The week that was

This lengthy ride to 7,000 miles for the season feels like it's becoming a full-time job. But that's fine, as there aren't many places I'd rather be than on a bicycle. I thought it would be neat to provide a few details on what was accomplished over the last seven days. So here goes:

— Friday, Dec. 17 — 46 miles on Specialized Crux (cyclocross bike); sunny skies, 48 degrees, "feels like" 43, winds 21 mph.

— Saturday, Dec. 18 — 41 miles on Specialized Crux; cloudy skies, 32 degrees, "feels like" 25, winds 7 mph.

— Sunday, Dec. 19 — 20 miles on Specialized Fatboy (fat bike); mostly cloudy skies, 27 degrees, "feels like" 16, winds 11 mph. There was three inches of new snow on the ground, so I broke trail for 17 miles on the Kennebec River Rail Trail. Then the city's mini-plow appeared for the last three miles.

— Monday, Dec. 20 — 28 miles on Specialized Crux; mostly sunny skies, 25 degrees, "feels like" 25, winds 2 mph.

— Tuesday, Dec. 21 — 31 miles on Specialized Crux; sunny skies, 39 degrees, "feels like" 34, winds 6 mph.

— Wednesday, Dec. 22 — Rest day. Mostly, because of nasty weather conditions.

— Thursday, Dec. 23 — 15 miles on Specialized Fatboy; sunny skies, 19 degrees, "feels like" 9, winds 11 mph. Previous day's freezing rain turned rail trail into an ice skating rink; thank heavens for studded tires.

So where do I stand at the moment in my quest? Currently, I have pedaled 6,939 miles in 2021 — so just 61 to go.

Will I make it? I will let you know next Friday, I promise! I only say that because when I did my North Carolina-to-Texas ride in 2002, I "spaced out" and left followers of my daily updates wondering for a few days if I had arrived in Austin. Stay safe!

"Dairy Queen. God, I dream about Dairy Queens." — Greg LeMond, when asked what he thinks about during races in Europe.

From "Words To Ride By ... Thoughts on Bicycling" by Michael Carabetta (Chronicle Books, 2017)