Potato Heaven – a few more and SO MANY within striking distance!

SIX more potatoes are soon going to see their magnets: La Nuova Patata, New Potato, Pacific Potato, Tottering Tater, Casey at the Bat Potato, Tom Tater

Here’s what’s happening on the streets:

Bar Fry – Had the pleasure of of riding with mom and dad Cardinals today.. a treat from Heaven, I think so!

Potabella – Trying to beat the rain and heat to make that 100. Hope to finish tomorrow

New Potato – Met the Tour de Couch Potato challenge biking our traditional finish leg on the W&OD, doing an out-and-back from Purcellville and celebrating with lunch at Magnolia’s. The W&OD was more active than expected on a Monday, but it is good to know that treasure is being used. As usual, wore my Tineli New Zealand kit (they make the best equipment), causing some confused looks, but did stay on the correct side of the trail . Rode imagining being on the Otago Central Rail Trail again; a great day!

Tottering Tater – Not the most exciting rides this year, but maybe next year our oldest will be ready to try. Regardless I think that’s lucky number 13.

CycoTater – Pleasant tour of Merry Point but my shoes are still wet from yesterday’s soaker.

As we count down in our final week, here are the potatoes with 10 or less miles to go. We’ll look for them to cross the finish line in the next couple of days: Chili Cheese Fries, Grape Tater, Commen-Tater, Last of the Potatoes, Seitz and Sounds Spud, Bar Fry, Tuberski, Dr. Potato Head, Gator Bait Tater, Tubin’ Tuber, LowTato

Not too far behind them is a cluster of potatoes in the 80 mile range. They should also earn their magnets early this week: Baked Potato, Commissioner Potato, Disorderly Tater, Betty Crocker Tater, Potabella, Potato Prez, Kartoffel Kaiser, Mohstato, Spuddy Holly, Winning Spud, I Do Potato, Yamazing, Southern Fried Spud, Darth Tater, Artful Tuber, A-Peeling Esther, Rick Taterchip, Russet Rhodes, Fat Tire Tater, Rain or Shine Tater, Home Fries, MelaTater

Together, that’s 33 potatoes about to cross the finish line. It’s going to be a BUSY week of pedaling.

Since Tour in France is on a rest day, some TDB “facts for the nerds”:

Jerseys and Prizes: There are several jerseys awarded during the race:

Yellow Jersey for the overall leader

Green Jersey for the best sprinter

Polka Dot Jersey for the best climber

White Jersey for the best young rider under 25

As always, your links:
Log your miles & Check your stats

Some pedaling by the Numbers:

16258.03 miles pedaled (13741.97 to reach 30K goal)

75 official taters with 155 off the couch

48 DUD SPUDS – You can still do this!!

Happy Pedaling,

Madam Tuber

So MANY potatoes today ~ 69 official potatoes and counting!

We have FIFTEEN official potatoes today: Laura Latkes, Spudding Genius, Almighty Spud, Drunk Spud, Superwoman Spud, Tuber Effect, Manntater, Spud Luda, Beck-A-Spud, Fry Like an Eagle, Harley Taterson, Spudly, Mystery Spud, Sweet Tater Carol, Frappin’ Spud

And our annual Pleasant Valley Firefighters Ride was the ride of the day. Check out our commentary as it was a BUSY day today.

Spud Luda – Rode Pleasant Valley Fire Fighter Ride to complete my tour!

Disorderly Tater – Yearly ride to support Pleasant Valley Fire department. About 3 miles in, it started to rain. Commander Tater says “I don’t understand, it’s only a 15% chance of rain”. I replied, “Nope, more like 100%.. Gentle rain for the next 5 miles. Then streets wet until the sun came out for the last ten miles. Of course, those last ten miles are the ones with the hills…. Just saying. What a girl will do for ice cream!

Mystery Spud – 11th magnet during the Pleasant Valley Fire Department annual ride. Heavy rain during the early part of the ride for many riders, but I lucked out and missed the rain.

Grape Tater – A flat tire ever the ride early. Looks like it is back to the trainer for me.

Countess Tater – I don’t know what was Hotter: Darth Tater biking in front of me or the temperature 😊

Commissioner Potato – nice ride with 15 minutes of rain.

Sweet Tater Carol – Legs were moving faster today

Fry like an Eagle – A quick ride to the grocery store to get eggs should have put me over the top!

Irish Spud – Hot and steamy morning ride in the Northern Neck of Va.

Mythical Patata – Finished the Erie Canal- Buffalo to Albany!!

Beck-A-Spud – I almost was bitten by a copperhead today on the bike path, but Manntatter saved me.

We’ll start some countdowns on Monday!!

