Hi Everyone,

I'm a bicyclist and I'm a big Amazing Race fan and last night I got a chance to meet the host of the Amazing Race, Phil Keoghan.

The reason I got a chance to meet him was I just happened to stumble accross the following link:

http://www.noopportunitywasted.com/

...turns out Phil, who has been supporting MS as a charity rode accross America to raise money for MS. Ok, ok, actually he got the idea because his friends kept telling him that he would go through this mid-life crisis.. and do crazy things, but instead. . he took the challenge head on and instead of doing crazy things.. he.. uhm… rode across America in 40 days?

He and his wife (who happens to be a movie producer) made a film chronicling the ride, it's all in HD... and it was an incredible movie. I went to see it last night. If you're in one of the cities that they show it, GO.. it's well worth it whether or not you're a bike rider. If you're not, you can still download it online.

Edwards Cinema is donating the entire proceeds of each movie to MS. Last night when I went, there were 400 people in the theatre. Phil himself is attending each of the showings.

Those of you that have known me for awhile will remember that I did the MS-150 bike ride from Houston to Austin. Riding in an MS-150 was how Phil got started supporting MS also.

All told, between sponsorships, the film, and post ride fundraisings, "The Ride" has raised nearly a million dollars for MS.

A bit of serendipity that I stumbled on the link the day before the movie was in Houston for it's one day showing.. wow.

Mike

Here are Phil and I. I guess biking, at least across America, DOES make you skinny!

Hey Mike!

Cool that you met Phil! I have heard about the movie but have not seen it. I also met the mom of the guy doing the Across the Great Divide movie last year and she said he was doing the ride on a fixie!

I'm still ridin away on my herd of bikes. I have my LeTour out and on the road now, getting it dialed in and getting used to it before my first 80k (or maybe 120k) Century Ride in June. The real wheel keeps going out of true as one or two spokes keep coming loose, then pinging then out of round. Like everytime I ride it!

Last Thurs night I rode about 12mi (short ride for me as I average 20 miles now) and the rear wheel is fine. If it comes loose one more time I am buying a set of Velocity wheels and that will solve the problem!

As nice as it is today, I will probably put a few miles on, but have a concert to attend tonight so it may not be an epic 50 miler.....

I also sold my mountain bike and have another waiting for me to pay it off and ride it. It will be mine Thursday! I got rid of the full suspension Trance and bought a 2010 Rincon. A hardtail lie the Rincon w/ disc brakes is more my style anyway!

My stable is now My Schwinn LeTour, my 1974 Schwinn Continental, my Giant Sedona and the Rincon by Giant. (You know, I have over 1,500 miles on that Sedona! What a great bike!!)

Count me in with the bikers also. Got back on my road bike April after too long a lay off.
The legs are coming back! Yea! Now if I could only get the lungs to join them.
I did 27 miles of hills today up and out of the San Fernando Valley into the Santa Calarita Valley.
The goal is a half century by the end of this year, and a full century next year.
One of these days I will have to pull out and go ride my mountain bike also.

Put in 80K in the River Cities Century Ride yesterday. Beautiful day for a ride! Now if I can get the local bike shop to order in my stinking tires so i can put the new rims on the bike!

I think that was the single, longest ride of my life so far...I say so far as the next century ride is in Iron Mountain MI and we signed up for the 90K, but with the hills out there it will be a killer!

This was probably the longest, fastest sustained ride as we averaged about 15mph!

Then in September we are signing up for the ride in Delta County Mi. That is a great ride and we will go for the longest route, I believe it is 120k...


Here is most of our crew...

from left to right - Lynnie's kids Lydia and Nate, Me and my son Jeff. Lynnie is behind the camera...

Back to bike commuting again! I now ride a minimum of 9 miles round trip and often stretch it to 12 miles round trip!

Anyone else riding?

Also, for those interested, we have our own group started, the Menominee Silent Sports Group. For all lovers of all things outdoors and people powered...bike, hike, sail, canoe, kayak, swim etc...

https://www.facebook.com/#!/groups/125473487534185/

Anyone in the area is welcome to join us as we ramble about outdoors! we are a 4 season group too! We are also looking at forming an official type, chartered bike club to organize rides and raise awareness for better cycling infrastructure and cycling rights.

If you have a local club or group, why not join in and meet some new folks and find riding buddies to help you on the way. A buddy also keeps you motivated too!

Just thought I'd share.

Just a quick update. Still riding this late into the season. Mostly mountain biking though. It is kind of cold to ride the roads any stretch of distance with the wind etc. When we have a nice day we do ride though. Up North here, I'd say 30 is about it for a comfortable ride, even with appropriate gear. I do commute by bike in this weather though.

Anyone else still riding this late in the year? Especially in the southern climates?

Hey Fred, this thread be dead...I dread...

Anyone out there still riding? Or starting riding? I have found a few other forums where larger folks do converse and share all manner of info about the passion for riding. Be it mountain bike, road bike, or riding for commuting or fun. it would be nice to keep this one active to easily share the WOE and it's impacts on biking...

Count me in in a couple of weeks -- going to be back to LCing hardcore after the end of cyclocross season (I explain in more detail here). I can't deal with cutting calories on a high-carb diet anymore...it just doesn't work and for so many years I have fallen victim to the belief that cardio requires carbs.

Hey cool! Cyclecross? I am being talked into doing an XC race next year. The WORS Series has a race at the Reforestation Camp near Green Bay...I was also eying a race or two down your way....I really love tight, technical singletrack but XC is fun too!

Cyclocross!

I ride year round in Alaska. My cut off temp is about 20 below, but it depends on the wind. I turned to biking when my arthritis went bad and I couldn't do anything else, now it is my exercise and enjoyment of choice. Yesterday I had a great 12 mile ride at about 14 below. Everything is slow at that temp, but then again, the only race is with myself.

This is amazing to me. My coldest ride was probably about the same distance, but it was 18ºF. I actually was pretty comfortable, except for the fact that I could not stop with iced-up rims and cantilever brakes and it was enough to make me not want to ride outdoors in below-freezing temps. I have a new 29er mountain bike with discs, so I am hoping to do more Winter rides this year. Perhaps trying my studded tires that I had on my CX bike for last Winter's ride.

Yea, you meant what I knew...I just spelled it really wrong....still, cool!

Hey guys! I've been gone for the forum for a bit and from regular riding. Back to both.

The weather is gorgeous here in Phoenix right now, so I'm trying to ride a minimum of 8 miles a day. Pathetic, I know. I let myself go terribly but am back on track now.

Props to you Wheeler for riding in the cold. Dang! And I thought I had it bad here in Phx in the summer when temps don't drop below 95 nights.