Century Ride -- COMPLETED!

On Friday, my good friend Jim Brown and I completed our first ever 100 mile ride. We covered 102 miles on the network of bike trails through the Miami Valley.

We both finished strong, and I'm very glad to have finally accomplished this long-time goal.

Thanks to our friends, Bill Scott and Matt Crehan for their help and encouragement. Bill provided transportation to the starting point and escorted us on his bike the last 26 miles of the ride. Matt rode the first part of the route with us, from Trenton to West Carrollton. Click on the map title below for a larger view of the route we followed.

It was a great day!

A Century Ride Through the Miami Valley

Training for My First Ever Century

These past few months, I've been building up miles on the bike preparing for doing my first-ever Century ride (the semi-official definition of a Century ride is 100-miles completed within a 12-hour time period.) I'm planning to complete the ride next Wednesday (September 26, 2012) with my good friend, Jim Brown.

To get ready, I've done several 50 to 60-mile rides with friends. Yesterday I did a solo ride of 80-miles along the Little Miami Bike Trail, covering the area from Xenia to Loveland. Here is the ride superimposed on a Google map (click on the title for larger view):

Eighty Miles on The Little Miami Trail

Tour of the Scioto River Valley - May 8 and 9

The 49th annual Tour of the Scioto River Valley is coming up May 8 and 9, 2010. TOSRV is one of the oldest and most popular organized, noncompetitive bicycling events in the U.S.

The ride begins and ends at the State Capitol Building in Columbus, Ohio. Riders cover a total of 210 miles, from Columbus to Portsmouth and back, in two days. This ride is NOT intended for the casual rider -- you need to be in pretty good shape to complete the full course. Typically about 3,000 riders take part each year.

The registration fee is $57 and includes baggage shuttle to Portsmouth and back, camping or indoor sleeping space in Portsmouth, food and beverage rest stops, donuts and coffee in Portsmouth, and assorted other benefits. See the official website for complete information.

An official TOSRV t-shirt is available as is an official TOSRV cycling jersey.

Springtime in the Beautiful Bluegrass

One of the premier bicycling events in the midwest is the Horsey Hundred, held each year in May in Georgetown, Kentucky. 2010 will be the 33rd year for the ride and by all accounts, it is one of the most beautiful cycling routes in the U.S.

The ride will be held on May 29 and 30 and there are options for every skill level. The route choices for Saturday, May 29 include 26, 35, 53, 75, or 100 miles. On Sunday, May 30, you can choose a 34 mile loop, a 50 mile ride through Paris (Kentucky), or a 70 mile ride through the gorgeous bluegrass countryside.

Overnight housing is available at Georgetown College or at local hotels, or B&Bs.

All routes end each day at the Georgetown starting point. The cost is $50 per person ($60 at the event) and you can register online here before May 20. You can also mail in your registration before May 20 by downloading the form here. Proceeds go to promote cycling and cycling related charities.

For full information, visit the official website.

Cycling Across America

Our friend and cycling enthusiast, Tom Moffitt, is planning an extraordinary trip. This summer, Tom is cycling from Seattle to Boston! The trip will take nine weeks and cover more than 4,250 miles. At 61 years of age, this will be Tom's second trans-continental ride.

And here is the really important part. Tom is doing this incredible adventure in order to raise money for the MS Society. The funds he raises will go to further research and treatment for those suffering from Multiple Sclerosis.

We all wish Tom the very best and look forward to hearing about his amazing coast-to-coast bicycle ride. If you would like to help him meet his fund raising goal, you can visit his MS Society personal website by clicking here.

Bicycle Route Feature Added to Google Maps

Google has added a valuable new feature to its Google Maps service; safe bike routes to get from point A to point B.

From the League of American Bicyclists:
"This new feature includes: step-by-step bicycling directions; bike trails outlined directly on the map; and a new "Bicycling" layer that indicates bike trails, bike lanes, and bike-friendly roads. The directions feature provides step-by-step, bike-specific routing suggestions – similar to the directions provided by our driving, walking, or public transit modes. Simply enter a start point and destination and select "Bicycling" from the drop-down menu. You will receive a route that is optimized for cycling, taking advantage of bike trails, bike lanes, and bike-friendly streets and avoiding hilly terrain whenever possible."

Here is a brief video describing the new feature and tips on using it:

Let the Cycling Begin!

What a winter it has been! January was the coldest in 15 years. Then February brought the most snowfall on record. We are all ready to stop shoveling snow and start pedaling once again.

Saturday, March 6 marked the first ride for me in 2010. Jim, Marilyn, Jan, Steve and I cycled from Oxford to College Corner in a mild 47 degrees with a slight wind out of the northwest. After a stop for pie and conversation at Holly's, we cycled home. Still lots of snow along the route, but the roads were clear and the ride was great. It felt really good to be on the bike once more.

Steve was in terrific shape and shot ahead of all of us in the last three miles. Must be the hockey he played all winter.