Tour de Jersey

Despite the fact that Will Bike For Food didn't come together for this summer, I've still been trying to bike as much as possible. I've been getting out for 10-15 mile rides after works and some longer ones on the weekends. Looking back on it, trying to organize a 3,000+ mile ride without ever having gone on a trip longer than 30-40 miles might not have been the most reasonable idea, for whatever its worth.

This past weekend I took my longest ride yet, a 53 journey through the congested state of New Jersey from Cranford to Normandy Beach. From one Grandparent's house to the other. It was a beautiful day, 70degrees, sunny. Outside of a 10 mile stretch in and around Perth Amboy, the trip was fantastic and was pretty smooth sailing. I cruised into Normandy in about 3 and a half hours, averaging about 17mph while stopping twice to refuel. I figure if I can cover this type of ground in about half a day, with some more experience and strength, some more ambitious adventures are definitely going to be within reach.

New Jersey is a relatively flat state, not too many hills, and the ones I did encounter were more of the long, gradual type. I thought that the notorious traffic of NJ might put a damper on the ride, but for the most part, it really wasn't a factor at all. As long as there is a decent shoulder on the road (at least 5 feet), assholes flying by in cars don't really effect me too much.

Overall, I had a great time on the ride. There is something liberating in being able to move yourself from point A to point B without having to rely on something bigger than yourself (car, train, plane). I felt free in knowing that I was able to take on this excursion entirely by myself from start to finish. No matter whether its finishing a tough sudoku, running a 2mile, figuring out how to illegally split cable from your neighbors house, , or bike to the beach, the gratification in finding a way to accomplish a task and following through on it until completion is a great feeling.

I'm looking to take my next longer ride from Cranford,NJ to Central Valley, NY, most likely in late July. Its going to be about 61 miles, most likely more rural roads. In the mean time, I want to try to get into a little better shape. My legs actually didn't bother me at all until the last 5-10 miles, and even then it really didn't hinder the ride at all. My lower back started tightening up about halfway down from a combination of carrying my backpack and not having prepared myself for being in a riding position for 3-4 hours.