Big Big Miles
After my first puncture flat on the Trek yesterday, I noticed that I had worn out my back tire so that the nylon liner was showing through the tube. But my Trek has all of the original pieces it had when I took delivery, except for the inner tubes. On November 21, when I put my cyclometer on the new bike, it read 8207.70. Today, when I stopped at Outfitter to have a new chain and tire installed, it was at 11201.79 (2994.09 miles). You’re supposed to have your chain replaced about every 1500 miles, so I was overdue. The guys at the shop were surprised that I had ridden on that back tire as long as I had. They dropped what they were doing and hooked me up with quick work. Thanks, guys.
A little while later, near Foothill Expy & Page Mill Rd in Palo Alto, I finished my 2000th mile this year. Three quarters of a mile later, just past Stanford Ave, came the milestone for the bike. That makes 3000 clock miles (not counting the 14.1 I rode it home without the cyclometer going, because I was too dumb to remember the magnet for the front wheel).
Despite battling headwinds the whole way home and closing out the day with a wimpy 18.1 mph average speed, I feel Herculean, just because of that 3000 mile marker. Three thousand miles in twenty-one weeks is about 143 miles a week. I got the bike 143 days ago. Rearrange 143 and you get today’s date: 4-13. Okay, I’ll stop now.
Today: 28.72 mi; 1:35:03 (18.1 mph avg; 27.5 mph max)
April: 276.21 mi; 14:53:48 (18.5 mph avg; 45.0 mph max)
2005 : 2006.62 mi; 108:28:22 (18.5 mph avg; 45.0 mph max)
Goal : 5000.00 mi (2993.38 mi to go : 40.13% complete)
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