This past Monday, I had the chance to go for a bike ride in the beautiful autumn weather in Denver, Colorado. Fall is my favorite season in the Rockies. The days of scorching heat are gone, and it’s not 80 °F (26.67 °C) at eight in the morning anymore. Today, it was 45 °F (7.22 °C) at 7 am when I woke up, and it reached 81 °F (27.22 °C) by the time I finished my ride at 2:20 pm. Since my wife is still on maternity leave until the end of November, we can take turns riding during our two-year-old’s nap time after lunch.
I chose to do my favorite bike path loop starting just outside of Morrison, CO. With it being a holiday here in the States, there were a decent number of other cyclists out today, but nothing like a weekend, so it was a great time to push my limits out on the path.
The fall foliage in the Front Range has not yet reached its peak, but that didn’t stop me from capturing some great shots of the mountains and trees today. With my SHOKZ OpenRun headphones streaming my favorite playlist, the perfect weather, and the spectacular colors, I was able to truly enjoy the moment.
Taking care of a newborn can be challenging, but it becomes even more difficult when you have a two-year-old at home. Riding my bike has been a great way to maintain my mental sanity and find some relief. I feel very fortunate to be a stay-at-home dad, especially right now when my wife is on maternity leave. It’s crucial to have the support of your significant other to make your cycling aspirations achievable with kids.
If you read my September Ride Recap, you would know that I only got out on the bike 8 times the entire month. However, I felt great out today and was able to push myself harder than I usually ride. Sometimes after a long season of riding a little rest is all you need. I rode 34 miles (54.72 km) in just over 2 hours. I averaged 16.4 mph (26.39 km/h), with a normalized power of 152 watts. However, I am most proud of my average cadence of 85, which is something I have been trying to improve. I typically average 79 cadence on a 2-hour ride, so this was a pretty significant improvement. Finally, I ensured I filed up with my mini pumpkin muffins, which really hit the spot on a fall ride like today.
Here is to getting in more autumn rides in before the weather turns to winter.
Dads Riding Bikes