Category: Cycling
-
Mid South 2025
The Mid South gravel race in Stillwater, Oklahoma, has been on my bucket list. I’ve watched countless YouTube recaps in awe, captivated by the challenge of riding over 100 miles of red dirt gravel with enough elevation to make this Central Illinoisan pause for a deep breath. I signed up for the 100-mile race back…
-
Shoo Family Munising 2024 Trip
Just call us a bunch of ‘Yoopers’, don’tcha know! This was our third trip up to the UP (Upper Peninsula), and the second checking out Munising and Pictured Rocks. We’ve enjoyed the Great Lakes’ hiking, food, biking, and cooler weather temps. This time we went with my brother, sister-in-law, and nephew. We saw lots of…
-
DSR 2024 Race Report
The great thing about gravel racing is that it’s not only the top finishers, but those personal stories and goals for racers that may not be finishing in the top 10. The ones that are back for vengeance to reclaim a DNF. Those that have put in extra time and effort into training to prove…
-
2023 Mileage Recap
2,840 miles on the bike this year. Just 160 miles short of my of my 3K mile goal. This year could be summarized as a year of “exploration” with riding on some ‘questionable’ roads, hoping gates, finding the best ice cream in the small towns, and just having a good time. Top 5 rides 5.…
-
Dust Bowl 100 – Race Recap
Cue John Mellencamp’s song, “Jack and Diane” as the soundtrack for the Dust Bowl 100. The perfect back drop for the song to take place in America’s Heartland. Beautiful rolling fields, crushed limestone roads, race cars going in ovals, and farm folk sitting at the end of driveway waving to riders and counting bicycles. The…
-
Dirty South Roubaix 2023 Race Report
Last year on a whim and encouragement from my cycling buddies I signed up for Dirty South. I quickly did the N+1 purchase (formula for how many bikes you should own where N is the current number of bikes). We rode through winter and did some ‘hills’ and ‘gravel.’ What I learned last year was…
-
Rose, Thorn, Bud
This is not the typical family post. It’s about bikes. I’ve listened to quite a few cycling podcasts that have asked for a rider’s rose, thorn, and bud of their year/season. I really put some miles down last year, so I thought I document some of the good, bad, and what’s to come in 2023.…
-
Memorial Day Weekend Recap
In the year of 2020, Covid is still hanging around, so this Memorial Day Weekend it was a lot of working on the house, cooking at home, and doing things as a family. Sarah and I put in a second raised garden bed. In this garden bed we have green beans, green peppers, and okra.…
-
Blue Skies