I did have a broken spoke on my rear wheel as I had suspected in my first lap of the Relay for Life. I sure am glad I did not let it bother me and kept going. I took it up to Lou at Bike Tech and Rick put a new Spoke in for me. Cost me ~$19.00 for one spoke. I think it takes a minute to replace a spoke on that wheel because of removal of the brake rotor to get to the spoke. I have Sun-Ringle Single Track Rims with 14 gauge black spokes. I also had a slow leak in my rear tire when I got my wheel back. I found a huge thorn and pulled it out while I was changing the tube. That is the first flat I have had on the rear tire of my bike since I have had it. The tube is a MAXXIS 2.5/2.7 schrader downhill tube. It has well over two thousand miles on it. My bike came equipped with MAXXIS Minions 2.5 tires.

WOW! What a Weekend! I’m still recovering From Friday night. The Central Georgia Cyclist team for Relay for Life performed outstanding all night!

Friday my daughter and I arrived with plenty of time to set up and get ready. We really were too early. My sister is on the Heart of Georgia Hospice team. She was the Luminary Volunteer. My daughter helped her cousins label all the luminary candle bags that lined the walk track. She spent the whole night with them so I was able concentrate on riding.

I had my tent up, table, coffee maker, and sandwich station set up. After we completed a parade lap we waited for Jessie to do the Survivor lap and cheered him in. We got started ~ 7:15 pm, later than I had anticipated. I was just cruising because I knew I had a long way to go. I set my Cycloputer and did not look at the mileage until the end. I knew each lap was +5 miles. Not far into the first lap I noticed my back wheel was wobbling. The only time this has happened before on this bike was when I broke a spoke. I didn’t let it bother me and just kept a good steady easy pace. I rode 3 laps before I knew it. I started thinking this is gonna be cake. I stopped for a few minutes and ate a peanut butter and honey sandwich, then set my 45 cup coffee maker up ready to brew. Off I went again. Most of the loop had plenty of light but the back half had no lights around. After dark you really needed some lights back there. I rode with no head lights down Hay road quite a few times, of course I had a bright red blinky on the back. I completed 10 laps by 1:00 and decided I needed a change of clothes and a shower. I went home, took a shower, drank a glass of milk, put on my new CGC Jersey, and headed back to see how many more laps I could do. Mallie was still keeping a steady pace without stopping for very long and ended up with the most mileage. Shane, BK, and Jessie passed me several times in there pace line formation. The wind really picked up as the night went on. My tent tried to blow away wile I was not at the camp sites and Dav and Carrie S. lashed it down for me.

It was wonderful riding with no traffic and the sun coming up. I really felt good all night and enjoyed the route. I had lost count of my laps during the night. I could have been wrong on the side of more laps or I could have been wrong on having less laps. Well it turns out I thought I had less laps than I did. By 7:00 am I had completed 15 laps and 77 miles. I was very happy, even though I did not reach my goal I rode further than I have ridden in a long time.

There was a large turn out of people through out the night. Some stayed all night, some came and went. I had a great time and look forward to next year. Big Thanks to Shane and Diana W. for setting this wonderful event up.

Friday Night's Road Ride: Relay for Life, Perry Ag Center, 77 mi, 11.9 mph avg

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The OMBA Kits have finally arrived! I will be glad to finally get the kit orders completed. It has taken a year to make the OMBA Jersey order happen. They turned out good but there are a few things I would like to fix on the next order.

I am getting all my gear together for the Relay For Life Event this Friday Night. Although there are other much further routes, I will only be doing the 5+ mile loop. There are dirt road alternate routes within that 5+ mile lap that I may take to break up the same ole loop. It starts at 6:00 Friday Night and is over at 7:00 Saturday mornin. It should be a good time, I am looking forward to riding with friends. I will have my tent up and my 45 Cup Coffee Maker brewing all night. My goal is 100 miles, wish me luck!

I apologies for my lack of recent updates. My week was very hectic. I have been steadily gaining weight. I decided I needed to Mix up my riding routines so I began a new training option this past week. I take my bike to work with me and ride the back road neighborhoods during lunch. I was not sure just how much mileage I could get and stay on the back roads. I rode on my “extended” lunch break Thursday and Friday. Each day I was able to put in 16+ miles in 1hr 15 min. I only have to cross Russell Pkwy 2 times, out and back. I cross at a Light so it makes it easy. It was nice to just ride thru back neighborhood roads. I have lived in Warner Robins 30+ years so I am riding some of the same roads I traveled while on a BMX bike when I was in Elementary School. I will keep this high cadence riding option going for a while to see if I can get my weight back under 200 lbs!

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