We spent an amazing day at the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago!

HIIT ride today 20 rounds 2 minutes all out with 1 minute of recovery.

With only ten days to go before your first day of RAGBRI here are the top 10 things I would tell everyone.

1. Drink a lot of water & electrolytes. All day and night. Iowa is hot and you will not find any shade!

2. Bring some cash. Every small town will have food and drink vendors and bike shops. Our favorite lunch stop on the road is called Carb Hut (vegan friendly) usually found at the midday lunch stop. One of the best bets for dinner is the Hy-Vee grocery store chain. (salad bar) Free WiFi and Air conditioning!

3. Put the sag wagon phone number in their phone. And register for severe weather text.

4. Don’t take candy from strangers!?

5. Bring some gels/bars just to have in their jersey pockets!

6. Bring two or three pair of spandex two switch out every day.

7. Instead of taking showers wear your spandex to the public pool. Free wash!!!

8. Start your day early to avoid the sun if you can.

9. Sunscreen SPT 50.

10. Go out and see the band HAIRBALL!!! It’s a great show!

The red cherry tomatoes, rapunzel tomatoes, black heirloom tomatoes and broccoli in our garden are all doing well with the summer heat!!!

On the way home from my race we stopped at the International Crane Foundation.

My first race is in the books!!!

40.2 Miles

2:50:22

14.15 MPH average speed

48.38 MPH max speed

2913.4 feet of elevation

and one kick ass lion jersey!!!

Maxine and Myself in Baraboo, WI the night before my first Wisconsin Gran Fondo Series race.

The light this morning was Beautiful on the Allen Bradley building on my way to the gym to teach my spin class.

Today was hill sprints day in 90º heat

21.86 miles

1:25:10

15.4 MPH avg speed

33.7 MPH max speed

837 feet in elevation

How do you spend your 12th anniversary? Volunteering on the Hunger Task Force Farm!
After a quick tour of some of the buildings, and the fish hatchery, Maxine and (and the 20 other volunteers )I got to work.
Today we prepped, washed and packaged 73 crates of lettuce (803 pounds), and weeded 16 beds of vegetables in the children’s nature educational garden.