Why I rode the Festive 500
I’d heard of the Ninny Muggins ride series put on by the Ann Arbor Velo Club a handful of times over the course of the year. The objective is to pair you up with other ambitious riders committed to riding 500 km between December 24th and 31st. Naturally, when the first ride was announced for 7:01 am on the 24th, I hit up my friend Josh up on DTR to see if he was heading to York for the first ride. Also wanted to go and get one of the cool stickers Nick Stanko had made for the occasion pictured below!
The Festive 500 really brings the freaks out but in the best way. For example, Josh hatched the idea it would be in his best interest to ride from his house in Plymouth to the start of the ride in Ann Arbor. After all, the point was to get to 500 km so why not? However, this also meant waking up around 5 am in order to ride the 20 some miles to the start in the dark. I opted out of this part but boy did it set the tone.
As I drove to the start of the ride enjoying my seat heater, a Britney Spears Mega Mix, and coffee, I didn’t really have designs to ride the Festive 500 simply go on a few rides with friends during a sleepy time of year. Rolling up to the start of the ride, there were eight of us eager to tackle the 46-mile route for the day including a guy blasting some Jock Jams. Can’t think of a better start than listening to Tootsee Roll as you follow bike lights down Stadium with the Big House in the background.
Exposure to new routes, new people, and the unpredictability of the day best encaptures the beauty of the Festive 500. Exploring the new roads and the conversations which paired with them was just wonderful. We ended up riding by my close friend Weston’s house and he ran out to the road to wave us along shirtless which got a good laugh from the crowd. Also, a very Midwestern move to be standing at the end of your driveway offering pleasantries shirtless saying it’s not that cold in sub-freezing weather. We soon found ourselves back at York after a good sport-paced ride however that would be short-lived as I was coxed into ‘just adding a few miles’ onto the ride a phrase almost exclusively reserved for the most stunning warm weather days.
Josh and Adam Hockley, fantastic rider I had met that morning, were rolling to Plymouth so I figured I might as well tag along. My brother was home for the holiday and it would be easy to convince him to drive me to my car in exchange for lunch. And just like that, a 46-mile ride became 71-miles.
Sometime during the Margarita Cliffblock infused haze at mile 65, I realized I was no longer just looking to get some rides in with my friends but now wanted to try and earn this prominent digital badge on Strava. So here we go!
12/24: Ninny Muggins — 114 km
12/25: Ride with my Dad — 16 km
12/26: D ride with Josh, Collin, AJ, and Will — 130 km
12/27: Zwift Watopia — 32 km
12/28: Ride to the DTR office and back — 46 km
12/29: Training ride with Pasta J — 37 km*
12/30: Mission Accomplished with Josh, Collin, and Annabell— 129 km
504 km / 500 km
*Zwift crashed during this workout which was 54 km rather than the 37 km I ended up counting after not being able to recover the ride. It was pointed out to me this was the price I paid by doing some of my miles indoors.
Three Takeaways
- Pacing: Some have been grinding on Zwift and some have been taking a much-needed break/reset from the first season back after the 2020 season was canceled. This isn’t the time to push it so sit back and enjoy base miles.
- Coffee shops: Having a destination with a warm beverage and a treat is imperative when you’re riding in the snow so have a solid understanding of what your route can offer.
- Finding the right ride and group: Chances are you’re not on your regular schedule between time off or being in a different location. Add in different fitness levels, rest days, and types of terrain offered, it’s important to find the ride which matches up with the experience you wanna have.
The DTR app helped me see who was Down to Ride on any day while helping me see what rides were happening within 50 miles of me. Really cool to meet others in the community while celebrating the Festive 500! Might have to do it again next year…
