Peas in My Saddle

I've gone through a lot of saddles.  A lot.  Here are some recent ones.  I started with the Specialized Jet after the bike fitter measured my sit bones, but it felt uncomfortable.  I shrugged it off, hoping that it would magically get better.  Three years later, I measured myself and realized that the saddle was nowhere near wide enough.  Pffles.

Selle Italia Max Flite Gel Flow: Not wide enough.

Prologo Kappa Pas Pro STN: Not wide enough.

Cobb SHC DRT: Definitely not wide enough.

Selle Anatomica NSX Watershed: Middle too uncomfortable.

WTB Pure V: Not wide enough.

Charge Ladle: Wide enough, but heat build up too great.

I've also ridden Brooks B17 but could not for the life of me break it in nor could I stay on the saddle due to how slippery the top was.

Current saddles:
Adama Racing ISM on my time trial bike
Selle Anatomica X Series on my gravel/road bike

Does saddle sensitivity in personal areas ever go away?

Rains flood the ecosystem on the trail.

Plants grow wherever they can.

Chilly Spring

Bundled up running in the bright cold air.  Legs too heavy to continue past this field.  Tempting to rest on the green carpet.  Walking is good too.

Windy in a Wind Tunnel

I like the weathered red.  With a tailwind, the ride was joyous and effortless.  The temperature was just right with the sun shining brightly.

Cement plant.  Dirt and gravel mixing together.

Taking a rest at the turn point.  Lovely benches, red of course.  Thinking about stopping at the local pizza place on the way back.

The coolest stamp.  Fatigued at this point after battling the 20mph headwind, but little giggles like this brings some of the joy back!

Natural wetlands habitat.  Sadly, the resident turtle was not present today.

Tentative Training Schedule

Modified from Beginner Triathlete's 3x Bike Olympic training plan:

Month 1
Week	M	T	W	TH	F	S	S	TOTAL	Vol
1	40-Run	24-Swim	Yoga	40-Swim	24-Run	80-Bike	Yoga	5h 20m
		48-Bike		64-Bike				320m
2	44-Run	26-Swim	Yoga	44-Swim	26-Run	88-Bike	Yoga	5h 51m	+10%
		53-Bike		70-Bike				351m
3	48-Run	29-Swim	Yoga	48-Swim	29-Run	97-Bike	Yoga	6h 27m	+10%
		58-Bike		78-Bike				387m
4	29-Run	17-Swim	Yoga	29-Swim	17-Run	58-Bike	Yoga	3h 51m	-40%
		35-Bike		46-Bike				231m
Notes	Long Run	Short Swim	Yoga	Long Swim	Short Run	Long Bike	Yoga
		Short Bike		Med Bike
Grand total: 21h 29m

Month 2
Week	M	T	W	TH	F	S	S	TOTAL	Vol
1	48-Run	29-Swim	Yoga	48-Swim	29-Run	97-Bike	Yoga	6h 27m
		58-Bike		78-Bike				387m
2	53-Run	32-Swim	Yoga	53-Swim	32-Run	107-Bike	Yoga	7h 7m	+10%
		64-Bike		86-Bike				427m
3	58-Run	35-Swim	Yoga	58-Swim	35-Run	117-Bike	Yoga	7h 47m	+10%
		70-Bike		94-Bike				467m
4	35-Run	21-Swim	Yoga	35-Swim	21-Run	70-Bike	Yoga	4h 40m	-40%
		42-Bike		56-Bike				280m
Notes	Long Run	Short Swim	Yoga	Long Swim	Short Run	Long Bike	Yoga
		Short Bike		Med Bike
Grand total: 26h 471m

Month 3
Week	M	T	W	TH	F	S	S	TOTAL	Vol
1	58-Run	35-Swim	Yoga	58-Swim	35-Run	117-Bike	Yoga	7h 47m
		70-Bike		94-Bike				467m
2	64-Run	38-Swim	Yoga	64-Swim	38-Run	128-Bike	Yoga	8h 31m	+10%
		77-Bike		102-Bike				511m
3	70-Run	42-Swim	Yoga	70-Swim	42-Run	141-Bike	Yoga	9h 23m	+10%
		85-Bike		113-Bike				563m
4	42-Run	25-Swim	Yoga	42-Swim	25-Run	85-Bike	Yoga	5h 38m	-40%
		51-Bike		68-Bike				338m
Notes	Long Run	Short Swim	Yoga	Long Swim	Short Run	Long Bike	Yoga
		Short Bike		Med Bike
Grand total: 31h 19m

Month 4
Week	M	T	W	TH	F	S	S	TOTAL	Vol
1	70-Run	42-Swim	Yoga	70-Swim	42-Run	141-Bike	Yoga	9h 23m
		85-Bike		113-Bike				563m
2	77-Run	46-Swim	Yoga	77-Swim	46-Run	155-Bike	Yoga	10h 18m	+10%
		93-Bike		124 Bike				618m
3	77-Run	46-Swim	Yoga	77-Swim	46-Run	155-Bike	Yoga	10h 18m	+10%
		93-Bike		124 Bike				618m
4	25-Run	28-Swim	Yoga	46-Swim	28-Run	93-Bike	Yoga	5h 50m	-40%
		56-Bike		74-Bike				350m
Notes	Long Run	Short Swim	Yoga	Long Swim	Short Run	Long Bike	Yoga
		Short Bike		Med Bike
Grand total: 35h 49m

