2018 mileage: 1303.8
This morning I rode a single round trip to Marsh Park, but augmented it with loops on Interfirst Dr. and in Stonebridge, giving me a ride of 14.4 miles in 1:49. When I left, at 9:00, it was 69*°, and rose to 73° by the time I finished. And this ride pushed me over a new mileage milestone for the year.
It was important for me to ride early today, because of a noontime commitment. With the support and encouragement of my family, I was blessed to be able to spend my last two years of high school at northern Michigan's prestigious boarding school, the Interlochen Arts Academy (graduating in 1975). While at IAA, my closes from was Brady Johnson, and though Brady now lives in Vero Beach, Florida, we have remained close all these years.
On Saturday he contacted me to say he was flying up to Michigan this morning, and to ask if we might have lunch together. While I grieve the reason that brings him north (the death of an older brother), I rejoice that we will be able to see one another! This picture of us together (photo credit: Michelle Borton) was taken when Michelle and I went to Florida for a few days early in 2017, to visit her parents.
2018 mileage: 1289.4
I ended up taking yesterday as a rest day, being absolutely exhausted. And today the exhaustion continues! (I don't know why it is_unless the fact that I haven't slept the night through in over a quarter century has something to do with it! 😎) So when I took a nap midday today, and it extended longer than I expected, I had to truncate my plans to ride two round trips to Marsh Park on this glorious late spring day (sunny, upper seventies), and settle for a single one instead, riding this 10.2 miles in 1:15.
2018 mileage: 1269.2
After taking yesterday off due to the heat (already over 80° by the time I was through running errands late morning), I was glad to get back on the ball today, and left at 10:45 (72°) and rode to Saline, and then Marsh Park on the way home, for a ride of 17.5 miles in a slow 2:15, with bright sunshine the whole time, that increased the temperature to 81° by the time I was done.
2018 mileage: 1251.7
Today was as near perfect a day for riding as possible. When I started, at noon, it was brilliantly sunny, and calm, warm but not hot (at 64°), and by the time I finished it was up to 69°. Nevertheless, I settled for a modest ride, being eager to get back to church and do some more piano practice there in preparation for my playing this Sunday morning. So I did a single round trip to Marsh Park, and tacked on just a slight bit in our neighborhood at the end, for a ride of 10.7 miles in 1:27.
2018 mileage: 1241.0
In about three weeks, Michelle and I are going to take a vacation. I would very much like to zip line while there (for the first time ever), but I'm currently about 5 pounds over the weight limit. So I'm going to engage in a fierce battle to "make weight."
Consequently, today I rode consecutive trips to Marsh Park for the first time in a while, after taking the last two days off. I'm now going to try to buckle down and be more disciplined. Today I left a bit past 11:30, at it was already gorgeous—sunny and 64°—and the sunshine persisted throughout my ride, while after riding 18.7 miles in 2:21, the temperature had risen to 68°.
2018 mileage: 1222.3
A great rarity confronted me this morning. I had intended to begin my ride at 6 a.m., and ride three round trips to Marsh Park, for the first time since October 20. But, astonishingly and inexplicably, I overslept -- and I NEVER oversleep -- not blinking awake until 7:00. I was thus unable to begin my ride until 7:45, and consequently decided to limit myself to a single round trip, as we have an extremely busy day, the centerpiece of which is the wedding this afternoon of our dear niece Courtney, shown here as a toddler with my sister Marianne in 1998, and then comically recreating the pose last year.
This 10.2-mile ride took me 1:21, and was much more enjoyable in the 57° temperature than the recent heat (above 70°) in which recent rides have taken place. And I was pleased to encounter my friend Doris Granum on the trail shortly after I had turned back toward home from the park. However, I wouldn't have known her had she not called out a greeting, as she has lost so much weight over the last two years!
2018 mileage: 1212.1
Today with Michelle out of town, I had hoped to do a longer ride (She's taken students on their annual year-end trip to Cedar Point, where they march part of the day for free admission.) But I got delayed and couldn't make the early start I had intended; going out at 9:30 (when it was already 73° under sunny skies), I got bogged down into a tortuously slow and difficult ride, and therefore decided to limit it to a single round trip to Marsh Park, covering the 10.2 miles in 1:27, by which time the temperature had risen to 80°, and I was feeling it. My feet are hurting (or, as the Tigers' announcers like to say, "dogs are barking" 😎), so I m delighted to be home now, with my socks and shoes off.
