus and Schuyler area.

I rode to work this morning. And I loved my new light and bag and the Austro-Diamler is working like a champ. Then I got the email and jumped in the pick-up and got to work in Columbus as soon as I could. Today's miles = 9.91

The Austro-Diamler's first commute, new Chrome bag & pot lovers.

The Austro-Diamler worked great on today's commute and felt right at home on the trails going across town. MWC called to say that the Chrome Mini-Metro bag I ordered had come in, so I stopped on the way home to pick it up. It was worth the wait. It is so comfortable, with plenty of room for my stuff. It's awesome! I was surprised to see some pot supporters set up with pamphlets and info encouraging voters to legalize recreational use.

Nonstop.

Riding into work this morning I battled a headwind to downtown, then turned East and sailed to the office. I hit all the lights just right and literally never put a foot down on the ground from my driveway to the office door. When I did have to stop it was just for a moment and was able to balance for a second before taking off again.

By afternoon the wind had become ferocious, and I needed to get my pick-up home anyway since I have to work on the road tomorrow, so I drove without feeling too guilty. Today's miles = 10.1

The 6,000 mile Nacho Ride!

When I first started biking 3 years ago I read an article about a guy who rode 6,000 miles a year. At the time I thought that was amazing. Now I realize it's not, and that many of my readers and cycling friends get 6,000 miles every year.

But for some reason that number has always stuck in my head. 6,000 miles was my goal for 2010, and tonight at the shack 1/2 way to Eagle I rolled over the 6K mark for the year with a bang (Patches!). We stopped to celebrate then continued into Eagle where we ran into a few other biking friends. The guys decided to commemorate the occasion by dressing to the nines. They are always so fun and great to ride with. Tonight's accomplishment felt great, and gave us a chance to remember all the great times we've had riding this year.

There was a killer West wind all day that made riding a challenge. After riding to work and the Nacho Ride I ended up with 48.8 miles for the day.

Almost there.

The ride to work rocked with a nice tailwind. This afternoon I wanted to keep my mileage down and rode through neighborhoods straight home. Today's miles = 18.4

Fat Jack's coming to the Superior St. Trail soon.

Earl's closed over the summer and Fat Jack's is moving from Cornhusker to 56th & Superior. It'll be tough to ride by as they pump that BBQ smoke across the trail.

I needed to get my pick-up to the office, so today I drove over there, then pushed into a headwind getting home on the bike. Today's miles = 10.0

It's Harvest Season.

The stickers are out there, and this morning I found one deep in my tire. I was surprised to find that it didn't make it clear through. I've had these Continental tires since Fathers Day and they've done great. Today's miles on the work commute = 19.9

Biking to work, it's nothing new.

(Pic lifted off the oldphotos blog.) I neglected to blog yesterday's commute, but it was just another glorious day on two wheels. Nothing out of the ordinary. I made it home with 19.8 miles.

Basic transportation.

Seems like riding to work is about all I've been doing this month on the bike. But I'm not complaining. It's my daily chance to unwind and have some fun. Today's commute to work = 19.7 miles.