Virtual Bike MS 2020

This ride spanned so many days that a recap is in order. That’s what this is here. What a year!

I met Heather in Loveland, Colorado for a reunion tour. It was the best ride of the whole series. Heather initiated this ride, so it’s only fitting that we actually got to do some riding together. I am forever grateful we made it happen. The struggles continues for people with MS. And for my mom, it only gets harder with every day. But thanks to my sponsors, Heather’s sponsors, and the society, those struggles are made a little easier to deal with. And for people who develop the disease today, most can expect to live a normal life thanks for the recent treatments this society helped fund.

Sunday series: Portraits of Blue Lighting

She is exceptionally photogenic. I am not sure why, but I feel compelled to photograph her everywhere I go. She makes the world around me more beautiful.

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Bucket List Rides: North Cascades National Park

North Cascades National Park is inarguably one of the most beautiful places in the world. Why not bike it? This could be done as a 60 miles one-day trip, dropping off at Washington Pass and stopping at the Visitor’s Center. It could also be done as a 153 mile/3-day bike camping tour from Mazam to Bellingham. Either way, this ride would probably be the most amazing in September.

Bucket List Rides: Olympic National Park

The only way to ride Olympic National Park is to Ride the Hurricane! This has been on my back burner for years. Will it happen in 2021? Will the Century ride happen?

SheRidesToday Page Updates: A Few More Project Sunrise Logs

Project Sunrise Summaries

I spent some time recently updating some of the pages to SheRidesToday.

Project Sunrise Photos

Planning Ahead: The Scenic Bikeways of Central Oregon

I think it would be super fun to stay in Sisters or Sunriver and enjoy some of the Scenic Bikeways of Central Oregon. The first on the list is McKenzie Pass, 38 miles one-way, which I think would be best enjoyed as the first ride of the adventure.

Sisters to Smith Rock might pose as a fun add on to a one-way McKenzie Pass ride, or a fun loop on it’s own right. Twin Bridges Loop is 36 miles total and makes for a perfect day trip. Madras Mountain Loop is also another perfect 29-mile day trip. Can’t go wrong!

There is also Crooked River Canyon, a 36-mile round trip scenic ride that would be fun as a day trip.

Training Load Gains

Garmin calculates a running tally of workout “load” based on the time and intensity of my workouts. While many metrics like “stress” and “body battery” feel too gimmicky for my taste, this load seems to have real wisdom. I noticed that it’s when I exceed the optimal load that I burn out and require so many rest days that I feel like I’m starting all over again. If Garmin doesn’t say I’m overdoing it, I tend to be able to stay on track. This is insightful for me during phases like the one I am in now where I’m working out less than typical, expect and remember the typical, but need to keep it slow to get back there. It was just a month ago that my optimal load was something like 300 a week, which is really hard to maintain considering I could exceed it by doing just 2 workouts. I took care, followed the data, and stayed on course. In a short amount of time, the high end of my load is up to 928. This is a number I can stay under and make steady, ongoing improvements with. Yay!

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A little bit goes a long way

The aches and pains I felt as I struggled to be active again slowly decreased the harder I pushed. I tried so hard in December, harder in January, and now that it's March it's getting easier and more fun when the every moment. Here’s to more joy, more gentle and compassionate striving to improve, not matter where you are now.

Planning Ahead: Old West Scenic Bikeway

I’m super excited to ride the Old West Scenic Bikeway and the I plan to camp at Clyde Holliday State Recreation Area and bike from there! I’ll bike through the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument, Bates State Park, and the Kam Wah Chung State Heritage Site. More planning to come!

National and State Parks for Free

The Adventure Cycling Association is doing it again, bike to a national or state park for no entrance fee. What a great gimmick for the Adventure Cycling Association! They say registration begins in March….

Planning Ahead: Willamette Valley Oregon Scenic Bikeway

I’m starting to plan my 2021 biking goals. I want to try my hand at a solo-week long bike camping tour….annnd maybe even two. A goal like this is ambitious and requires training. One of the rides I’m looking at is the Willamette Valley Scenic Bikeway. I already rode on every stretch of this bikeway, and many of them several times. However, my route always happened to be planned for other reasons, and I never paid specific attention to the Bikeway itself. I’d like to ride this bikeway, for the sake of the Bikeway in nothing else. I’m in the early stages of planning, but this might be a 2 or 3 night trip (134 or 174 miles, depending on route), and might involve me sleeping in a tent or in at BnB or motel. More planning to come.

Camping Spot Ideas:

Bicycle Boater Campground

Sleep/Wake Cyclers 2021

June 12, 2021

I just happened to be mindless scrolling Facebook, like you do, and fell upon this new fundraiser. This is the first year the Hypersomnia Foundation is trying this sort of fundraiser, and I am so ready fo support. It’s like they know me! I’m not officially in the club yet, but I emailed the organizer and asked to join.