Meandering Matt

Bike MS 2017

2017-04-28T19:54:00.000-04:00

I'm riding Bike MS: Central Ohio Challenge again this year and am looking for more people to partner with my by donating toward my fundraising efforts.

I ride to support family and friends who are dealing with the effects of MS. It has been crazy as I've found out how many people I know that have been diagnosed with MS.

For me, the challenge of riding 100 slightly hilly miles is tough, but I can't even imagine dealing with the effects of such a debilitating disease!

Please consider donating any amount to support the National MS Society and help me to reach my goal! Thank you for your consideration!

Bike MS Fundraising

2015-05-04T18:00:00.000-04:00

I'm really struggling with my fundraising for Bike MS. I'm not getting much interest from social media or from coworkers. This week, they've challenged us to raise as much as possible toward our goals and even threw in prizes. Could you help me out by making a donation? The amount of your donation does is not what counts, but that you give! I have a goal of raising $500 and so far I've only raised about 16% of that goal. I really need some other people to help me reach that goal as I'm riding in June!

Visit my personal ride page and click "Donate To Me"! I'll be so grateful to anyone that can give. I'm also working on finding some prizes to throw into a drawing for anyone who donates, so you may even have a shot at winning a prize!

Thank you so much for reading and considering making a donation toward my $500 goal!

Planning for a Week Long Bicycle Ride

2015-03-11T19:08:00.001-04:00

I'm super excited about riding this year. My bike is currently in the shop for maintenance. Apparently I've put a lot of wear on it. They checked my chain and said it was really worn. The tires are close to needing replaced, and the handlebar tape was starting to tear. So, they are cleaning all the mechanical parts, replacing the chain, re-wrapping the handlebars, and possibly replacing my tubes and tires. Wow. My bike has around 2200 miles on it. It's hard to believe I've ridden that much in 3 years.

I can't wait to push my body to do a 7 day bike ride called GOBA, Great Ohio Bicycle Adventure in June. For one, I love seeing what I'm actually capable of. Secondly, I hope to make some friends and meet new people. I'm not a very outgoing person, so that might be a little bit of a challenge. The other exciting part is that the route mostly goes through areas very close to home and where I grew up.

Planning for a week long bicycle ride is a lot more of a task than I expected. I've realized there are a lot of things I'll need that I just don't have. I need to also figure out what kinds of snacks I want to carry with me. There are a lot of stops planned in small towns we'll be riding through, but I want to be sure I have things that I know fuel me well and that I like. I also need to determine how much Nuun to pack!

Here's a list of things I think I need to get before I take off on this adventure later this year. I'm hoping to do this at the least cost possible!

Battery pack for charging my cell phone in case power sources aren't available.
CO2 Pump and Cartridges (Been stuck trying to hand pump my bike once and don't want to do it again if I can help it.)
Seatpost rack and trunk bag to carry additional items on the bike with me.
New mirror (mine is really cloudy and is getting tough to see things in.)
Sun Screen (I burn really easily, so I'll need lots of this!)
Foldable sandals that I can pack away or stuff in a jersey pocket for stops where cleats aren't allowed.
Multi-tool with more tools on it. My current tool has come in handy, but has been proven to be missing some things before.
Spare tubes just in case.
Tent (Our tent is several years old, large, and some parts have fallen off. I'd love to get a tent just the right size to hold me and my bag.)
Sleeping Bag and Pad (Ours got eaten by the washing machine two years ago and we never replaced them.)
New cycling gloves (My cycling gloves are 3 years old and have been worn for most of my 2200 miles.)
Rain jacket or poncho in case of rain (I bought one last year, but it doesn't breathe at all and I ended up miserable at the end of the ride.)
Chamois Cream of some sort. I've only had to use it once before, but I'm sure over a week long ride, things will rub.
Camera (This is a wish item so I can take pictures with something other than my cell phone. I'm not real worried about this item.)

That's the list of items I have so far that I know I will need to buy. I have a feeling there will be other items I'll need. Even with all the preparation that is going to happen between now and the ride, I'm still excited for this new experience! Anyone have any tips for me?

Scheduling More 2015 Cycling

2015-02-27T18:30:00.000-05:00

2015 is going to be a great year of cycling. I've already registered for three rides, one of which is a 3 day ride, and another that is a 7 day event. I can't wait for the weather to warm up so I can start riding/training!

I already talked briefly about Amishland and Lakes that is in August. I always love this ride. This will be my third year riding it, but I've never felt up to riding the third day. I'm determined to ride all three days even if I only ride a short route on Sunday.

I also recently registered for Bike MS to raise awareness and support for the National MS Society. My wife's aunt and cousin both have MS and I saw this as a way to ride a fun event and raise awareness and support for the organization's research and services! I still have a long way to go on my fundraising, so I encourage you to make a donation if you are able! Just click the banner below.

Additionally, I registered last night for The Great Ohio Bicycle Adventure. This is a seven day ride around Northwest Ohio. I can't wait for this one as it rides through both the area I live in now and the area I grew up in. I've never done a ride this long, but it is only 50-60 miles per day with two layover days that we aren't required to ride. It includes tent camping each night, so it will be exactly what the name depicts, an adventure. I'm not a greatly outgoing person, so my hope is that this will force me out of my comfort zone a little bit and I'll make some new friends along the way!

I'm kind of disappointed that I'll miss the Buckeye Bridge Ride this year because I'll be on the big adventure ride the day of that one. Hopefully, I'll be able to do that one again next year.

At work, we're doing a Biggest Loser Challenge for our wellness program. I've needed to take a few pounds off for a while, mostly because I love to eat...and eat a lot! I've committed to eating right at least 6 out of 7 days a week (I have to have a day I can cheat each week) and working out 4-5 days a week. So far, I've lost close to 6 pounds in about a week and a half.