News from Le Tour in France:

Belgian rider & tour leader teammate Tim Wellens claimed a breakaway win for the first Tour victory of his career. Race leader Tadej Pogacar maintained his advantage over Jonas Vingegaard heading into the second and final rest day in Montpellier on Monday.

As always, your links:
Log your miles & Check your stats

Some pedaling by the Numbers:

15523.47 miles pedaled (14476.53 to reach 30K goal)

69 official taters with 153 off the couch

50 DUD SPUDS – You can still do this!!

Happy Pedaling,

Madam Tuber

Keep stomping on those pedals! We’re up to 54 official potatoes.

THREE potatoes earned their magnets today: Tater Swift, Wheat Taters, Potato Loco

Here’s what your telling us. As it typical of our July, we’re battling the heat but some may have gotten a reprieve.

Grape Tater – My longest ride ever! Now excuse me, I need to go sit on an ice bag.

Potato Prez – Thank goodness for Zwift!

CycoTater – A blessedly less hot and humid day to ride the Tour de Brown Store.

Salt Life Yam – Better late than never! After a couple of weeks of travel I am back! Bike set. Lycra on. Helmet on. Ooooffff here I go.

We’ll start some countdowns on Monday!!

News from Le Tour in France:

Dutch debutant Thymen Arensman claims his first stage win while Remco Evenepoel was forced to abandon the race. Race leader Tadej Pogacar marginally increased his advantage over Jonas Vingegaard.

As always, your links:
Log your miles & Check your stats

Some pedaling by the Numbers:

14064.75 miles pedaled (15935.25 to reach 30K goal)

54 official taters with 152 off the couch

51 DUD SPUDS – I’m thinking if they haven’t started now, it’s not looking good.

Happy Pedaling,

Madam Tuber

Pedaling about 1000 miles a day, we’re up to 51 official potatoes.

BIG numbers as eight potatoes finish their Tour: Decapotato, Ain’t No Tater High Enough, Potato Sticks, Yam Kronen, Pump up the Yam, Racing Spud, Yam Session, Tattie Tater, and Oh-Kay-Tuber

Today’s commentary finds potatoes pedaling together!!

Fry like an Eagle – A ride around the island with O’Kay Tuber and Seafaring Spud.

Seafaring Spud – Spuds Unite! Met with Oh-Kay-Tuber and Fry Like an Eagle for an early morning 20 miler on Kiawah Island, SC. To paraphrase the KIngston Trio: “If the skeeters don’t get us then the gators will!” 

Oh-Kay-Tuber – Spuds United in Kiawah Island! Seafaring Spud, Fry Like an Eagle and Oh- Kay- Tuber! Made my 100! 

CherylR – Riding on a peloton today

Chip-n-Dale – Another beautiful morning ride through Sandbridge.

Pump up the Yam – My street bike has been in the shop for two weeks so I’ve been working the Peloton, propped up with my iPad displaying the 2025 TdF coverage. It’s astounding how fast I can ride just in the front of the (real) Peloton. And backwards no less!

News from Le Tour in France:

Tadej Pogacar strengthened his grip on the 2025 Tour de France on Friday, winning the race’s mountain time trial from Loudenvielle to Peyragudes and extending his overall race lead to more than four minutes. There hadn’t been a pure mountain time trial like this in the Tour since Lance Armstrong scorched up Alpe d’Huez in 2004, one minute and one second ahead of his great rival, and now friend, Jan Ullrich.

As always, your links:
Log your miles & Check your stats

Some pedaling by the Numbers:

13227.50 miles pedaled (16772.50 to reach 30K goal)

51 official taters with 151 off the couch

52 DUD SPUDS – will they make it?

Happy Pedaling,

Madam Tuber

We’re over 12,000 miles – will we make 30,000? We also have 42 official potatoes.

Here are our SIX spuds pedaling over the century mark today: Sinful Spud, Got Tot?, Sour Mash Spud, Campbell’s Potato Soup, Golly D Tater, Christmas Potato

And today’s commentary as we sweat it out in the July heat (and our Mashed Potato pedals on!):

Darth Tater – Sunrise beach

Flower Bud Spud – Am peloton ride

Yam Kronen – Wicked waves and wind on Lake Michigan!

Pacific Potato – Visiting family but was able to get in a morning ride. It was very hilly and is now my personal longest ride of this year’s tour.

Chip-n-Dale – Early morning ride through Sandbridge.

Potato Prez – Still a Mashed Potato, but carrying on!

Eveready Yam – Nice ride in the woods in the middle of Columbia Maryland – did not know it existed!

As for the boys in France – a Mashed Potato:

Defending champion Tadej Pogacar has stamped his authority on the 2025 Tour de France, wrestling back the yellow jersey from previous leader Ben Healy and demolishing all his rivals on stage 12 of the race. Stage 12, a 180km run from Auch to Hautacam saw the first real mountain test of the Tour and Pogacar – despite suffering a late crash in the closing kilometres of stage 11 – passed with flying colours, powering away from his rivals on the lower slopes of the infamous hors-categorie Hautacam.

