30 days hath September

I rode at least 4,000 miles each year for 11 years in a row.  I had started to believe that that was just normal.  Marty at County Cycles once said to me when I told him I rode my age in miles on my birthday, "That is an obviously self limiting goal."  He was right about that, several years have passed since I achieved that age in miles thing and sure enough, 4,000 miles per year was a self limiting goal.  Last year I came up short of even 3,000.  I blamed it on an extraordinarily awful year of weather.  Cold and awful late into the spring and cold and awful early in the fall.

This year started off with cold and awful late into the spring.

4,000 miles is definitely not possible.  My goal for now is more miles this year than last year.

One of the measurements I used through all of that streak to keep on task was that every day of every month I wanted to have averaged at least 20 miles ridden per day for actual days of the month, not merely days ridden for that month.  Particularly for the five main months of the season, the middle five, I wanted to ride at least 600 miles per month.  Most of the time I did.

So today I reached 600 miles for July, the first time I have achieved such a number since, wanna guess?  Last July.  The issue is, fairly obviously, that July has 31 days, meaning I need 620.

*sigh*

I got it last year. I still have one day before travel for this July, maybe I will make it.  In the mean time 604 miles this month feels to my body like a lot.  Probably because it is.

The wind today dictated north but I am still trying to work out a decent northern route which does not include oil covered pebbles sticking to my tires.  The wind wasn't severe so I started with a short southern route (only to the Fairgrounds) before heading north.

The Fairgrounds was closed for I think five days recently including over the weekend for what I heard was a BMW motorcycle show and rally.  It attracted an extremely large crowd, that's for sure.  But what that really means is that I haven't been there for a while.  I like to check in over there, particularly with the BIG SHOW (the actual Fair) coming in only about three weeks.

Preparations have begun, probably partially related to the motorcycle thing, but the BIG SHOW clearly is coming.  Always one of the last concessions to leave every year after the Fair are the Pronto Pup trailers.  For one thing there are lots and lots of them.  I was not surprised to discover that they are starting to return, even if these two are still on the trailer over by the water tower.

That photo probably makes it evident that today was a few gradations short of OOTNDITHOD.  Lots of times blue sky, lots of times really threatening dark grey clouds overhead with blue sky visible in all directions.  I think they call that partly cloudy and it was, it was always warm enough but towards the end it started to be a tiny bit too windy.  And then long after the ride but as I was trying to do a little outdoor cooking we had a very brief but still very much water falling out of the sky rain squall.

Not too bad though, totally acceptable.

EG: 78
CB: 74
AOWG: 86?

Another sign of the BIG SHOW visible today is that the first round of benches have appeared.

After the Fair all of the benches disappear into storage somewhere.  These are just the wooden benches, soon enough we can expect to see the metal benches with sponsorship lettering on them appear.

Meanwhile over at the new West Gate I came across a sign painter in action at the big new concession at that location.

I read a newspaper article about that place (The Blue Barn) and what their menu is going to look like so I bet anyone who really wants to know can get more information from the intertubes.

The key to me seems to be that old real estate mantra, location, location, location.  They are going to be the first food stand for everyone getting off the bus at that new gate and they are going to be the last food stand for everyone getting on the bus to go home as well.

It is probably going to become legendary.

Rant mode.

The big city over to our south has graveled a bunch of streets in proximity to the Fairgrounds.  Unlike the kinder and gentler suburbs the big city declines to even put up one of those "Loose Gravel" signs.  They just go ahead and slather the streets with oil and a huge application of tiny little pebbles.

Given zero warning I rode right into that mess at speed with the intention of turning left.

Really, really not cool.

But a nice ride on a plenty nice enough day.  It feels good to get to 600 again.  I had fun.