Both of my boys have birthdays in March, so it's fun planning parties, but hard to believe how quick they grow up. One will be 9 and the other will be 2.

Happy 2015 - Time to Start Planning Rides

2015-02-01T12:39:00.000-05:00

Happy 2015! It's been a long time since I've blogged. It seems I just don't have the time I wish I did to dedicate to writing posts. It's a snowy day here in Ohio, so I'm just relaxing. My son is busy watching the kitten bowl on TV. Not exactly my kind of show to watch!

I got news late in the year that I was selected as a Nuun Ambassador for 2015. I'm so excited because I love Nuun. When I found it, I fell in love because it has quite a bit of sodium which seems to keep my leg cramps on the bike at bay. I fell more in love when I tried Nuun Energy for the first time. I'm excited to represent such an awesome product! I even ordered Nuun bib shorts and a Nuun jersey for cycling. I am excited as this is my first "branded" cycling clothes purchase. Most of my cycling jerseys are cheap jerseys I found at discount stores.

I was also super excited when I got the email that registration is open for Amishland and Lakes, a 3 day bike ride I've participated in for the past two years. I love this ride for several reasons. First, it's a fairly flat ride, so it is pretty easy to complete 100 miles on Saturday. Second, it's mostly on beautiful country roads, passing many Amish farms. Third, several of the Amish families provide snacks in their front yard for the cyclists as we pass. Fourth, there's a great Italian restaurant in Howe, IN, where the ride start and finish is.

I have set a goal to complete 1,500 miles in 2015. In 2014, I rode 1,112 miles. To get this additional mileage in 2015, I'm looking for more ride events to participate in. I'm seriously considering doing Bike MS, but I'm a little bit nervous because it will be the first ride that requires some fund raising. I'm hoping if I commit that I'll be able to raise the funds required. I would love to ride this in honor of my wife's aunt and cousin that both have MS.

Looking Back Over 2014

2014-12-16T18:30:00.000-05:00

This past Sunday, I was able to get out and ride 18.6 miles, which put me over my latest cycling goal in 2014. My initial goal this year was 800 miles. This proved to be rather simple to get. Once I hit that, I realized I was on track to hit another milestone. I hit 1000 miles this fall and then noticed another milestone as I looked back over the past three years. In 2012 and 2013 combined, I completed 1,110.74 miles. I was really close to going over that, so I set forth to double my pre-2014 mileage.

This became a bit difficult when I cut my thumb on a chainsaw during my time off for Thanksgiving. The ER told me it was a good chainsaw injury in that it only require 3 stitches and wasn't the loss of a body part or head trauma. This actually kept me from getting out because of the pain when I'd try to grasp anything like handlebars...or my toothbrush.

This weekend, the temperatures reached the mid-40's and I knew I only needed 17.5 miles to go over my mileage for the past two years combined, so I headed out for a ride between church and the children's program at church that evening. I was able to complete 18.6 miles, bringing my year total to 1,111.95 miles. That's crazy to think I rode over 1,110 miles in a single year! That included two 100 mile rides, with one of those being the same weekend as another ride that I participated in. That weekend, I completed 164 miles between Saturday and Sunday. I never thought I'd complete that kind of mileage in a single weekend!

I'm looking forward to more riding next year and am trying to decide what goals to set for myself. I'm also starting to consider other gear I may need. Below is a list of items I'm starting to think I may need:

Toe covers to help keep the cold off of my toes while riding in cooler weather.
Winter long legged bibs for warmth in cooler weather.
Long-fingered gloves.
Rear rack with pannier bags for longer rides or commuting to work.
Professional bike fitting to make sure I'm on the bike right. My back and shoulders always bother me after a ride, so I think there may be some adjustments needed.
RoadID. I have a ID on my shoe that my wife got me, but I really like the design of the RoadID bracelets.
CO2 tire inflater. Had to hand pump up a tire early this year and that was not fun along the side the road.
Faster bike? Or is it that I need to pedal harder or faster?
Heart rate monitor bracelet (no chest strap!).

A few products I've come to love this year:

NUUN Energy
Rip Van Wafel
Honey Stinger Waffles
Gu Energy Gels (Vanilla and Root Beer)
Several different energy bars and protein bars

Well, I guess that's all I really wanted to share. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year if I don't write again before 2015!

Am I Losing My Mind?

2014-09-03T12:52:00.001-04:00

I was just looking at my calendar and realized I've registered for two organized cycling events this weekend, both offering a 100 mile option. In one sense, that means I have two shots at getting my second century ride (goal) in for this yer. In another sense, I obviously wasn't looking at the calendar when I registered for a second event on the same weekend. Google Calendar week view goes Sunday to Saturday, so I didn't even notice that Saturday and Sunday are both scheduled rides.

Saturday, I'm registered to ride in the 2014 Black Swamp Bike Tour in Bowling Green, Ohio. This ride offers routes of 25, 50, 63, 75, & 100 miles. My goal is to complete the 100 mile route to complete my goal for this year of riding 800 miles and two centuries. Mind you, I'm only 7 miles away from the 800 mile goal. If the weather cooperates, I'll to the 100 on Saturday and consider a shorter ride on Sunday. I don't think my body will recover quick enough to attempt two centuries in one weekend.

Sunday, I'm registered to ride in the Hancock Horizontal Hundred in Findlay, Ohio. This ride offers routes of 20, 32, 62, and 100 miles. If the wind on Saturday cooperates and I'm able to complete 100 miles, I will probably attempt the 32 or 62 on Sunday. This would be the most mileage I've completed in a single weekend no matter which route I choose. My previous one-weekend total is 114 miles, I think.

Do you ever schedule back to back rides or races? How did it go?

