Postscript: I don't really like biking 912km

I finished riding 912 km in 21 days. After starting 2 days late and skipping a day while the bike was in the shop, I rode 18 days in a row (including twice on the final day) to catch up with the riders in France. Considering that it is July, the conditions were nearly ideal. Very cool and pleasant weather on most days. Spent 40+ hours on the bike and during that whole time I was only rained on for about 10 minutes total. No flat tires or major mechanical problems. No crashes. No injuries. The very strong wind on Stage 2 was about the only real obstacle outside of my control.

So what have I learned from the experience. I don't really like bike riding very much. Physically, it was probably a little harder than I expected. After about 25 miles (especially on days that followed other days with long stages), things just start to get uncomfortable, and not just the places one might expect. Riding is hard on my neck, shoulders, and feet. Mentally, it was challenging. At times, it was extremely boring. Of course, if NW Ohio were not completely flat and mostly treeless, it would be more interesting. My squeaky pedal, which the bike shop seems unable to fix, is annoying. Lastly, biking is dirty. I don't mind being sweaty, but I just don't like being dirty.

I don't mean to conclude on a whiny note, I expected most of this when I started. But now I am certain that I will never try to do a 100 mile ride or think twice when refusing an offer to go on a week-long bike trip with someone. I'll probably give up the idea of trying to run a half-ironman. I doubt if there will be a 2015 Tour de NW Ohio. Instead, I'll continue to do what I have been doing, which is biking 2 or 3 days a week as a supplement to running. I definitely missed running during the last three week, and I am ready to get reacquainted with these guys. 

The Tour de NW Ohio was designed to give me a reason to try to ride more and create an incentive to be more disciplined. I finished - so that seems to have worked. For the first time in years, I weigh less than 160 pounds (at least when totally dehydrated after a 2 hour ride). That's a good thing. 

It was also designed to give me a reason to be more disciplined about writing on regular basis, but in reality, I didn't really write very much for this blog. Much to my own surprise, I found it more fun to try to create a story with images and looking for interesting things to photograph did break the monotony of some of the rides.

Amy was a great sport about the blog. I am sure that she thought it was ridiculous at first, but she was an enthusiastic participant by the end. Lastly, thanks again to my many, many fans;

The end.