Biking Fool

Ok of all the parts of a tri, I love the bike the best, soooo... after the Folks on Spokes Easter Ride the other weekend, I picked up some brochures regarding other bike events in/around our area... Several day rides stuck out but one weekend event really looks spectacular AND I'm sending in the info tomorrow well actually the sign up for the event.

Its the Amishland and Lakes weekend event put on by Michiana Bicycle Association www.mbabike.com, its August 8-10, with various length rides on Sat and Sunday in the heart of Amishland in Indiana - nice open roads, no really traffic except some horse and buggy and beautiful countryside from what I can see on the brochure and fish out on the net.

Thought about staying in the Howe Cadet Rooms but when I started doing some searching there are LOTS of nearby B&B's, and reasonably priced. I am calling tomorrow to make a reservation at a B&B called Poverty acres - nothing fancy but looks very peaceful, quaint, and quite! And hell a $140 for the weekend, beats a skanky dormitory style room with no A/C in August, or some cheap, Lord only knows who slept on the sheets last Motel 6. The B&B is in Shipshewana IN about 2.5 hrs from Chicago and about a 12 mile ride from the start of the supported rides which leave from Howe Military Academy. And hell $25 per person for the weekend supported ride.

Yea I know what FOOL gets excited about biking 100 miles Saturday then another 40 or so on Sunday.... ME!!!! and even better is its not on a TRI weekend - Pleasant Prairie is 8/17 and Lake Zurich is 8/3 - so I say it'll be a good training/riding weekend :o) and sides its not a race - I've always loved trips to Amish countryside in PA, I hope this proves to be as beautiful.

And I'm signing me up for Melon Metric on July 27th in Plano IL and quite possibly Bike Psychos Century in Coal City IL on 8/24 - don't think either of those interfer with a tri weekend either - see secretly I need to run my bike into the ground.... er... I mean ride the piss out of it so I can justify a new ride.

No seriously I LOVE my bike (its not any cool trek or Giant or something more expensive), specially now since the cool folks at Glen Ellyn Bike Shop fit it, as best they can, to me... he said the only thing he can't fix is the top tube is a bit to long for my frame. But for now my Fuji Newest will do just fine for my needs - I need to be ridin' at least a couple thousand miles a year before I will allow myself to financially justify $2000+ for a new bike.