Cool weather riding

I got out today on the KHS and did my longer 10 mile loop that I like, it works out to 14 miles including getting to the start of the loop and home again. It was a nice, mostly quiet, ride, with minimal sounds coming from the bike.

I had hoped to get a few miles in yesterday, but I threw the chain. That was my own fault, somehow I had missed tightening the drive side crank arm, and the dérailleur was adjusted for that... Quick stop at the bike shop (Artie has much nicer bike repair stands than the one I have) and I got the dérailleur to 95%. It still creaks when I push the gears for speed. (Which is sort of normal...)

Still, it performed today like it should, and that is what matters. I averaged just over 14 MPH, which I have only done one other time outside of actual races this year. (Tour de Donut average speed was 16.3 and the Troy Strawberry Festival average speed was 16.18 MPH)

I don't know, maybe the wind was with me today, maybe I just got into the zone a few times. Per Strava, I did two segments, one being from the river I cross near my house to a major cross road, and the other is the actual 10 mile loop. (There is a little overlap of those two) and today I did my second best on both sections. I was still about 2 minutes behind my best time in the 10 mile loop, though 5 minutes faster than my previous 3 attempts.

It appears I have decided on my next bike. I had thought that I would get a mountain bike, something that I could really abuse over the winter, and maybe just in general. I did a lot of research based on my paltry budget. I ended up narrowing it down to 4 models on bikes direct as well as whatever the LBS could find for me. (Previous years models, etc.)

And then, I saw it. And all the other models and such were tossed out the window. Once I have my hands on it.... then pics and stuff.

On a final note, there is a bike tour next week, the Groovy Gourd Tour out of Piqua. My wife and I will do the 25 mile loop, which, depending on how it goes adapting to the new bike, my wife may well have a strong advantage on me during. That will probably end they season of coordinated rides and such, but I think this winter I will finally start doing the indoor time trials. (Computer trainer based) I know they have them in February, maybe sooner. At any rate, I am going to bed, or not. But probably. It was leg day at the gym, and that was before my bike ride.