The other day I reached a personal goal that I was rather excited about.  So far this summer, I have biked a total of 500 miles around the neighborhood and on various trails in the city.

Mileage tracked by RunKeeper.com

As a recreational cyclist, I know that's not a big deal to those who bike all the time, especially daily commuters.  However, considering that I'm riding a 20-year old mountain bike that I've modified for hybrid street/trail riding, I'm pretty stoked by hitting that number.

This summer has been a cycling experiment for me.  Historically Amy & I have kept our bikes at my parents' house, which is near a popular bike trail, as storage space at our condo is limited.  However, this often meant that we just rode on the weekends.

Just enjoying the ride

Since I lost my riding partner for a little while, I decided to keep my bike at the condo, and take it out riding after work on weekdays.  Then on weekends, find a new trail to investigate, lug my bike there, and ride!  This combination has put me on my bike more often and run up the miles compared to previous summers.  It's also given me some insight into urban riding on city streets and the complexities/dangers that are associated.

It's actually been a lot of fun, to be honest.  I've enjoyed exploring localities and paths I've never experienced before.  We really are blessed with a lot of cycling options in the Chicago area.  Maybe someday I'll upgrade my riding equipment to better stuff, but for now, I'm thankful for the opportunity to take advantage of my trusty old bike.

So I guess until the snow starts falling, I'll enjoy this riding weather while I can!