"Training Log" 06/28/2015-07/04/2015

This week consisted of my commute to work of 72 miles plus a 105 mile ride on Saturday to MMF (Morgan Monroe Forest) and back home.

For the ride Saturday I wanted to ride the bike set up for PBP.  I've done this a couple times and I'm making slight changes for the better I hope.

I tried to ride every hill climb I could find for the route and with 5200 feet of elevation gain in just 100 miles I think I found the good stuff.  It's easy to find hill climbs in this section of Indiana, just search out every road that has a lower, low, or hill in the name.

I started at 3am for two reasons, first to give me some more night riding and second so I can get back home and still have time to hang out with the family.

  
As the sun came up I was able to start taking pics.  We've had a lot of rain this year and creeks have been up.

Here at the turn around point heading back home. 

So far

After 3.5hrs of riding in the dark on rural roads I was happy when it became light.  But its a love hate relationship.  When the sun came out the cars came out. 

Breakfast stop for a re-fuel. 

Since this ride was an out and back on the return I was able to see what I missed when I rode through in the dark. And I rode through some beautiful country.

A favorite of mine, Link observatory.

Gear:

       Bags:

• Arkel handlebar bag.  It's small, but small bags force you to pack less.  In this bag will be a a quick access puncture kit, tubes, and some quick nutrition. 
• Revelate seat bag.  This bag will have cloths, other tools, and the remainder of the between controls nutrition. 

      Cloths:

• Frogg Togg shell (I take everywhere) Waterproof and warm. The shell doesn't compress well so I strap it to my rear rack.
• Wool short sleeve shirt. 
• Bike shorts
• 3 pairs of socks.
• A pair of wool gloves with a couple pair of rubber glove shells. 
• Long tights
• Reflective vest and ankle bands
• Light cotton long sleeve button shirt  
• Bike gloves

      Tools/tubes:

• Multi-tool
• adjustable wrench
• allen set
• spare crank bolt
• 2 tire levers
• pump
• 2 spare tubes
• patch kit
• 2 chain links
• rag
• zip ties
• spoke wrench
• duct tape
• plastic bags

      Accessories:

• 2 red lights
• 1 dyno front light
• 1spare battery front light
• 3 water bottles 
• rear rack
• 8 spare AA batteries
• 6 spare AAA batteries
• zip lock bag for phone, wallet, and brevet card
• Laminated cue sheet
• GPS with French maps and route
• 200 Euros
• sunglasses and clear glasses
• cycling cap and helmet
• head lamp

      Food:

• 15 Cliff bars/block combo
• 20 recoverer drink mixes 

     Things to do:

• Install new tires
• Install new shift cable and housing
• Install new brake pads
• Look into new dyno hub
• Buy and install new chain
• Buy French maps for GPS
• Doctor PBP cue sheets 
• Look into batter USB backups
• Bubble wrap for bike transport
• Eye droppers for chain lube
• Butter container 
• Tums

Week totals

     By Bike: 157 miles.