Block Island Organics Sunscreen

2014-08-28T13:37:00.002-04:00

Being a cyclist that puts in a lot of time on my bike, I am forced to think about sun exposure and the health of my skin. I make sure to apply sunscreen any time I'm going to be on my bike longer than my 15 minute commute to work. This also goes for our whole family. My wife makes sure the kids are well protected every time they are outdoors and she has started trying natural, organic, and non-toxic products for our kids!

Block Island Organics contacted me recently to try their Baby Block SPF 30 sunscreen. I figured this would be a great product for our children. I use a much higher SPF when I'm on my bike, although I've read a lot lately stating that anything over SPF 50 may not really provide added protection.

We used the Block Island Organics Baby Block SPF 30 on our sons when we went to the County Fair. We spent three and a half hours going in and out of buildings and animal barns. The Baby Block sunscreen did a great job at protecting our kids from sunburn. My wife mentioned that it was not as thick as other sunscreens we've used in the past, but that it was actually a lot easier to rub into the skin than others.

Block Island Organics Baby Block SPF 30 is a zinc only organic, lightweight, non-nano and mineral based sunscreen safe for over 6 months and for sensitive skin types. It is a broad spectrum UVA/UVB sunscreen, which is something I look for in all sunscreen I use. Additionally, it is water resistant for 40 minutes. I was also glad it is paraben free because when I was much younger, I had a mild allergy to products containing parabens. And for those that watch closely, this is made in the USA. Block Island Organics also offers adult sunscreens and sunburn relief products, so be sure to check them out!

If you'd like to try Block Island Organics, you can save 20% on any order before 9/5/2014 using my discount code: matts. This discount is not good with any other discounts or offers.

Amishland and Lakes Weekend 2014

2014-08-06T18:00:00.000-04:00

Well, it's now Wednesday and I haven't updated you on the Amishland and Lakes event this past weekend. We headed out Friday morning for Howe, Indiana with plans to make a quick stop at the meat and cheese shop in Shipshewana before checking into our hotel. We got there and the skies started clouding over and it looked like rain. We grabbed lunch at The Bread Box and then headed over to Yoder's Meat and Cheese Company to pick up some different burgers to take home with us. I love all the different kinds of burgers they make including such things as buffalo burgers, bacon burgers, jalapeno and blue cheese burgers, and more. I was going to be riding all day Saturday and they aren't open on Sunday's, so I knew I had to get it early.

We then drove to our hotel and got checked in, driving through really heavy rain. I was rather concerned that I wouldn't be able to ride because of all the lightning in the area. We checked in and hauled all of our stuff to the room, packing all the frozen burgers into the little hotel room freezer/refrigerator. I checked the radar and saw that there were a few clearings in the rain, so I got changed into my cycling clothes and drove down the the event location. I got my bike unloaded and headed out, not knowing whether I'd ride the 14 or 32 mile route. I rode to the first SAG stop, getting very wet about 4 miles in. I waited for the rain to slow a bit and headed out, settling for the 14 mile route because I wasn't interested in getting any wetter.

I loaded up my bike and headed back to the hotel. After cleaning up a bit and changing clothes, our family headed out to have dinner at the Essenhaus in Middlebury. We got to sit inside the buggy booth. It was pretty cool. We love their food and especially the buffet. Knowing I'd be riding 100 miles on Saturday, I loaded up on carbs...and a lot of other food. After dinner, it was late enough that our youngest was tired. We headed back to the hotel and all got ready for bed and laid down for the night. I didn't feel like I slept very well, partially thinking about the long ride ahead of me.

Saturday morning, I woke up around 5:00 A.M. and laid there for about 45 minutes before getting up to get dressed and head out. In the lobby, Hampton surprised me with an amazing complimentary breakfast that included eggs and potatoes. I didn't get into the sausage or a lot of the sweet options as to not upset my stomach. I drove to the event location and got my bike all ready, strapping my rain jacket under my saddle just in case and headed out for a long day of riding.

I felt really good throughout the entire 100 miles except for a couple miles near the halfway point where I experienced some very mild cramping in my thighs. The SAG stops all offered fresh Michigan blueberries and other great snacks. One of the highlights of the ride for me were the Amish family that offered Balsam Mint tea and pumpkin bars to riders for a donation. I looked forward to that stop after stopping there last year. The Balsam Mint tea is some of the best tea I've ever had and you can't go wrong with pumpkin bars! I really enjoyed all of the scenery and especially all of the friendly Amish that we passed whether in their buggies or on bikes.

There was one Amish home where the children were out on little two wheel carts behind a miniature horse. They were racing cyclists along the side of the road until they reached the edge of their property. Another highlight was stopping at another Amish home that was offering root beer floats and doughnut bars to cyclists for a donation. I didn't make this stop last year because I was wearing down and the wind was really wearing on me. I'm really glad I stopped this year. That root beer float and doughnut bar really hit the spot. I think the sugar was good for me.

From the root beer float stop, there was only about 11 miles left to make the full 100 miles. I made one more SAG stop to use the bathroom. I think I used the port-a-potties more this ride than I ever have on any other ride. We rode through Shipshewana and then back to Howe. I've gotta say those last 8-10 miles were really difficult for me for some reason. I ended up stopping and eating a NuGo Stronger bar and a Vanilla Bean Gu Energy Gel to get the boost I needed to finish. I had been texting my wife over the past several miles to let her know when I'd be at the finish.

At just barely over 7 hours (on the bike), I completed my 100 mile ride just as my wife was getting out of the car. My father-in-law and our 8 year old were right there waiting on me. Climbing off the bike, I was feeling way better than I did when I completed the same ride last year. I will admit my backside was very tender. I went in to get water and ice cream and then we headed back to the hotel. The family went to the pool while I showered and laid down for a bit before dinner.

