Normally, I do my end of the month posts almost as soon as the last ride of the month occurs.  (Yep Michelle tells me I am very much a creature of habit!)  However, August ended with a great vacation, a huge storm, and major clean up afterwards (not to mention loss of power and interwebs!)  So now, with a day of relaxation, I can get caught up!

I knew that this month would be a recovery month for our hero.  I ended last month completing a bucket list ride, TheRAMROD.

After that, I was pretty damn sore and tired

Add to it, I knew my big rides for the year were over, so I didn’t “need” to ride.  This is always a challenging month for me, as I still want to EAT like I am training for something big, but not do the miles that are needed.  And since, as we can see, the belly is making itself known already

I needed to watch that!  Michelle has been helping! And to date, even after vacation, it seems a LITTLE smaller! She is making sure we eat better and smaller portions.

Also, not that I am full-time in Lynnwood, I am only getting 10 miles a day instead of over 17.  So all in all, I was not expecting a big mileage month.

However, it was a fun month for the most part!  Riding to work, and having only 5 miles to travel, one way, lets me appreciate the mornings.  Sadly, eastern Washington has had way too many wildfires, but damn it has made for some killer sunrises.

Sunrise from the Interurban Trail in Lynnwood

I was also able to notice the resident osprey family who has some prime real estate along the Interurban Trail.

Ospreys on cell tower along the Interurban Trail

I am happy to report that they survived the storm!

Most of my longer rides took me into Seattle and then back along the Burke-Gilman, nothing too strenuous, but it did let me stretch my legs with a good 30 – 50 miles, depending on the route. It also let me buy and stash a bottle of Dusted Valley’s Squirrel Tooth Alice Wine 

For the first night in Santa Rosa.

This was also a month where I rode somewhere brand new! Wine country in California!

A fun 24 miles with two great friends and new bike riders Kim and Rob.

Sadly, it was also a month of injuries!  The first was me not knowing how to walk and pulling a superman along the Burke Gilman

“Walking is way too dangerous!” thought I, “I will stick with riding!”

That is until some dumbass, on my way to work, put me into a fence!

Then, after the storm, I succeeded in dropping a tree sized branch on my head and shoulder! (No pictures of that!) That time I was the dumbass!

So overall, though not a big month, it was really a fun month of riding

A month where I remembered that cycling is not only exercise, but also very enjoyable.  And, a month where I didn’t expect much, but still racked up a respectable 263 miles!  I was damn near to 3000 for the year.

However, the most important achievement of the month was from these 2.

They pulled a personal record for a Halfathon.  Nice work ladies!  And Next month is Portland for the 2nd time!  Very proud of these too!  And love you Michelle!

Like the wind folks!