It's so different getting ready for a trip that comes at the end of the summer. There's a sense of calm that I just didn't have when I was preparing for my May adventure in Hawaii. I know I'll be heading out with a solid summer's season of cycling under my wheels (and under my butt!).
I've continued commuting to work by bike two to three times a week. Three would be ideal, but I'm more often successful at commuting twice a week and then doing a short early morning or evening ride on one other day. My commute is a minimum of 35 miles round trip, so typically I get to the end of the work week with a good mileage base of 70 to 90 miles before I head into a weekend during which I can usually do two decent rides. The only thing I want to do before I head out on my Ireland trip is to start doing one longer ride each week. With the mileage from commuting, I can get a decent amount of mileage in each week without doing any long rides (which right now I classify as 50 or more miles), but it would be good for my overall endurance to get back to the habit of one longer ride each week.
There's definitely a sense of calm. My body should be a lean cycling machine by the time that I leave for Ireland...