We went to Iannarelli's for dinner after having great food last year. We were not disappointed. The food was wonderful again this year. I had jumbo stuffed shells with garlic bread. We headed back to the hotel and I was definitely ready for an early bed time. My wife and boys headed down to her parents room to play for a while and I laid down, falling asleep quickly.

I woke up around 5:30 A.M. and considered whether I'd ride any of the Sunday ride options, deciding that my backside was way to tender to spend another day on the bike saddle. I went back to sleep and woke back up a couple hours later. I stood out of bed and just about fell over because my Achilles tendon in my left leg was very painful. I took it pretty easy Sunday until I could purchase an ankle brace to support it. Then late in the afternoon, I noticed my knee started hurting, so I put on my knee brace too.

Thankfully, by the next morning, my knee was feeling better. By today, my ankle is feeling a lot better, although I still wore the ankle brace to support it. Now, I'm on to preparing for 65 miles this coming weekend at the Rally Point River Ride in Lima, Ohio. I'm looking forward to this ride because it has a different starting point than previous years I've ridden it and because it has been a few years since I've been able to ride it.

Goal Update

My goals for this year were to ride at least 800 miles and two centuries. I have ridden 700 of the 800 miles so far this year (87.5%) and just completed my first century. I think I have two more organized events that give me the opportunity to complete a century, so I still could make that goal too. I had hoped to ride the Ohio to Erie trail this year, but it doesn't look like I'll be able to squeeze that in with school starting back up for our son.

Amishland and Lakes 2014

2014-07-28T19:36:00.000-04:00

This coming weekend is Amishland and Lakes 2014. I rode this event last year and completed my first century ride on Saturday of the three day ride. I decided Saturday night that I wasn't going to attempt a ride on Sunday and then regretted that I made that decision. I was feeling pretty good when I woke up Sunday morning. I'm excited to attempt another century this year on Saturday. My family is going along to do some shopping and see what other activities they can find. My wife's parents are going to be there too to help with our kids and to just get away for a couple days.

Me after the 2013 Amishland and Lakes ride (my first century).

This year, registration and the ride starts at 3:00 P.M. on Friday. Friday offers routes of 14 and 32 miles. Being that I plan to ride 100 miles on Saturday, I'll most likely ride 14 Friday night so as to not wear out my body. Saturday, they offer routes of 25, 36, 50, 63, and 100 miles. Like I said, the goal is to complete 100 miles, which would be my first century this year. My goal for the year is to complete two centuries, so that'll leave me with one more to complete. Sunday, they offer rides of 22, 33, 46, and 62 miles. Depending how I feel after Saturday, I plan to ride either 22 or 33 miles on Sunday. Even if I ride the shortest ride on Friday and Sunday, that's still 136 miles in three days. I'm pretty happy with that.

So, you may be asking if I have a plan to complete my second century that I set as a goal for 2014. Well, I have three more organized rides planned, but only two offer a 100 mile option. I may attempt to add some extra mileage to the third ride if the weather is good so that I can get my goal. Two of the rides are in September, which most likely means cooler weather, but my history on those rides says it'll be pretty windy, so 100 miles isn't always an option. I have yet to figure out a good way to pedal through wind.

Busy Weekend and Week

2014-07-10T19:40:00.001-04:00

It's been a really busy week and a half here. Last Thursday, I left work early and we drove to my in-laws' house. Their family does a big camping event at their house over the 4th of July weekend. My son and I slept in the tent the first night and I finished the final two nights in the tent by myself. My wife and youngest son slept in the house the whole weekend. I rode my bike 28 miles on Friday morning and 31 miles on Saturday morning, followed by a family softball game.

By the time we were done with softball, I realized that my Achilles Tendon was really irritated. I've been taking it pretty easy ever since to try to let it heal. I think I irritated it on my bike first and then softball made it worse. From what I was able to find on Dr. Google, it's a common injury if a cyclist points his / her toes in the pedal stroke. Additional information pointed to my bike seat being too high. That's when I realized that about 3 weeks ago, I raised the seat about half an inch because I felt like I was sitting too low. I've probably been over stretching that tendon ever since. It's time to drop it back down a little and see if it helps.

This week has been crazy busy at work and my youngest son has been sick most of the week. Last night, my oldest son and I decided to go to the Lima Loco's baseball game. I found out it was a double header and at $6 for the two of us to get in, it was a fun night. The first game was 7 innings with Lima winning after a grand slam home run. The second game was 9 innings with a 3 run homer close to the end with Lima pulling out a second win!

My garden is still doing pretty well, although bugs have destroyed my cabbage and brussel sprout plants. I've got a mystery squash plant that has some really large squash of some sort on it. This was not something I planted, so I'm excited to see what it is. The plant has vines that are probably close to 50 feet in length. I also have another squash plant that I did not plant. I can tell that it's a yellow summer squash plant. I'm excited for picking that and grilling it.

Today, I took my lunch walk down to the hospital and back, stopping at the local produce stand that is set up near the hospital. They had a lot more vegetables than they did the last time I was there. I came home with sweet peppers, hot peppers, zucchini, and cucumbers. I found a recipe on Pinterest for refrigerator dill pickles and I'm going to try that with the cucumbers. I've got fresh dill in the garden too. Oh, and I have a sunflower that I didn't plant. It is currently about 2 feet taller than me. Anyone have a guess what my mystery squash is? It's fairly round and bigger than my fist.

Buckeye Bridge Ride

2014-06-29T20:14:00.000-04:00

Yesterday was the Buckeye Bridge Ride in Preble County, Ohio. This was my third year riding this organized ride supporting Preble County 4-H. It's one of my favorite rides because they put a lot of effort into effectively marking the entire route so that it is easy to follow. They also provide a perfect number of SAG stops with food and water refills.

