30 Days of April Riding

Enjoying coffee with the Beast

Don't know who started it but there was a challenge to ride every day in the month of April.  All 30 days. Much to my amazement I managed to do this despite some short weekend rides.  During cold periods I mainly limit myself to riding Monday through Friday to work.  My commute takes me from south of Mullets to the trail all the way to Wal Mart and then Buffalo Rd and Westown Pkwy until I cross the freeway, I-35/80.  On the trip home I extend it by taking the Clive Greenbelt Trail to Wal Mart and the Walnut Creek/Bill Riley/Meredith Trail and the 1/2 mile of streets from Mullets to my home.

8 different bikes were ridden in April:
The Beast fat bike
Dolomite fat bike
Trek FX 7.5 commuter
Bianchi Boardwalk commuter
Fisher Gemini touring tandem
Trek 520 as commuter
Raleigh Ltd 3
LeMond Versailles road bike

FX at Hy Vee.  Probably the rack I use the most.

The first weekend broke the low mileage pattern by attending and riding in the Fool's Ride.  I choose to ride my Mongoose Beast singlespeed fat bike for the 24 miles or so.  Mary rode its geared stablemate, the Dolomite.  Wonderful Saturday spent on the Cedar Valley Nature Trail with friends, Dave, Mikey and Colin.  5 Team Mystery Machiners on the same ride!  The next day saw only a mere .6 mile ridden on the Dolomite to fetch charcoal for grilling.  At least I rode on Sunday and used that ride for shopping instead of taking an automobile.

Mongoose Dolomite after the exploration of the Des Moines River Easter weekend.

The following week was a very good week.  After work on Tuesday I met Colin and we rode to Cumming for tacos at the tap.  On Friday I headed south after work and took the Jordan Creek Trail home.  Later Mary and I met Colin and we rode to Cumming for karaoke at the Tap.  Mary and I busted out the touring tandem and rode 42 miles on Saturday.  I Sunday I rode 1 mile to Church and to a homebound individual to deliver Holy Communion.  Noble purpose for the bike.  It was a rainy Palm Sunday and I also delivered to Rose a basket of goodies prepared by the Church for those homebound and in nursing homes.

Team Mystery Machine on Fool's Ride.

The following week had some rides of note other than my 125+ miles of work commute.  I swapped the commuter for the Dolomite and met Craig at Confluence.  After Mary joined us we rode to Mullets for dinner with Dora.  Saturday was another Dolomite fat bike day.  I explored the north bank of a the Des Moines River and scored a photo for Geocouching and took photos of abandoned SUVs before riding to my barber for a haircut.  Later I threw the bike in back of the truck, grabbed the family and dog and drove to my in law's farm.  I used the fat bike to check out my deer hunting grounds and found another Geocouching opportunity.  We returned home on Sunday and I rode just 1 mile so as not to miss a day.  My Sunday's are poor.

The Versailles computer showing the distance of the first ride of the year.

The last full week was mainly commuting with two 30 mile days.  On Saturday I rode my rode bike for the first time this year.  It was a 115 mile ride.  I did this to prepare myself for riding across South Dakota in June.  I encountered hills, headwind and serious saddle time.  I am ready.  It rained on Sunday but I did the obligatory 1 mile to Church and Rose's house after Church.

Mary and the Fisher tandem in Johnston, Iowa.

The last three days of the month were spent riding to work, mostly in rain it seems.  Despite that I rode 874 miles for the month.