Colorado Crank

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After nearly 2m 15 sec in Nebraska, was great to be back home in #Colorado - and then... DONE! 200 miles in 3 days across Eastern Colorado. Now, music and food time!

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Sedgwick, CO, aid station - jhonny B Goode playing loud

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Lunch in Crook, Colorado #cycling... Lot more miles to go!

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21st "Century" Technology...

Mile 100 of my Century was Awesome! Mile 103 of my Century was a little less fun, mainly because I assumed that my Century, like others, would stop at 100 miles. It actually did, but I didn't know it - nor did the group I was riding with or anyone after us - because I am guessing the State Patrol Officer who was supposed to direct the Century riders to the finish might have misunderstood that the duty didn't stop when the time limit for the 60-milers completed.

Either way, he wasn't there. We were lost. We had to ride downtown to find out where we were supposed to finish.

Technology opportunity lost.

A couple of things come to mind. First, the website is really great, but in a stage ride like this with so many people, smart phones, stops and education about the communities, there is a missed opportunity to have created a map-based system, such as a Google map, that could help riders identify where they are - or in our case, where they should be... and offer links and additional online info along the way.

Second, low cost technology for riders on course, such as chips, social media check-in kiosks or RFID bands could have helped the organizers track riders still riding and help erase any question over whether the riders were still on course.

That said, rides like this are complex, rolling incidents. The coordination to pull them off is amazing. Behind the scenes, I know resources were coordinated in part by OIT in the digital trunk radio system that enables first responders, state patrol and others to transit from one county and response system to another seamlessly. It is amazing that the complexity of multiple agencies responders and other response elements can coordinate seamlessly as they transit across the state. I don't want them having to search for the right channel when they should be focused on helping. This system avoids that need.

My brain knows this is amazing, although my legs are a bit sorry that the amazing system wasn't used to ask the patrol officer to stay in place and that the tired century riders were still on their way in after a great ride :-)

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Aaaaaaaand, century, done. Beautiful sunset in Sterling

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Lunch in Fleming... 70 more #pedaltheplains

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Haxtun aid station - 80 more to go!. @pedaltheplains

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Ready to start the 100-mile day! #cycling

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A look at how the state might pitch in to "grow" technology

At the first main stop of the day on my ride across eastern Colorado in the Pedal the Plains tour, it took just a few minutes for me to dive right into a tech discussion. Sorry, Nerd. Most often, technology in agriculture produces images of bigger tractors, harvesting equipment, or other heavy industrial machines.

However, spend a few minutes with a farmer and it is clear that today what powers this production is not unlike other industries. Computers help streamline and make efficient the machines.

Talking today with Kelly Kinnie of Kinnie Farms in Julesburg actually opened up an opportunity for the State to help on the technology front. Kelly uses GIS to track and locate his harvesters. Kelly is a Google user. There are no additional cost tools, such as Google Maps, that allow the State to take an active role in education to make Colorado farmers even more productive with easy to use access tools that the State has expertise and support in.

Since Kelly can monitor his GIS files, he can import them into Google Maps - something the State has a lot of experience with - and can take those files one step further with year over year analysis and data tracking over areas covered, time spent on target, and visual history of the activity on his farm. The State in this way has an important role to play in technology education.

I am excited to have met Kelly today, but am more excited to explore what future creative efforts we can make to continue the State push to partner with the private sector.

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And stage 1 #pedaltheplains done in Holyoke #colorado

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Antique cars, pork and wind for lunch...

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Kinnie farm stop - got to nerd out about GIS, Google and agriculture with Kelly Kinnie

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Not applause. That was the storm outside the tent at 3am...

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Good egg

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Check in and ready to start rolling...

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Tech won't make you healthy... but it won't hurt

As an avid triathlete and, recently, when talking about gearing up for the Pedal the Plains, I am often asked by friends, family and colleagues about training, how to get started and how to keep it up. First thing I always say is that you have to make time and start slow. Some people have a goal of doing an Ironman, others to lose a few pounds or to just feel better.

Technology won't make you healthy, but today's world does make it easier to get organized, track your progress and make it easier to balance life, play and work.

The benefits of fitness are big, of course, and many employers, including the State have rewards programs. Ours is Colorado.gov/wellness, run by CafeWell. It allows you to enter in your activities and has a ton of fitness suggestions, tracking tools and info in the reward program. A colleague of mine started walking during lunches and overtime was able to collect enough points to get a bike.

I use a number of tools for my tracking, including:

Training Peaks - allows for planning of activities over a week, months or to prepare for a race. Great, robust tracking tool.

Myfitnesspal - I also track what I eat and do via myfitnesspal. Super easy, mobile friendly and let's you easily track what you burn versus what you take in. Burn more than you take in and over time, you will lose weight.

Google Fit - this helps me track my steps, riding distance and time, and runs. It works in the background so just install and let it run and at the end of the day, you have a summary of how much you move.

There is no perfect technology that will make you move and eat healthier, but there are plenty of guides and incentives to help you do so!

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Arrived in Julesburg! Pulled pork sandwich as a pre-ride meal with the Broncos game on at the Julesburg Tavern. Long drive out East, but got the tent set up and ready to get some rest before starting tomorrow’s ride. Not too many people around yet, but a few more cars rolling in, packed with bikes and gear. Town has been really friendly with lots of people out giving directions and getting their tents set up for registration.