I camped at the Preble County Fairgrounds Friday night so that I wouldn't have to get up too early on Saturday morning. I was up and registered by 6:30 AM and on the road by 6:45 AM. The weather was cool with extremely high humidity, which made it sticky right from the start and more sticky as it warmed up. There was practically no wind, so that was one less challenge for the ride. With all the humidity, I found myself drinking almost 48 ounces of water every 15-20 miles.

We passed the first two bridges before the first SAG stop. I love seeing all the bridges and especially all the countryside down there.

The first SAG stop offered water, Gatorade, several kinds of granola and cereal bars, and fruit. I ate my first NuGo Stronger bar to keep me properly fueled. Last weekend, I hit about 50-55 miles and ran out of energy. I didn't want to do that again this week. Shortly after the SAG stop, we arrived at the third bridge.

Somewhere around mile 21-23, we had a fairly long downhill and after reaching almost 30 miles per hour on the way down, I heard a strange sound that I hadn't heard before on my bike. I looked down between my legs and saw that my rear tire had gone flat. I'm thankful that I was able to make it down the hill safely. I have no idea at what point going down the hill that the tire went flat. I stopped and flipped the bike over checking for punctures. I didn't find any punctures, so I decided to try re-inflating the tire. I've never tried CO2 cartridges for inflating a tire, so all I had was a hand pump mounted on my frame. I was able to get the tire up to about 90PSI and decided to ride for a bit and see how it went.

By the time I arrived at the next SAG stop, around mile 27-28, the tire was very low again. I decided I would be better to change the tube rather than trying to inflate the old one again. Thankfully, I had seen a tire changed once and changed one myself in the kitchen one time before. It took me about 10 minutes to get everything changed and at least 10 minutes to inflate the new tube as much as I could using my hand pump. I think it's time to get a CO2 cartridge and learn how to use it.

That SAG stop is at the bottom of the hill at Hueston Woods State Park. The bad thing is that after entering the park downhill, you have to climb that hill back out. Thankfully, the tire and tube held out for the remainder of the ride. About another 20 miles in and I started feeling light rain. I checked the radar on my phone and decided it would be best at my pace to complete the shorter route rather than attempt the 89 mile route. I didn't want to get soaked if it started raining harder. There were and additional two bridges and two SAG stops and the rest of the ride was rather uneventful, thankfully.

I completed the 64 mile route in just over 4 hours (plus stops, including replacing a tube). My average speed was 15 miles per hour and I was pretty pleased with that considering all the climbing I did. There are considerably more hills in Southwestern Ohio compared to Northwest Ohio where I do a majority of my riding. I look forward to riding this ride again next year. In the meantime, I'm trying to figure out if there is a way to squeeze in the Ohio to Erie trail by bike in July. Then, at the beginning of August, I'm registered to ride the Amishland and Lakes ride in Northern Indiana.

How Many Steps Do You Walk?

2014-06-25T18:00:00.000-04:00

My company has a wellness program that allows us to get a discount on our health care premiums. Recently, they started a challenge to encourage us to get at least 10,000 steps per day. I didn't figure it would be too hard, but I've found it to be way more difficult than I expected!

For the first three weeks, I was averaging about 5,000 steps per day. Apparently, many other employees were also struggling to reach 10,000 steps, so they implemented a 10,000 step club for anyone getting 10,000 steps all 7 days each week. For some reason, that made my brain decide it was time to get 10,000 at any cost. I've spent some nights pacing the house during commercials, but so far, I've made just over 10,000 steps each day this week.

Walking between rain showers.

I am an Information Technology (IT) person at work, so much of my day includes sitting at a desk monitoring systems, troubleshooting problems, taking phone calls, and working on miscellaneous projects that are in the works. I only get up for certain tasks or for problems that require me to go to someone's desk. Because my job doesn't require a lot of movement, I've had to get creative. I've been taking the long way to get everywhere and walking an extra block when I'm outside of the office. I've also been walking 2.5 miles outside or on the YMCA track when it is too hot outside.

Do you track steps during the day? How many steps to you get in a day? My mom says she easily gets 20,000 steps in a day because her job requires her to be on her feet and walking most of the time she is working. Do you have creative ways to get up and move while you are at work?

Limaland Tour - 65 Miles

2014-06-22T09:47:00.002-04:00

Yesterday was the Limaland Tour. I registered to ride the 65 mile route and completed it in record time. I knew I was riding a pretty fast pace up until mile 55, where my body decided it might not want to finish. I think what had happened is that I neglected eating enough along the route. The last 10 miles were rather tough, but I still finished with an average speed of 16.7 miles per hour. Last year, my average was right around 14 miles per hour, so I'm excited to see the increase in average speed this year. I attribute part of that to my weight loss.

I really enjoyed the ride yesterday and even spent some time in lines of cyclists, which kept me at the higher pace. The roads were pretty flat, which was nice, but now I have the very hilly ride next week. The best part of yesterday was when I got home, and checked Endomondo and found out I had PR'd in several categories that Endomondo tracks. That means I really was moving pretty fast.

This morning, my neck and knees hurt, but I'm feeling pretty good otherwise. Next week, I think I have the opportunity to complete 89 miles on the Buckeye Bridge Ride. That rides is about 1700 feet of climbing, so it'll be much more challenging than the 400 feet of climbing yesterday. It will be very important that I monitor my time and mileage so that I can make sure I'm refueling often enough so that I don't crash at the end. I'm still experimenting with different energy bars and gels for refueling my body on these longer rides. It seems there are unlimited options available on the market, so I hope I'll find the one that works best for me soon.

Heat It Up Giveaway Blog Hop

2014-06-19T22:00:00.000-04:00

Thanks for stopping by as part of the Heat It Up Health & Fitness Giveaway Bloghop! This is my first time participating in a Giveaway Bloghop, so I hope you will enjoy the prize I'm offering and even find some posts of interest on my blog. You can find a list of other blogs participating in the Giveaway Bloghop at the bottom of my post, so be sure to check them out!