As always, your links:
Log your miles & Check your stats

Some pedaling by the Numbers:

12146.53 miles pedaled (17853.47 to reach 30K goal)

42 official taters with 149 off the couch

Still 54 DUD SPUDS in training – let’s get these potatoes pedaling!

Happy Pedaling,

Madam Tuber

Big miles today as we crossed the 11,000 mile marker. We also have 36 official potatoes.

FIVE more potatoes made it official today: CunningYam, 50 in 50 Potato, Tater Malla, Even Stephen Spud, Spud Cool all crossed the finish line!

Here’s what y’all are doing as you pedal feverishly:

Spud Cool – Finished! Just in time to fly to Madrid!!

Seafaring Spud – Beautiful ride with Wolfpack Potato along the beach and trails of Kiawah Island, SC.

RBCBikes – I’d hoped to get done with my 100 mi last week, but that heat and humidity… 😐

Rain or Shine Tater – Spin class

Chip-n-Dale – Rode the entire length of Sandbridge and back.

CycoTater – Toured Merry Point today.

Fry Alicia – 2nd Day in the Pyrenees and still climbing….we were stopped by a flock of sheep in the road! Didn’t have that on my bingo card 

As for the boys in France – a Mashed Potato:

In a dramatic turn of events, Jonas Abrahamsen won the 11th stage of the Tour de France after Tadej Pogačar crashed near the finish line.

As always, your links:
Log your miles & Check your stats

Some pedaling by the Numbers:

11370.05 miles pedaled (18629.95 to reach 30K goal)

36 official taters with 149 off the couch (this is growing)

54 DUD SPUDS in training – let’s get these potatoes pedaling!

Happy Pedaling,

Madam Tuber

We crossed over the 10,000 mile marker today and we’re at 31 official potatoes.

Fry Alicia, Backpack Potato, Holy Potato, Price is Right Potato, Jungle Spud, Yam Mears, Chip-n-Dale all made it official today. Magnets all around!

Here’s what y’all have going on as you stomp on those pedals. Looks like some in-house competition going on too. Love it!

Flower Bud Spud – Morning peloton ride watching humming birds from the window

Chip-n-Dale – Nice morning ride through False Cape State Park.

Fry Alicia – First day of riding in France….climbed to the top of Col du Tourmalet which is the 14th stage of the Tour this week….had a little spill (Mashed Potato??) at the beginning but kept at it…4,900 ft of climbing and saw a peak of sun at the top after fog, rain and low visibility on the downhill…posting pics on the FB page

Fo Fanna Potato – I don’t know if you noticed but Sewin’ Spuds has turned this year’s potato into an in house competition- swearing he is just getting extra miles to “motivate” me to keep riding. Did it make me ride the indoor bike very quietly for 35 miles before he woke up this morning?! Yes, yes it did

Frappin’ Spud – Had several baby turkey’s 15-20 run in from of us along with their parents. Also two does and a yearling.

Yam Mears – Another early morning ride.

Potato Hopskins – Had a great, albeit sweaty, ride with a fellow spud (& dear friend)

As for the boys in France – they are resting today (but no rest for the Couch Potatoes):

The 2025 Tour de France is the 112th edition of the great race which was first held in 1903. The route includes seven flat stages, six medium mountain stages, six mountain stages (five with uphill finishes), and two individual time trials. Rest days are scheduled for Tuesday 15 July and Monday 21 July.

As always, your links:
Log your miles & Check your stats

Some pedaling by the Numbers:

10295.28 miles pedaled (19704.72 to reach 30K goal)

31 official taters with 144 off the couch (two more than yesterday)

59 DUD SPUDS in training – if you know a DUD SPUD, help them get off the couch. The time is NOW!

Happy Pedaling,

Madam Tuber

We’re OVER 9000 miles after 10 days of riding and we have 24 official potatoes.

FIVE potatoes make it official today: Mythical Patata, Milby Crisps, Nip it in the Spud, Simmering Spud, Hash Slinger.

Here’s what you’re telling us about your adventures:

Wheat Taters – Fun 80s video class at 6am!!!

Russet Rhodes – Twenty great miles plus three foggy miles earlier this morning!

Chip-n-Dale – Day 1 and Day 2 in Sandbridge.

Sweet Tater Carol – Legs are like mashed potatoes

CycoTater – Enjoyed the Brown’s Store loop this morning! Had a road race with 4 kamikaze turkeys but no mashed potato or fowl:)

Bar Fry – Had a race with a black racer snake today. I think he won. So fast he disappeared before I could snap a picture!

