Completed the Rapha Festive 500 on the commute home. The challenge is to ride 500 kilometers between Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve. Ended up with 509 km in 4 rides. Good times. Ride on. ☮

4 days left the in Festive 500. Currently at 422 km of 500 km. Going to add a few miles to my commute on Tuesday to complete the challenge. Didn’t take many photos today. Main goals were keep my core temperature up and get home before dark. Mission accomplished. Ride on. ☮

Accepted the Rapha Festive 500 challenge, to ride 500 kilometers (310 miles) between Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve. Looking at the 10 day forecast, today was going to be the warmest day. Decided to ride as many miles as I could. Started the ride shortly after midnight and headed to Folly Beach, Edge of America. Unfortunately along with the warmer temperatures came rain and wind. Stayed relatively dry the first half of the ride by checking the radar frequently and seeking shelter.

Got a call from my LBS last night that my backup bicycle, Giant Defy 3, was repaired. New drivetrain, cables, and bar tape. Put my shoes on and ran to the bike shop behind my apartment. Nice (and expensive) to have a bike shop a block away. The mechanic mentioned that the spring in the rear derailleur was weak and that the derailleur may need to be replaced. Going to take him up on that.

I admit that I prefer pavement over dirt most of the time. US 176 is a 2 lane, 55 mph highway without a shoulder. Calamus Pond Rd is partially dirt and has a sketchy entrance off of Mudville Rd. Took Calamus Pond Rd (yellow outline) instead of US 176 (red outline) during my ride home from lake Moultrie. Calamus Pond Rd wins. Totally worth the effort.