Seventy-four miles with a newly-calibrated odometer

If I didn't know myself better I'd suspect some chicanery.

Following Leslie's directions (which are identical to those of the manufacturer, Trek) I re-calibrated the odometer (with Anne's help) and it looks like I've been riding about a mile further than I needed to on every "20-mile" loop. The length of my roll-out (circumference of my wheel) is 2184 mm. My Trek had been set to only 2045 mm. That's better than a five percent difference. That's about four miles saved out of 80. That should result in more than 20 minutes off the total time.

I'll take it! No shame!

I plan to leave at 7 am tomorrow, ride the long loop three times and the short one twice, and be done before 2:30. The weather looks great: cool, cloudy until noon, and very little wind. If that holds, I have no complaints. I didn't sleep worth a darn last night, but I've been lazing around pretty good today, and I'd say I'm pretty well rested. A good night's sleep tonight should do it.

I'll be cutting some corners off the established loops (cutting out the "loop de loop," for instance) and jotting down the new distances on my log as I go. I should be able come out pretty close to seventy-four, tomorrow --close enough to count for a training ride, anyway.

I'm really looking forward to it. And that's a good sign.

'Til tomorow..