That warm weather riding!

Finally! Four rides in five days...heck yeah! Not gonna lie, I've been a couch potato all winter long. Skipped the gravel rides because I knew I would never keep up. The wind and the single digit temps were unbearable. Weight gain and crappy eating? Yeah why not!? So much in fact that I'm 10 pounds heavier than I've ever been!

But the good thing is that I've been blasting the gym like a mad man. Not much cardio, but I've been lifting heavier than I ever have. I got into the habit of bringing my gym clothes with me to work and going right after. And it works! No more going to the gym at midnight.

Anyway, the warm weather is back! And I have some biking to make up for. What does one do when they get back on that biking kick? You go on 4 bike rides within a matter of 5 days! Heck yeah! The one day I didn't go I fell asleep on my Napmaster (comfy couch in my livingroom) and woke up and started my taxes at midnight. Nothing like waiting till the last week to get them turned in!

Good friends and good times. Doug Larson was out with us on MNR

Monday, the Monday night ride. It was nice seeing the old gang again and being able to hang out afterwards. Still didn't follow Paul's rule of being warm enough to hang out after in a Tshirt, but heck we'll settle for 50s. The ride was good, windy as always.

Tuesday got my taxes done, I actually get some money back this year. As in enough to buy toys or maybe I should pay off some bills. Hmm...decisions decisions.

Wednesday I made my way to Waterford by bike where I attempted to catch some fish. My sister asked me the next day if I yelled, "Here fishy fishy fishy" Bert and Ernie style. I must have forgotten because I didn't even get a single nibble. But neither did the other folk around me who were fishing. Darn, oh well I have all year to catch something. Bumped into Dave N and his wife who were riding around the bike path there. How convenient and nice to have that trail there.

The perfect combo. Fat bike to get you to the edge of the lake, and a fishing pole and chair secured to your rear rack!

Thursday Elise and I made our way to Tranquility where she rode her Giant 27er on singletrack for the first time. She texted me earlier that day that she was gonna burn by me. And that she ALMOST did. Haha. She kept up and was moving pretty fast. Only her third or fourth time riding dirt. I'm pretty sure she enjoyed it, and it especially helped that she was on a bike that fit her properly.

Thank you to whoever it was that brushed all of the pine needles out of the way at Tranquility!

Elise enjoying her new 27er

Friday I made my way out to Swanson right after work. Stopped by Jacobos to get some amazing salsa first. Wow that stuff is good. After riding, I was getting ready to load my Jeep when a guy that was earlier riding the wrong direction came up to me and offered me a beer. At first I said no...boy that was silly to turn down a free beer. Then I obliged and we talked for a good 45 minutes. Jeeps, fatbikes, him training for triathalons, trails around town. He brought that he lives down by Spring Lake, around 13th and Q or L and the city is building a lake there. Said there are a ton of woods there and it would be a great place to add in some singletrack if the higher ups would allow that. Said I'll talk to the proper peeps about that one. Great to meet you Ron and thanks for the beer. Hopefully you'll make it out to some MNR riding sometime!

Where is this lady when I'm hungry at 3am downtown. I bet whatever she was selling was amazing!

Oh you crazy kids!

I'm not sure which is worse. A guy riding his motorcycle on the trail backwards years ago. Or this. Horses on the trail leaving huge piles of steaming crap. Its bad enough at Standing Bear Lake when the dogs do it. But this is on a whole different scale!

And then there were three horsey riders!

Thats it folks. Another week begins tomorrow. Some cooler temps (its actually 80 and muggy in my house right now) and hopefully some rain because my yard really needs it. But I'm hoping that the riding next week is as sweet as it was this past week! About 31 miles in this past week, yippee!