Summer of Riding and More!
It’s been quite the summer compared to last year, where I broke my arm and spent most of my time inside either watching Netflix or (eventually) getting on the indoor trainer. Back in May I wrote about being at The End of the List, which really afforded me some great time this summer to spend with my family and also upping my cycling skills.
I really challenged myself on my bike this year and I’m excited that I was able to hit a number of achievements:
I joined the Tri-Cities Cycling Club and challenged myself to do a group ride at least once per week. I started riding in the Slow-C group and worked my way up to the Mid-B group by the end of the summer season!
I took a week-long trip to northern Vancouver Island and rode the trail network in Cumberland as a brand new experience outside of the trails I normally ride in the Tri-Cities. I also spent the day on Mount Washington and tried downhill cycling for the first time,
Completed by first 100k ride through the Tri-Cities in August and followed it up with another in October as part of our club season closer, beating my existing time by 4 mins!
I’m also proud to have spent a significant amount of time with the kids enjoying the summer here in Coquitlam. We didn’t travel too far during the summer but were able to do all the local activities: PNE, Waterslides, outdoor pools and more. It was really refreshing to have so much fun in our neighborhood without having to travel too far or have to spend a ton of money on a big vacation.
Of course, none of this comes without its own challenges. In particular, I have been dealing with a shoulder injury that resurfaced with the purchase of a new road bike (Madone SL 7 Gen 7). It’s a wicked bike that I love riding fast in group settings, but is definitely challenging my aging body. During the fall, I also had a bad crash on my last commute ride to work, totalling my endurance bike but thankfully walking away from the crash without any major injuries.
With that, I’m excited for the fall and winter season and a bit more cozy time with the family. I have my first proper gravel bike on order to ride through the winter, combined with some awesome training on my indoor ride to get ready for next season. I’m excited!