Staples

Today’s ride was my life in microcosm: solid but unspectacular, an effort driven more by a sense of obligation than by passion, and not really what I wanted to do. But I did it, and that’s the important thing. On days like this when motivation is lacking, it’s really beneficial to have a “go to” workout.

I am fortunate enough to have several. If I want to go mountain biking, there’s New Fane. Riding two full laps takes just about an hour. Then there’s my favorite road route: 26 miles of quiet country roads to Newburg and back. Figure on 90 minutes. Today I chose the Eisenbahn State Trail, but not the whole thing. I sometimes ride all the way to Eden but more commonly I turn around at Campbellsport. That’s 32 miles total, mostly on gravel, and it takes a little less than 2 hours.

Last week I was a bit under the weather. This week I had some family obligations that reduced my time in the saddle. The break in the routine hasn’t been good for me. I’m planning on a couple of long rides this weekend to get back in the groove.