2023 (Total so far 566 miles this year, 566 on tandem, 15,813 since starting in 2009)

  • July – 290 (290 on tandem, 205 on RAGBRAI)
  • June – 143 (143 on tandem)
  • May – 133 (133 on tandem)

2022 (Total so far 346 miles this year, 346 on tandem, 15,247 since starting in 2009)

  • Oct – 64 (65 on tandem)
  • Sept – 43 (43 on tandem)
  • August – 99 (99 on tandem)
  • July – 18 (18 on tandem)
  • June – 57 (57 on tandem)
  • May – 54 (54 on tandem)
  • April – 11 (11 on tandem)

2021 (Total so far 757 miles this year, 717 on tandem, 14,761 since starting in 2009)

  • November – 11 (11 on tandem)
  • October – 54 (54 on tandem)
  • September – 34 (34 on tandem)
  • August – 78 (33 on tandem)
  • July – 165 (165 on tandem)
  • June – 265 (265 on tandem)
  • May – 23 (23 on tandem)
  • June – 127 (127 on tandem)

2020 (Total so far 531 miles this year, 372 on tandem,  14,104 since starting in 2009)

  • November – 15
  • October – 15 (15 on the tandem)
  • August – 100 (100 on tandem)
  • July – 144 (101 on tandem)
  • June – 49 (49 on tandem)
  • May – 84 (53 on tandem)
  • April – 101 (64 on tandem)
  • Feb – 23

2019 (Total so far  1411 miles this year, 13,573 since starting in 2009)

  • November – 41
  • September – 130
  • August – 89
  • July – 570 (passed the 13,000 mile mark)
  • June – 136
  • May – 96
  • April – 118
  • March – 25
  • January – 40

2018 (Total so far  1378 miles this year,  12,372 since starting in 2009)

  • December – 52
  • November – 50
  • October – 41
  • September – 226
  • August – 407 (passed the 12,000 mile mark)
  • July – 537
  • June – 57
  • May – 38
  • April – 20 (passed the 11,000 mile mark)

2017 (Total so far 926 miles this year, 10,994 since starting in 2009)

  • September – 197
  • July – 321
  • June – 171 miles (15 miles not on Garmin)
  • May – 57 miles
  • April – 36 miles
  • March – 26 miles
  • February – 18 miles

2016 (Total so far 1625 miles this year, 10,166 since starting in 2009)

  • November – 18 miles
  • September – 68 miles
  • August – 14 miles
  • July – 422 miles (Passed the 10,000 mile mark this month!!!)
  • June – 434 miles (new chain & cassette on TerraTrike)
  • May – 263 miles
  • April – 189 miles
  • March – 193 miles (Passed the 9000 mile mark this month)
  • February – 25 miles (rare 73 degree day)

2015 (Total of 1185 miles this year, 8542 since starting in 2009)

  • October – 9 miles
  • September – 13 miles
  • August – 5 miles
  • July – 216 miles
  • June – 338 miles
  • May – 302 miles
  • April – 135 miles
  • March – 141 miles (Passed the 8000 mile mark this month)
  • January – 26 miles

2014 (Total of 1868 miles this year, 7357 since starting in 2009)

  • November – 35 miles
  • October – 101 miles
  • September – 26 miles
  • August – 126 miles
  • July – 605 miles (Passed the 7000 mile mark on July 25th while on RAGBRAI)
  • June – 473 miles (Passed the 6000 mile mark on June 5th, did Tour de Nebraska and NUMB Ride)
  • May – 296 miles
  • April -181 miles (training has officially begun)
  • March – 15 miles
  • January – 10 miles (rare 60 degree day on Jan. 19 – had to try out the new trike)

2013 (Total of 1156 miles this year, 5489 since 2009)

  • September – 50 Miles
  • August – 87 Miles
  • July – 452 Miles  – Passed the 5000 mile mark this month
  • June -232 Miles  (6/7 was 53 miles with 1176 feet of climb that day) (first ride of trike on 6/29, 22 miles)
  • May – 271 Miles
  • April – 76 Miles
  • March – 11 Miles

2012 (Total of 402 Miles This Year, 4310 Since 2009)

  • September – 33 Miles
  • May – 105 Miles
  • April – 75 Miles
  • March – 189 Miles (passed the 4,000 mile mark since starting riding)

