One Year, One Thousand Miles!

written Saturday, November 14, 2009

I suppose I could take it as a sign that at mile 930 today my bike odometer stopped working.  In seven days I will celebrate the one-year anniversary of owning and riding this spiffy road bike.  I thought it might be nice to hit 1000 miles, but today my computer had other ideas.  The ride started off well – absolutely the most beautiful, warm November day you could ask for in Chicago.  Shorts and t-shirt weather.  I felt good and was riding hard.  I pulled off in the lawn at the Shedd Aquarium, ate a bar and just marveled at how beautiful the city was.  Blue sky, eerie calm lake, crisp white gulls circling the skies and the crisp white sails of the small sailing fleet circling the water.  But a few miles further south and my computer would no longer add mileage to my goal!  I fiddled with the sensor, got back on and it worked for a few yards, then off again.

I headed north, at least knowing my mileage in my head, but is this technical glitch telling me something?  The skies leadened as I approached home and my foot even fell asleep, which has never happened before.  Am I driving too hard?  Am I supposed to take all this to mean that the spirit of riding is not supposed to rely on cold, hard numbers?  Am I supposed to be happy to ride, regardless of speed or distance?  Is 930 miles supposed to be enough?

The thing is, I’m not really a sign-reading kind of guy.  It could be a sign, but if it is, it’s going to be lost on me.  I’m expecting to replace the battery and get back at it.  Only 60 miles to go…

written Thursday, November 19, 2009

Wasn’t the battery.  I’ve kept track of my miles this week in my head.  I know the routes I pedal and the distances, so today I declared victory – ONE THOUSAND MILES IN ONE YEAR!  Lots of people ride more than that, but hey, for me, it’s a lot.  I hadn’t exercised at all the previous few years, so I think it’s great.  I sure feel good doing it.  Not sure now about my 2010 goal, but I’m going to rest a few days.  2010 miles in 2010?  I did mention this idea out loud.  To a few people.  Hmm.  I had to ride in a lot of damp rain this week to finish, so I’ll wait now until the weather is appealing…or at least dry.

In the meantime, I await a new sensor for my bike computer.  The company that makes it is sending me a new one so I can keep track of my miles!