My blog has evolved over the years and I find myself leaning more toward posts about my cycling activities now. Being "Meandering Matt", I let whatever is on my mind work its way into my posts.

Right now, I'm really excited that I'm already on track to be almost 60% to my 800 mile cycling goal in 2014. I'm also really excited that my vegetable garden is looking great this year! That's one plus to all the rain that has kept me off of my bike! Additionally, I'm having a lot of fun experimenting with nutrition / energy / protein bars and snacks that I can take with me to keep me fueled on long bike rides! If you have suggestions on snacks I can used on my rides, I'd love to hear about them!

One of the items I always have with me when I'm riding is Nuun hydration tablets. I find that drinking Nuun while on my rides helps to prevent a lot of the leg cramps I used to experience. I also have started using Nuun Energy for that extra boost on the bike. Nuun Energy includes B-vitamins to help turn carbs into energy and a burst of caffeine.

Giveaway

For my giveaway, I'm offering a Nuun 4-Pack or a Nuun Energy Sampler Pack (includes water bottle). The winner can choose which they would like. Nuun offers Mixed 4-packs or 4-packs of an individual flavor. Check out all the options on the Nuun shop.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Giveaway Linky

Please be sure to check out all of the other amazing blogs participating in the Giveaway Bloghop! You'll have the opportunity to enter ti win lots of other prizes!

2014 Cycling Goal Update

2014-06-18T18:30:00.000-04:00

At the beginning of 2014, I set two goals for myself for my cycling. I set a goal of riding 800 miles this year and a goal to complete two century rides. I figured the 800 mile goal would be fairly easy to reach because I completed over 600 last year. The century rides would be a bit more of a challenge for me. Last year, I completed one century in August. I attempted a couple more centuries, but the weather ended up impacting my ability to push through. I had to cut those short.

I wanted to share an update of where I am at with my goal as of today. As of today, I have not completed any century rides. We'll see if I can squeeze one in this month, but the organized rides I am doing don't really offer a 100 mile option. I could probably make a couple extra turns to get closer to a century. Reaching 800 miles is looking really good. So far, I have 331 miles in, 40% of my goal, and lots of time to ride before it gets cold here in Ohio. By the end of June, I expect to easily be at or above 460 miles, which would be 57% of my goal. If the chance of rain would go away, I could start commuting to work again too, which adds to my mileage.

How are you doing with any fitness or other goals you set for 2014?

Upcoming Rides

2014-06-14T15:18:00.002-04:00

Well, vacation was a lot of fun. Coming back to work was a bear. One of our big technology items in the data center got broke while I was gone and I had to deal with that as soon as I got back to work on Monday. There were other minor things I had to work on as well as my normal beginning of the month tasks. To make it even worse, it was the first week in over a month that I've been in the office for 5 days straight. May was full of conferences and a holiday. The weather has been crazy with rain showers almost every day, so I haven't gotten out on my bike.

I was able to get some work done in my gardens. I'm so excited to see the gardens doing well. Most years, I don't have a lot of luck, but the garden is looking amazing so far this year, including some volunteer squash plants and a sunflower that is standing over 4 feet tall. I did not plant either of those two plants. I went to Menards Thursday to get some top soil to cover the potato plants a bit more. I found some eggplant plants that were marked way down. I bought them because they already had some flowers on them. I'm hoping maybe they'll do ok even though it's kind of late to be putting stuff in the garden.

Anyway, I wanted to write about two bike rides I have coming up. Next Saturday, June 21, I have registered for the Limaland Tour in Lima, Ohio. They are offering routes of 17, 35, and 65 miles. I registered for the 65 mile ride figuring it should take me around 4 hours to complete. This is a ride I haven't done before, but since the starting point is pretty close to me, it makes it an easy ride to attempt.

June 28, I'm registered for the Buckeye Bridge Ride at the Preble County Fairgrounds. They offer 18, 49, 62, 89, and 100 mile routes. If the weather is perfect, I will attempt 100. This ride is about 2 hours away, so I may stay overnight near there so I don't have to leave too early! I have done this ride twice before and loved it. Several big hills make this ride a challenge for me since I live in a very flat part of Ohio, but I love the hills and the challenge of climbing them on my bike!

Vacation and Cycling

2014-06-09T20:27:00.000-04:00

We just got back from a week of vacation in Emerald Isle, North Carolina. My in-laws rented a house on the beach and invited the whole family. One thing I didn't get a picture of was the house. We love it on the beach and in the waves. Below are a few views from the house we stayed in.

This year, I decided I wanted to ride a bike on vacation, so I rented a Jamis road bike from Hwy 58 Bikes. It was great. I reserved it ahead of time and when I got there, they fitted me on the bike and got a helmet and lock for me. I rode from the bike shop to the rental house, about 6.5 miles. It was warm, but rather peaceful riding the main road along the island. I got out several mornings early enough that it wasn't super hot, although I did get to ride in some considerable wind. I rode a total of 107 miles through the week. Here's a few views from my rides.

The other thing that I have to do on vacation, no matter where we go, is to try some of the local restaurants and food.

Oyster Burger at Finz in Beaufort, NC

Beer Float with Horny Goat Peanut Butter Chocolate Porter (AMAZING!)

Harrika's Brew Haus, Cedar Point, NC

This place was amazing, offering over 800 beers, along with coffee, tea, and other items.

Kitchen Sink Burger and Orzo Mac & Cheese

Jackie's American Grill, Emerald Isle, NC

Country Ham, Egg, and Cheese Biscuit and Cappuccino

The Village Market, Emerald Isle, NC

Stopped here for breakfast on a morning bike ride.

We also had a good time exploring different alcohols. I stuck to beer mostly, but sampled wines and liquors that others purchased. I did find an Apple Pie Moonshine that was pretty good.

