Last year (2008), I started cycling in the spring and set a goal for myself of 500 miles to a new bike.  I got about 126 miles into the goal and my knees were really bugging me.  I stopped riding.

Last spring I started going to the gym and after a minor setback, I got back to it in June.  I started riding my bike again on July 18^th.  After a few rides I asked Mrs. TKD what the goal was to the new bike.  She said 1000 miles.

Well, I’ve got 850 miles to go after today.  And I really want to get there this time.

I’m riding my Specialized RockHopper with a suspension fork and 1.9 slicks.  Today I was cruising through a neighborhood near the Severn river and having a great time going down a hill – I’d forgotten how HUGE the uphill was.  I got totally crushed by this hill.  It’s got to be like 125 foot change in elevation in a quarter mile.  As I was pumping up the hill, I could feel all my power transferring to the suspension fork as I bobbed up and down.

But, on the bright side, only 850 more miles (mostly flat I’m thinking) until I’ve earned the right to buy a new bike…