My second #GCCUSA2025 Century

On Saturday, I accomplished my second Century of my Great Cycle Challenge.

Yep, 100 miles.

That's right ... On my bicycle.

Yep, in one day.

No, my butt is fine.

Nope, I'm not crazy.

Yes, I know you don't like to drive that far.

I have committed to riding 1,200 miles over the course of September, and so I need to get long rides in. 

I always try to get a good start over the beginning of the month so that I'm not worrying about miles towards the end of the month when who knows what the weather will be like or what else might be going on.

By the time you read this, I will probably have gone on several more GCC rides. If you'd like to follow along or make a donation ... follow the link:

https://greatcyclechallenge.com/Riders/EricShepard

August Update on 2025 Cycling Goals

I do quite a bit of cycling for a middle-aged couch potato.

With all the BBQ I make and eat, and all the beer I brew and drink, biking a ridiculous amount helps keep me somewhat in shape.

So ... I spend lots of time cycling around the foothills of Denver, which I always track on Strava.

Anyway ... as you may remember from 2025 Cycling Goals, I have 5 cycling goals this year:

#MetricCenturyEveryMonth / #8200MilesIn2025 / #16EverestsIn2025 / Triple Bypass Ride / #GCCUSA

My first #GCCUSA2025 Century Ride

On Monday, I accomplished my first Century Ride since the Triple Bypass Ride back in July.

Yep, 100 miles.

That's right ... On my bicycle.

Yep, in one day.

No, my butt is fine.

Nope, I'm not crazy.

Yes, I know you don't like to drive that far.

I have committed to riding 1,200 miles over the course of September. 

I always try to get a good start over the first few days and the long Labor Day Weekend so that I'm not worrying about miles towards the end of the month when who knows what the weather will be like or what else might be going on.

By the time you read this, I will probably have gone on several GCC rides. If you'd like to follow along or make a donation ... follow the link:

https://greatcyclechallenge.com/Riders/EricShepard

2025 Tribute Day Photos

Here it is ... September already. 

As you know if you follow me at all, I'll be cycling 1,200 miles in September to help raise awareness and money to fight childhood cancer.

It is called the Great Cycle Challenge.

If you'd like to help out, head to my "Rider Page" at

https://greatcyclechallenge.com/Riders/EricShepard

 

July Update on 2025 Cycling Goals

I do quite a bit of cycling for a middle-aged couch potato.

With all the BBQ I make and eat, and all the beer I brew and drink, biking a ridiculous amount helps keep me somewhat in shape.

So ... I spend lots of time cycling around the foothills of Denver, which I always track on Strava.

Anyway ... as you may remember from 2025 Cycling Goals, I have 5 cycling goals this year:

#MetricCenturyEveryMonth / #8200MilesIn2025 / #16EverestsIn2025 / Triple Bypass Ride / #GCCUSA

June Update on 2025 Cycling Goals

I do quite a bit of cycling for a middle-aged couch potato.

With all the BBQ I make and eat, and all the beer I brew and drink, biking a ridiculous amount helps keep me somewhat in shape.

So ... I spend lots of time cycling around the foothills of Denver, which I always track on Strava.

Anyway ... as you may remember from 2025 Cycling Goals, I have 5 cycling goals this year:

#MetricCenturyEveryMonth / #8200MilesIn2025 / #16EverestsIn2025 / Triple Bypass Ride / #GCCUSA

 

May Update on 2025 Cycling Goals

I do quite a bit of cycling for a middle-aged couch potato.

With all the BBQ I make and eat, and all the beer I brew and drink, biking a ridiculous amount helps keep me somewhat in shape.

So ... I spend lots of time cycling around the foothills of Denver, which I always track on Strava.

Anyway ... as you may remember from 2025 Cycling Goals, I have 5 cycling goals this year:

#MetricCenturyEveryMonth / #8200MilesIn2025 / #16EverestsIn2025 / Triple Bypass Ride / #GCCUSA

April Update on 2025 Cycling Goals

Soooo ... it wasn't until mid-march that I shared my 2025 Cycling Goals, and now it is already mid-May.

As always, I'm fairly certain very few people care. I might be the only one who reads through these, but I do like to have a record of my progress.

I'm sure next year sometime I'll read this and be glad I have it.

Anyway ... as you may remember from 2025 Cycling Goals, I have 5 goals:

#MetricCenturyEveryMonth / #8200MilesIn2025 / #16EverestsIn2025 / Triple Bypass Ride / #GCCUSA

2025 Cycling Goals

It blows my mind that we've already passed the ides of March. The year seems to be flying by.

I know that I'm the only one who really cares, but I have not mentioned any 2025 cycling goals on this blog yet.

In the past few years, I've probably overshared how much cycling I do and how I'm tracking towards various mileage and elevation goals.

I have not done that at all so far this year.

I have these 2025 goals. I just have not taken the time to "share" them.

Again, no one really cares other than myself, but I do like to have these to go back and look at from time to time. 

So now, here I am posting my 2025 Cycling Goals.

End of my #GCCUSA2024 #1200MileSeptember

Today (as I type ... not when this is posted) is the last day of my 2024 Great Cycle Challenge.

I might do one more ride today, but as of the time I'm typing this, I've ridden just over 1,220 miles in September.

So, I've satisfied my pledge of 1,200 miles and then some, which is an average of over 40 miles per day.

I've logged 50 separate rides in Strava, averaging about 24 miles per ride.