I'd like to share one last thing. While we were on vacation, my garden took off. Many plants hadn't done much before we left. When we got home, the potato plants were around 3 feet tall, the tomato plants had taken off like crazy and many of the squash plants had grown as big as my torso. I also picked a very large bowl of salad when we got home.

Exploring Dublin Ohio By Bike

2014-05-26T21:16:00.000-04:00

Last week, I had a three-day business conference in Dublin, Ohio. The weather was forecast to be beautiful, so I took my bike along. Thursday morning, I was able to get out for a short ride before breakfast. I was pleasantly surprised to find that Dublin has installed bike paths all over. I rode about 5 easy miles. My left knee was sore, so I didn't push it too hard. I noticed that it really helped to loosen up my knee by the time I got back to my hotel. I saw the field of concrete corn on this short morning ride.

Thursday evening, after that day's meetings, I headed out to explore more of the elaborate bike path system. I rode close to 17 miles, meandering along all the paths. I really was impressed by the number of miles of trail and how well kept they were. The only thing I would offer up is that they should put signs at intersections where the path switches sides of the road or turns. Below are some of the sights along the paths that I really found to be unique.

Old Log Cabin

Three Dancing Rabbits Statue

When I got back to my hotel, I cleaned up and headed out for dinner. I had seen 101 Beer Kitchen on Google Maps and just had to try it. The menu was rather unique, including things like deviled eggs with Prosciutto and Capers, several unique pizzas and much more. They also had quite a list of beers on tap. I had beer, homemade tator tots with pork croutons, and a luau pizza. It was all amazing!

I'm hoping to get an opportunity to explore more of the bike paths in Dublin because I know I just barely scratched the surface of the trails down there.

My Route

I've really enjoyed being back on my bike. Sunday, I rode 21 miles and today, I completed 35 miles. My back and legs are pretty sore from getting back on the bike, but it's been so enjoyable! I think It may be time to get in to the bike shop for a bike fitting to make sure I have everything set up properly on my bike to prevent discomfort and injury.

Injury Update and Weight Loss

2014-05-20T14:30:00.000-04:00

My back is still not feeling 100%, but it's considerably better than it has been. I couldn't stand it any more, so I headed out on the Lima Rotary Walk for a bike ride Sunday. I was going to take it easy and just see what my body was capable of. It turned into a 22 mile ride at my usual 14-15 MPH pace. It felt great to be out on my bike again. Afterward, we had friends over for a barbecue. It was such a great day.

After putting everything away, I walked in the house and realized how achy my back was. I sat on the heating pad for about a half hour and was still feeling pretty achy and I had a migraine coming on. I realized I hadn't had enough water that day, so I took some ibuprofen and drank a bunch of water before going to bed. I felt pretty good the next morning, but by the end of the day was all achy again. Today, I've made it through most of the day with some minor ache, but it's definitely strengthening back up a little.

As far as my diet, I'm down a total of 22 pounds since the beginning of February. I'm at that point that I'm out of belt notches, my pants are close to two sizes two big (I think), and my dress shirts are a whole size too big. I have about 8 more pounds to go, so I don't really want to buy a new wardrobe yet. It's also great that random people I don't see very often are starting to notice my weight loss too. Once the back pain is gone completely, I think I'm going to feel like an all new man!

Be sure to enter the $50 Amazon and Nuun Energy giveaway I posted late last week!

YesFM Sharathon and Amazon & Nuun Energy Giveaway

2014-05-15T22:22:00.000-04:00

My favorite Christian radio station, YesFM, is doing their sharathon right now and I was trying to think of some way I could try to support them. I made a donation already, but decided it would be awesome to do a giveaway and see if I could draw in more people to help support the radio station I listen to all the time. Of course, you can enter without doing anything for the station. I just thought it might be fun. Check out YesFM and listen to them online too sometime. You might find out you like them!

If you'd like to donate to the YesFM Sharathon,

Click the link above
Select the amount you'd like to donate ($10 or more for the giveaway)
Choose whether to pay with a card or with Paypal
Under "I want my donation to be designated toward:", select "Sharathon - One Time Gift"
Under the giving option, select either option
Click Donate Now
On the confirmation screen, click the Tweet button and tag @matt0701 so that I know you donated.

Giveaway

You can win one of the two prizes that I'm providing out of my own pocket:

$50 Amazon Gift Code
Nuun Energy Sampler Pack ($20 value)

Use the Rafflecopter form below to enter. Be sure to share this giveaway with everyone you know!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclaimer: This giveaway is completely sponsored by me to try to raise some additional support for my local radio station.

Bike to Work Day and Injury Update

2014-05-12T18:00:00.000-04:00

Friday, May 9 was Bike to Work Day and Lima had an event downtown offering snacks, water, and bicycle safety checks, along with some raffle prizes. I rode the 3.6 miles to work to support cycling in Allen County even though I'm not supposed to be pushing it too hard with my back. It felt so good to be back on my bike and to be with quite a few other cyclists!

As far as my back injury, I have been seeing the chiropractor every other day for two weeks. Wednesday, he changed it up and put me in traction to try to get things loosened up. That night, I was miserable and wondering if he made it worse. By Thursday morning, I was feeling pretty good. I'm still a little sore, but I feel like I might be on the track to feeling 100% soon. I'm sure hoping and praying that I'll be 100% soon because it is driving me nuts not being able to go out and push it hard on my bike.

I decided this year that I want to ride a little on vacation, so I rented a bike and can't wait to get out and ride. We're going to be staying in Emerald Isle, NC and I'll be able to ride along the island. I thought about taking my own bike, but didn't want the hassle of keeping it safe, both in transport, and from the harsh salty air of the coast. I'm really curious to try another bike and see how it rides compared to my own.