2011 (Total of 1147 Miles This Year, 3908 Since 2009)

  • Sept – 26 Miles
  • Aug – 23 Miles
  • July – 77 Miles
  • June – 550 Miles
  • May – 412 Miles (passed the 3,000 mile mark since starting riding)
  • April – 59 Miles

2010 (Total of 2329 Miles This Year, 2871 Since 2009)

  • October – 42 Miles
  • September – 91 Miles
  • August – 163 Miles
  • July – 774 Miles (passed the 2,000 mile mark since starting riding)
  • June – 551 Miles
  • May – 417 Miles (passed the 1,000 mile mark since starting riding)
  • April – 206 Miles
  • March – 85 Miles

2009 (Total of 432 Miles)

  • November – 80 Miles
  • October – 37 Miles
  • September – 248 Miles
  • August – 67 Miles

(These are actual road or trail miles, not on the bike trainer)

 

Made it to the Wauneta, the start town. Tent set up, trike unboxed, all checked in and picked up my bling.

Bran Goodies

Tent and trailerHad just a wonderful time at dinner, with a visit from my aunt, cousin and her two grown children. Our BRAN start town is only 19 miles from Imperial where they live. Thanks guys!

dinner with family

Up at 5:00, on the trike by 6:30.  Chilly, dreary and windy, even some sprinkles.   Yep, a perfect morning to practice for BRAN.  Only got in 41 of the 50 planned miles, either the wind was stronger than I realized or I just had no energy.

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In the summer of 2009 I began my first short biking adventure right here on these roads and trails at Lewis and Clark Recreation Area in South Dakota. It’s where I rediscovered the love of biking from my youth. Some 8400 miles later, I’m back again for a family vacation. Much faster and much healthier, I look forward to passing the 10,000 mile mark this year. I encourage everyone to try biking and if you are brave enough, try multi-day bike touring.  It’s unbelievable how much beauty is out there in our country if you just slow down enough to take it all in.

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RAGBRAI 2014 was a fun experience with my son Aric, who was age 20 at the time of the ride.  Our days were so full I did not have time to post daily reports, so will post just the one here with several pictures from the week long ride.  Suffice it to say we experience all kinds of weather (short of snow), saw some fantastic scenery, ate a lot of wonderful food and managed to ride most of the 400+ miles of the seven day ride.

RAGBRAI Virgins (first time riders)

RAGBRAI Virgins (first time riders)

Branding of the RAGBRAI virgins.

Branding of the RAGBRAI virgins.

This town when all out and provided comfortable chairs for the riders to rest on.

This town when all out and provided comfortable chairs for the riders to rest on.

Oh, my!

Oh, my!

Can you guess what day of the week this was?  Yep, Hump Day!

Can you guess what day of the week this was? Yep, Hump Day!

This town had a contest for their locals to decorate the porta potties.

This town had a contest for their locals to decorate the porta potties.

Aric and I will never forget this day.  Rainy, windy and cold.  Hundreds of us were packed in this school waiting for the rain to end.  We finally threw in the towel and called for a ride that day.

Aric and I will never forget this day. Rainy, windy and cold. Hundreds of us were packed in this school waiting for the rain to end. We finally threw in the towel and called for a ride that day.

At last, WiFi!!!!  Aric and I enjoyed a very pleasant afternoon at the air conditioned library.

At last, WiFi!!!! Aric and I enjoyed a very pleasant afternoon at the air conditioned library.

My kind of team (this was on one of the many buses that carry bikers and their gear).

My kind of team (this was on one of the many buses that carry bikers and their gear).

Our 4th and final day of riding, 47 miles from Gibbon back to Holdrege and I did not finish.  It was cold during the night, down to 42 degrees, I was chilled and I just had no muscles.  I made the mistake of skipping breakfast (did not want to ride back into town) and my snack bars just did not do it for me.  But for the little ways I went, about seven miles, I did get some interesting pictures.

Me and my shadow.

Me and my shadow.

Had to take this picture.  Nearly 30 years ago my wife and I had car trouble and the guy who then lived there tried to help us from what is now that boarded up garage.

Had to take this picture. Nearly 30 years ago my wife and I had car trouble and the guy who then lived there tried to help us from what is now that boarded up garage.

