What started as a stellar month quickly turned bad. The weather finally improved and miles were pouring in but circumstance in my life planted IEDs and roadblocks. It is not that I am trying to set a new highest mileage year for myself but I am exploiting opportunities to beat previous monthly records. Every month last year was improved and this year January and February saw new records. March would be no different.
The record to beat was 729 miles set in 2014. That is a damn good month by my previous standards. Years ago that is what I would have ridden in July, Ragbrai month. This year I was set to shatter it.
Week 1 I rode 214 miles which included the trip Mary and I took to Polk City for pizza. The next week had 213 miles including the 50 miler to Dallas Center with Mary. Things then took a turn for the worse.
Week 3 was limited to 71 miles, the lowest mileage I have had for a weekly total in years. I took three days off work for my mother's funeral. 81 miles lost. Not that I am upset for losing those miles, I'd rather have my mother alive. Then illness hit. We attempted to ride to the Trestle, 80 mile round trip, but 2 miles into it I could tell that I was not going to make it. Turn araound and go home. Saturday was a mere 10 miles, trip to the bank and the store. Sunday 1 mile to church and back and the rest of the day in bed in and out of fever.
Week 4 saw a resurgence. Although I took a day off, 27 miles lost, to clean out Mom's apartment, I did make a 44 mile round trip to Martensdale on Saturday. Easy ride not to abuse my healing lungs. 20 on Sunday. 193 for the week. Back in the game!
Squeaked by with 757 miles for the month. I think it could have been 1000. Always next year or the years after that.
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