The Fourth of July week has been the big kickoff to my big-ride year for the last two years running. I had a hundred mile week in the books (in only two rides) after Thursday’s ride. I had to work yesterday so I took the day off the bike. The question for today was go long or short… I opted for a short 16 with a short break at the bike shop to have my derailleur hanger looked at (it’s seemed to be just a touch toed in ever since I bought the bike and I was finally getting sick of looking at it – the shop confirmed this and fixed it).

I chose this option so I could ride my birthday 43 tomorrow on my actual birthday. On that note I’ll take the opportunity to reiterate that age may not be as benign as “just a number”, but it’s not that big of a deal either… I feel much better today than I did in my 30’s. On the other hand, damn, 43?

Oh well, the important thing is I’ll roll passed 160 miles for the week tomorrow and I’m feeling fantastic leading into our cycling/family/pontoon boat/playing spades till 4am vacation… And I need it.

Also, and for this I’m SERIOUSLY fired up, I wrote a post more than a year ago about the 10 bloggers I’d most like to go for a ride with… Next Saturday I’ll be heading out for a mountain ride with one of the first to make that list. That’s one thing I never expected out of writing and blogging. At times, with more than 1,000 posts since December 16, 2011, this blog has been tough to maintain, but it’s paid me back – all I had to do was open my eyes and recognize it.