 

Platte River

Platte River

My rescuer.  He actually was the father of one of the riders.  Thanks again!

My rescuer. He actually was the father of one of the riders. Thanks again!

 

UFO?  Metallic onion?

UFO? Metallic onion?

I woke up with a lot of trepidation today as the route was 73 miles, the farthest distance I have ever done on my trike.  Breakfast was a a premade omlet, yogurt, muffins, fruit, juice and coffee (yes, I at all of that).  We rode for 49 miles on the same straight highway #2 to Ravenna, then the rest south to Gibbon.  I know both of these towns well.  My wife’s brother and daughter live in Ravenna, and we broke down on our first trip to Yellowstone 30 years ago in Gibbon.  I stopped in Ravenna and had a nice lunch with him, but in the process found I was the last rider.  Thankfully the last SAG stop waited for me as I was low on water.

Tonight we camped on the school’s football field and it was very windy.  Could barely get tent set up. Dinner was back in town and I just did not have the energy to ride back for it so I ate at American Legion Hall across from the school instead.   This is our last night of camping before we head back to Holdrege tomorrow.

Hydrating before the long ride

Hydrating before the long ride

Saw this just as we exited Custer County

Saw this just as we exited Custer County

Bill Ritter, ride director, shot this of me.  I really was not that cheerful the entire ride.  ;-)

Bill Ritter, ride director, shot this of me. I really was not that cheerful the entire ride. 😉

Dinner at the American Legion Hall.  Air conditioned and plenty of liquid refreshments (if you know what I mean)

Dinner at the American Legion Hall. Air conditioned and plenty of liquid refreshments (if you know what I mean). Oh, World Cup Soccer on too, sure beat looking at a bunch of tents on a football field.

Breakfast this morning in Cozad was Pancakes and sausage, hosted by the men’s group of the church.  Rode 45 miles today from Cozad to Broken Bow.  Not a lot exciting today, just long stretches.  Camping at the local high school.   Broken Bow has a population of around 3,000 people, but is overshadowed by the number of livestock.  Located a couple miles south of town is the  Adams Land and Cattle south lot, with a capacity of 85,000 head.

This was a hard ride day and because of the sustained 24 mph headwinds and hills, they shortened the ride (Thank you, thank you, thank you!).

Dinner tonight in Cozad was sloppy Joes (what else to you expect in beef country), chips and carrots, dessert was ice cream sundaes.  Yum, yum!

Hard to see it here, but this was one long steep hill

Hard to see it here, but this was one long steep hill. Note the milled surface which also slowed me down

But it was very scenic

But it was very scenic

Dinner in the church, typical of each night

Dinner in the church, typical of each night.

Group Photo!  I'm in there somewhere.

Group Photo! I’m in there somewhere.

 

Although it sometimes gets me off to a late start, I always partake of the great breakfasts on the ride.  Usually eggs, sausage, and pancakes.   I try to be the first in line as sometimes they run out of food and we have to wait for them to prepare more.  As one of the slower riders, I can’t afford to wait and need to get out on the road as early as possible.

Today we left Holdrege, traveled west to Elwood, then north up around Johnson Lake Reservoir, then zigzagged our way up to Cozad, population ~4,000.  A total of 60 miles today.  Camping and showers at the East Elementary School, supper tonight was spaghetti or Cavatini, salads and deserts at the Cozad United Methodist church.  Some riders took the free shuttle bus to Camp Comeca, a local Methodist church camp, where they had horseback riding (if your rump was not sore enough from 60 miles on a bike seat…who’s bright idea was this??), indoor swimming and hiking.

What the ????    First turn out of town I saw this and had to take a picture.  Actually it is on a roads department area paralleling the highway.

What the ???? First turn out of town I saw this and had to take a picture. Actually it is on a roads department area paralleling the highway.

There was rain, there was lightening, there was more rain.  We had to wade through the water to get to the SAG table

There was rain, there was lightening, there was more rain. We had to wade through the water to get to the SAG table

Barn rooftop I thought was interesting

Barn rooftop I thought was interesting

I was quite excited to find this vineyard until I discovered there was no adjacent winery

I was quite excited to find this vineyard until I discovered there was no adjacent winery