Jesse James Bike Tour – I did it!

It’s true. I rode my new Surly Cross-Check 63 miles less than two weeks after picking it up at the local bike shop (an insurance money replacement for my Cannondale mountain bike that was brazenly heisted right out of our open garage in August). My training regimen was brief, which means I rode as much as I could in the two weeks leading up to the ride, and squeezed in 100 miles. That ain’t bad considering thatmy previous 100 miles took most of 2006 to 2009. Well, that may be a slight exaggeration, but not by much.

So anyway, former neighbors Wayne and Sue and I set out from Northfield Middle School around 9 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 12, as part of that community’s annual Defeat of Jesse James Days celebration (which commemorates the failed bank robbery of 1876 which led to the ultimate downfall of the James-Younger gang). I thought I could squeeze 60 miles out of my weak legs, having done 40 the week before, but I wasn’t terribly confident. The annual Jesse James Bike Tour offers five different rides ranging from 10 to 100 miles, and I figured if 60 was too long I could bail out and do the 45-miler.

But nope. I did it. Even with all the hills that kicked my tail pretty good, I rode the full 63 miles and felt really good – if really tired – at the end. In fact, I felt better after the 63 than I had after the 40 a week earlier. Guess I’m getting in shape? Ha. Not yet. But maybe someday. The 100-mile riders joined up with us at around their 90 mile mark (our 50) and they were still moving along a lot faster than I was. Next year, boys. Next year.

I really do love my new Surly though. I think the two of us will be riding many a mile in the coming years. It’s big, it’s heavy and it’s steel. But I wanted something really sturdy that I don’t have to worry about breaking with my … uhm … “big boned frame,” shall we say. The Surly is super comfortable – especially with my Brooks B17 saddle. I’m thinking maybe next year I’ll get into a little randonneuring and I’m definitely planning to do the full 100 miles in Northfield.

Here’s the route we rode on Sept. 12:

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