Over that 1220 miles, I climbed over 50,750 feet, averaging almost 1,700 feet per day and 1,015feet per ride.

With this effort (along with the rest of the year), I'm blowing away my #7100MilesIn2024 and #11EverestsIn2024 goals. I've ridden just over 6,291 miles with just over 324,690 feet in elevation gain.

Honestly, I'm pretty proud of myself. Not bad for an old couch potato such as myself.

As always, if you would like to donate (or just check out how I did), check out my riders page:

https://greatcyclechallenge.com/riders/EricShepard

#GCCUSA Jerseys During the #1200MileSeptember

I'm getting towards the end of my Great Cycle Challenge. As I type this, I still have just over 200 miles, which is a pretty big distance to bike, but I've ridden over 1000 miles.

You can donate or follow along at my fundraising page at:

https://greatcyclechallenge.com/riders/EricShepard

Back in August, I posted photos of myself wearing GCC Jerseys 2016 -2024 minus 2016, which actually fits my wife much better. 

Over the last 8 days, I've been wearing these jerseys and taking selfies of myself again. I thought I'd post them here.

#GCCUSA2024 Half-way Done

September is half over, and everything is going well with my Great Cycle Challenge.

You can donate or follow along at my fundraising page at:

https://greatcyclechallenge.com/riders/EricShepard

I've surpassed my Fundraising Goal, and I'm on track for finishing up the 1,200 miles I've pledged to ride over the month.

2024 Tribute Day Photos

We're getting close!! In September, I'll be cycling 1,200 miles in September to help raise awareness and money to fight childhood cancer.

It is called the Great Cycle Challenge.

If you'd like to help out, head to my "Rider Page" at 

https://greatcyclechallenge.com/Riders/EricShepard

 

GCC Hero Jerseys

If you follow me at all on this blog and/or Facebook and/or Instagram, you know I've been doing the Great Cycle Challenge for several years now (since 2016). 

Not too long ago, I posted photos of myself wearing my GCC Jerseys 2016 -2024. By raising at least $500 anyone doing the challenge earns these each year.

Well, I wasn't wearing the 2016 jersey because it is too small and I gave it to my wife. In 2016, I had never owned a bike jersey before and didn't realize they are not just sized like tee-shirts.

Anyway, in addition to the "Regular" jerseys in GCC Jerseys 2016 -2024, I also own four "Hero" jerseys, which are earned by raising at least $2,500 in that year.

I also have earned an "All Star" jersey, which I got when I had raised a total of $10,000 over all years of the challenge.

GCC Jerseys 2016 -2024

So, if you follow me at all on this blog and/or Facebook and/or Instagram, you know I've been doing the Great Cycle Challenge for several years now (since 2016). 

Every year, I pledge to ride a number of miles through out the challenge month. (originally in June, but it has been September since 2020).

I get donations for this pledge to raise money for the Children's Cancer Research Fund. If you'd like to donate, you can do so on my Rider's Page.

Everyone who raises at least $500 gets a "Free GCC Jersey", and I have one for each year that I've done the challenge.

Recently, I've been riding with all these jerseys (except 2016, which is too small for me) and taking selfies. I thought I'd share what they all look like in a blog post.

So ... here we go:

#1000MileSeptember #GCCUSA2023

If you follow me at all on this blog or facebook or instagram .. you know that I've been participating in the Great Cycle Challenge all last month.

I've pledged to ride September to raise money and awareness for the Children's Cancer Research Fund.

https://greatcyclechallenge.com/Riders/EricShepard 

 

2023 Tribute Day Photos

We're getting close!! In September, I'll be cycling 1000 miles in September to help raise awareness and money to fight childhood cancer.

It is called the Great Cycle Challenge.

If you'd like to help out, head to my "Rider Page" at 

https://greatcyclechallenge.com/Riders/EricShepard

 

#1000MileSeptember

If you follow me at all on this blog or facebook or instagram .. you know that I've been participating in the Great Cycle Challenge all last month.

I've pledged to ride September to raise money and awareness for the Children's Cancer Research Fund.

https://greatcyclechallenge.com/Riders/EricShepard

 

#GCCUSA Tribute Day Pictures

We're getting close!! In September, I'll be cycling 1000 miles in September to help raise awareness and money to fight childhood cancer.

It is called the Great Cycle Challenge.

If you'd like to help out, head to my "Rider Page" at 

https://greatcyclechallenge.com/Riders/EricShepard

Wrapping up #GCCUSA2019

Well, I finished up my 2019 Great Cycle Challenge.

The GCC is continuing to track miles and let us fund-raise well into July, so this number might change, but as I write this post, I've raised $2,046.79 this year. My best year so far.

As you know if you've followed me on this blog or on facebook or on instagram or on twitter). I pledged to ride 1000 miles this year.

This is more than I've ever ridden in a month, and as I've mentioned multiple times, I wasn't sure I'd be able to get it done.

But, as it turns out, I'm proud to say not only was I able to ride 1000 miles by the end of June, but it really was not as difficult as I thought it would be.

Most of my miles were done on my new "gravel bike". However, I did count some miles on an indoor stationary bike.

If my math is correct, I did 144 of the 1012 miles inside. Since the GCC continued to track miles, I made it my goal to do at least 144 miles outside during the first week of July.

I did it. As of this morning, my total is 1,185. The number continues to go up. If you want to see my current total check out

Great Cycle Challenge USA - Riders - Eric Shepard