As for the boys in France – lots of excitement and stirring up the standings:

The first mountain stage of the 2025 Tour de France led to a shake up in the race for the yellow jersey. Simon Yates of Great Britain won Stage 10, which featured eight different ascents and climbs totaling nearly 14,600 feet. But it was the jockeying for position going on behind him that provided the most drama. Ben Healy, who represents Ireland and won Stage 6 last week, grabbed the yellow jersey from Tadej Pogačar.

As always, your links:
Log your miles & Check your stats

Some pedaling by the Numbers:

9236.13 miles pedaled (20763.87 to reach 30K goal)

24 official taters with 142 off the couch

61 DUD SPUDS in training – if you know a DUD SPUD, help them get off the couch. The time is NOW!

Happy Pedaling,

Madam Tuber

We’re OVER 8000 miles after 9 days of riding and we have 138 potatoes off the couch.

THREE more magnets earned today: Yamurai, Toni the Spud, and Bud Spud all crossed the century mark.

Here’s what you’re telling us about your adventures:

Manntater – Went on a bike ride this morning with the crew —the wildlife tour was a success! We didn’t see the two bears people warned us about… but we did see their poop. So technically, we “BEARLY” missed them. 

Potato Prez – Zwifty. Hoping to get back on the bike outside this week after crash 1 week before tour. – Oh no, a mashed potato before we even started. Don’t worry – you got this!!

Spud Cool – Started outside but to avoid becoming a baked potato retreated indoors. And then it rained – double bonus!

La Nuova Patata – Nice steamy ride in the county-new knee was happy!

New Potato – The rain gods teased us for the first hour or so, indicating they might let loose. But after an hour or so, they smiled on us and left us to finish our ride. Probably went to go bother someone else. 😉

Tater Swift – Two flats none were mine.

Kartoffel Kaiser – Pleasant early morning ride in bike-friendly Davidson, NC with iced latte trophies!

As for the boys in France:

Belgian sprinter Tim Merlier won the ninth stage in a mass sprint after Mathieu van der Poel spent the whole day at the front before being caught less than a kilometer from the finish. There was no significant change in the overall standings and three-time Tour champion Tadej Pogačar kept the race leader’s yellow jersey.

As always, your links:
Log your miles & Check your stats

Some pedaling by the Numbers:

8184.47 miles pedaled (21815.53 to reach 30K goal)

19 official taters with 138 off the couch

65 DUD SPUDS in training – if you know a DUD SPUD, help them get off the couch. The time is NOW!

Happy Pedaling,

Madam Tuber

Almost hit 7000 miles after 8 days of riding and we have 132 potatoes off the couch.

Holy Smokes – 8 New Magnets today!! Nashed Potato, The BENched Potato, You Be Yameen, CycoTater, Irish Spud, Tracie Tots, and Buck-A-Spud all finished up today. The 8th potato finishing was Duchess Potato, earning magnet number 15, and finishing every LTdCP!!

Lots of potato happenings to kick off our second week:

Chip-n-Dale enjoyed a San Martin de los Andes Tempo Ride this morning.

Tattie Tater reports “I achieved my best indoor distance ride today. Peddling to leave the past behind me!”

CherylR had a rough ride – but a ride nonetheless (OH NO – where is the potato name here, Madam Tuber better get with it!)

Betty Crocker Tater rode with Russet Rhodes for 17 miles on and around the Suffolk Seaboard Coastal Trail. It was a beautiful ride!

CycoTater had a steam bath of a ride.

Nashed Potato broke the 100 mile mark today, in honor of the women’s Giro d’Italia finishing up this weekend.

You Be Yameen checks in with “A wonderful with Dave, Jessica and Julie. Toni rode with the speedy Gonzalez pace group. I’m thinking they most likely rode a 18 mph pace.”

Yam Mears rode the neighborhood for more miles!!!

Christmas Potato biked to Ruby’s Bagel Shop

A-Peeling Esther biked through Henlopen State Park on the Junction-Breakwater Trail before Bud Spud and Micro Chip headed home to Maryland! Great ride with great friends!

Yam Kronen tells us “On my way to my happy place, the beach, I hugged a tiny house.”

Irish Spud gets another magnet for the beer fridge! 

Our little nugget from that “other” ride (the little ol’ Tour de France):

Italian rider Jonathan Milan timed his attack perfectly to win the eighth stage of the Tour de France in a sprint finish, overtaking Australian Kaden Groves on his left and holding off Belgian rider Wout van Aert by about half a bike length. Defending champion Tadej Pogačar kept the yellow jersey after finishing in the main pack.

As always, your links:
Log your miles & Check your stats

Some pedaling by the Numbers:

6784.73 miles pedaled (23215.27 to reach 30K goal)

16 official taters with 132 off the couch

71 DUD SPUDS in training

Happy Pedaling,

Madam Tuber