Summers End

Wow what a summer. April, I rode every day and was looking forward to a solid season of high mileage; then May hit. I was so lacking in energy and was tired All the time. I even took a few afternoons and went home early from work. I ended up riding only a handful of km. June 5 and a ride around Pigeon Lake; Arrrggg! I had cramps so bad my legs literally seized 6 times. I knew then something was wrong. Went to the Doctors, got some blood tests. Verdict: Highblood pressure, Diabetes II and high cholesterol. I was a sick boy! Got meds, a diet and slowly stared to ride!
July – Ride from Jasper to Banff – an epic ride, for 17 lucky riders,

Jasper to Banff VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

Was supposed to be 18, but 5 minutes after starting a fast downhill run from the last big hill from Miette Hot springs, (my first 5 min of riding on the trip) screech, slide, rumble… I hit a patch of gravel on the side of the road and went down! Ended up with a dinner plate sized patch of road rash on my left cheek (butt).

Could not ride ie.: pedal for the rest of the trip OUCH!! Still had a great time being the sag driver. What utterly fantastic panoramas'!  So I had to wait three weeks before I could ride comfortably again. So far this year was becoming one of my lowest mileage years in a long time.

But since then things have picked up nicely.
I rode from Calmar to Bentley.

 
This was one of my bucket list rides; it took abit long than what i had planned due to detours and a lot of big hills but It was a great day of riding! 

In August we also got a chance to go to Calgary for my nieces wedding and to drop in for a visit in Cochrane to see and ride with Cornell.
The highlight of that was I got to squeeze into his Strada velomobile !!

ME WANT A VELO!!

I have tried to commute home from work or at least partially every other day in Aug ust and hope to do the same as long as the weather holds up this Fall. I did ride in one morning which was nice but I don't like the stress of arriving when clients are waiting and chomping for us to open up. I like morning riding alot the day seems "perky", full of promise and refreshing on those days i can ride somewhere in the morning.

Today I rode from Calmar a St.Francis - Warburg - Calmar Loop; another ride I that has been on my to do list for a couple of years

I Burned over 5000 calories. Did good on water just under 4 liters, and ate good: 1 cinnamon raisin bagel, 3"garlic sausage, 1 eatmore, a bit of black licorise, 50gm of beef jerky, a nut and fruit bar and 2 tabs of Fizz endurlytes and 7 caps for endurolytes. I Felt goodall day  no cramps or bonking in the +25 heat! just tired calf and thigh muscles; Great ride!!

I “hope" to add more on this blog, like the Garmin reports above and to chronicle more for the rest of the season. I hope to ride Lake Louise to Canmore later this September and to Ride around Pigeon Lake again. Plus Alice is planning a trip to Kelowna to pic apples yet this fall too. so we will see.
TTFN