Month 5
Week	M	T	W	TH	F	S	S	TOTAL	Vol
1	70-Run	42-Swim	Yoga	70-Swim	42-Run	141-Bike	Yoga	9h 23m
		85-Bike		113 Bike				450m
2	77-Run	46-Swim	Yoga	77-Swim	46-Run	155-Bike	Yoga	10h 18m	+10%
		93-Bike		124 Bike				618m	Peak
3	62-Run	37-Swim	Yoga	99-Bike	62-Swim	124-Bike	Yoga	8h 15m	-20%
		74-Bike		37-Run				495m	Taper
4	43-Run	23-Swim	Yoga	62-Bike	39-Swim	87-Bike	Race?	3h 14m	-30%
		47-Bike		23-Run				+Race	Taper
Notes	Long Run	Short Swim	Yoga	Long Swim	Short Run	Long Bike	Yoga
		Short Bike		Med Bike
Grand total: 31h 10m + Race

I copied their code and moved things around.  Don't actually have a race planned, but structure in training is always a good idea.

Yoga will be done with YOGAmazing.  It's free, flows pretty well, and pops things back to their rightful place; but, there is a fair bit of talking.  You can skip the beginning intros at least.

I saw a rabbit on my run this morning!  Wild rabbits are so much smaller than domesticated versions.  Next time I pause for a cell phone picture shot because screw effort - bunnies are more important!

Biking, Archery, and Brownies?

I thought about biking, but then it rained.  Hard.  For 15 minutes.  And my car hydroplaned.  I'm not up for that much adventure by bike.  :(

So I made brownies instead.

They are delicious.  Recipe Here. Everyone in the family is trying to get in shape though...

Real food was consumed too.

Second archery class.  It was raining earlier, I swear!

We learned to name the different parts of the bow and proper stance.

A look down the range.

Skirts and archery go together like pb&j.

That joke was corny.

Release!

This soccer goal watches us from its perch, all lonely and unused.

Parents watching the lesson.

Our water bottles basking together in the setting sun, or something.

I biked today at the Macomb Orchard Trail.  Bike glamour shot post-ride.

Salsa!  Love for this bike grows.

Comparing Shoreline West Tour vs DALMAC

Both tours are fully supported and provide 2 meals per day - lunch is on your own (maybe).
Routes linked are ROUGH - these are direct driving routes and definitely not the biking path.

Need MOAR pictures.  This one is from Cabot Trail.

LEAGUE OF MICHIGAN BICYCLISTS

• Google Map
• August 3-9, earlier than DALMAC, hotter?
• $365 for 7 days
• $60 pre or post bus
• 386 total miles, but still rolling terrain. 
• Easier mileage per day (55mpd)  (64 miles longest, usually less)
• Better views as it's on the lake?  Swimming options are available
• No long detour to get to Tunnel of Trees
• 3 day option for $245, starts at Traverse City, does not have pre-tour bus option

DALMAC

• 500 riders on each path - 3 paths listed below (5 Day EAST is sold out b/c easy mileage)
• August 27-31 (August 28 for 4 day option)
• $230 for 5 days, $200 for 4 days (high mileage)
• $60 post bus
• $10 camping for Tuesday night
• Special permission to bike across Mackinac Bridge!!! (weather permitting)
• Box lunch might or might not be included, for a fee or not.... It's unclear!
• 5 Day (Up)
• Google Map
• 363 miles, 394 if you want to do Tunnel of Trees (that day is 93 miles)
• 72.6 mpd, 79 mpd with Tunnel of Trees
• Goes through Upper Peninsula
• Participates in bridge crossing
• 5 Day 
• Google Map
• 351 miles, 70mpd.  
• Goes through Tunnel of Trees
• Does not go through Upper Peninsula
• Does not participate in bridge crossing unless you skip last day/Tunnel of Trees
• 4 Day West
• Google Map
• 325 miles or 81.25 mpd.  Longest miles per day
• Has century options for a total of 405/411 miles or roughly 101 mpd
• Goes through Tunnel of Trees
• Does not go through Upper Peninsula
• Does not participate in bridge crossing unless you skip last day/Tunnel of Trees

PS You're doing okay Michigan, but somehow still disappointing.

Source

First Archery Class

Bows all lined up in ROYGBIV.  Except orange.  Because.

The targets set up super duper far away.

Puzzlement.

My parallel arm.

My parallel arm... the other way!

I hope I'm doing better than the little girl almost my size...

DH awaiting instructions.

Careful selection of choice arrows.

Parallel arm, it's a miracle!

Action shot!