Slight Setback

2014-04-30T12:55:00.001-04:00

Over the course of the month of April, my back has started tightening up and getting very sore and painful. I attributed this to getting used to being back on my bike and all the bending in the garden. Monday, it got to the point I couldn't hardly concentrate any more because it hurt so bad. I reluctantly scheduled an appointment with the chiropractor.

It had been over two years since I had been in for any problems. They practically had to set me up as a new patient, short of having x-rays done. The nurse did all kinds of tests trying to pinpoint the cause of my pain and came to the conclusion she couldn't find any reason I was hurting. The doctor walked in, had me lay on my stomach, and immediately said my hips were way out of position. He then felt along my spine and described the muscles around my spine as extremely bound up. He was unable to adjust at all. He sent me back for the electro-stimulation treatment (not sure what it is called).

I love those treatments because I can actually feel the electricity coursing through the muscles in my back and by the time it is over, I feel very relaxed. Back in with the doctor and he was able to adjust me slightly. I go back today for a second appointment, hoping he's able to get me back to normal. Although, the weather isn't exactly cooperating with bike riding here in Ohio this week.

I did get a large part of my front garden planted last night. I had already planted lettuce, spinach, brussel sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage. Last night, I dug a trench and my 8 year old son planted potatoes and covered them. I planted tomatoes (big boy and yellow), peppers (hot and sweet), and onions. My back garden is VERY wet from all the rain we've been receiving, so I haven't planted anything out there yet. I have seeds for pumpkin, watermelon, zucchini, yellow squash, green beans, peas, acorn squash, and hope to get some corn soon. Our new blueberry bushes are looking great and the pink lemonade blueberry plant is finally starting to put buds on.

Hopefully, my back will begin feeling better and I can get back out on my bike!

Bicycling, Fitness, and My Diet Progress

2014-04-24T18:00:00.000-04:00

Wow, I've already biked 88 miles this year and it didn't really start to warm up until a couple weeks ago. I've been commuting to work every chance I get, meaning when the weather cooperates. That's an easy 7 miles each time I commute. The only thing I miss when I bike to work is going to the gym. I just can't bring myself to get up early enough to bike to the gym, workout, and then bike to work. Right now, I'm hitting the weights at the gym on the days the weather won't cooperate.

As of April 14, I was down a total of 17 pounds with only about another 13 to go to my goal weight. I'm at the point of needing smaller clothes, but now wanting to buy until I hit my goal. I've been sticking pretty tightly to my 1200 calorie a day goal set by MyFitnessPal, including a lot of fruits and vegetables. I do take a "cheat day" on occasion. This week, that meant thick cut ribeye steaks from a local butcher shop. They turned out great on the grill and tasted so good.

As far as organized bike rides, I don't have any plans until the end of June, but I'm always on the lookout. I'm hoping that May will usher in some great weekends to go ride parts of the Ohio to Erie Trail. I'm just trying to get as many miles in as I can so that I'm prepared for those longer organized rides I do later on in the summer and fall. I enjoy rides between 25 and 40 miles the most for my "training" / stress-relieving rides.
Recently, I won an Exposed Seam Commuter Cuff on the Airplanes and Dragonflies blog. I'd been looking for something like this for a long time. I found out the hard way about a year ago that riding my bike with pants on was a quick way to ruin pants. I was out riding with jeans on one day and the bottom of my pants would hit the chain every time my foot came around on the pedal. Not only did I end up with a really bad chain stain on my jeans, but it also ripped up the bottom of the pants. I knew immediately I could never wear pants to work on my bike.

I was wearing bike shorts and a jersey to work, changing when I got there and then again when it was time to ride home. It took a lot of time I didn't really have to do all that changing of clothes. Enter the Exposed Seam Commuter Cuff. The Commuter Cuff goes on easily and holds the pant leg and shoe laces away from the chain, preventing stains, damage, and potentially preventing accidents when something gets caught in the chain. Another great benefit is that these are made in the USA of a fabric produced in the USA. You don't find many products these days that can make a statement like that. I would highly recommend these to my commuting friends or those that just casually ride with pants on or with shoes with shoestrings.

Disclaimer: I won a Commuter Cuff on another blog and was not compensated in any other way for this post. All opinions are my own!

Snow Again

2014-04-14T12:49:00.001-04:00

This weekend was a lot of fun. Friday, I purchased a basketball hoop off of craigslist and brought it home for my son. He was so excited. We spent a lot of time shooting hoops, playing pig, horse, and several other animal name games.

Saturday, I was able to get out and ride for an hour on my bike. It felt so good to be back on my bike for a fair distance. The wind Saturday wasn't very conducive to riding. It was blowing about 10-15 miles per hour out of the South. Riding South was almost impossible for me. Riding East or West felt like I was zig zagging back and forth across the road. I was able to get 15 miles in at a quicker pace than I was riding last year, even with the wind. I'm not sure if I can attribute the extra speed to my weight loss, but I sure want to think it's helping! I was able to get into a more aerodynamic position without my knees hitting my belly!

Then comes today, Monday. It's been raining most of the day and they are calling for 2-4 inches of snow tonight. So much for my garden. I have a feeling this will kill off everything I have out there already. Oh well, I'll just replant if that happens. I'm hoping the ground is warm enough that the snow won't be able to stick. I'm also hoping the cold won't stick around long because I'm loving commuting by bike to work, especially because it saves on Gas costs.

A couple weeks ago, we got out for a walk and my son took his bike. I just love the picture below that my wife took.

I've also thought about taking the Advocare 24-Day Challenge to boost my weight loss a bit. The cost is the only thing that's really been holding me back. I'm looking at our budget to see if it's something I could commit to. I do have some money available on my miscellaneous survey sites that I could withdraw to pay for part of it. I've got a friend that sells the Advocare products and she has been so great at encouraging me in my weight loss journey even though I haven't committed to buy the products yet.