At the end of last year I did a review of my year in cycling, and set some goals for this year. Since we rolled past the halfway point at the end of June, it seems like a good time to check on whether I’m making progress towards those goals.
The first goal I established was distance. I’d managed 1722.34 miles between January 1 and December 31, 2019 so, with some hemming and hawing, I set my goal at 2000 miles. The number scared me a bit when I wrote it back on the first day of 2020, but it also seemed to be the right number - the next rung on the ladder.
There are folks out there that will absolutely say that a rider shouldn't worry about the distance - don’t stress yourself out about how far you are going, just get out there and ride. I can appreciate that perspective and, what’s more, I suspect that’s the right way to look at things for the people saying it.
But I’m a numbers guy. Setting the goal and then tracking it doesn’t stress me out - I enjoy it. I like looking not only at distance, but also the other statistics that Cyclemeter gives me - average speed, average distance per trip, etc, etc, etc. I find that the information lets me know objectively whether I’m actually doing better or whether I need to step it up. The numbers won’t let me tell myself I’m doing better if that’s not actually true.
I’m certain I’m not the only one.
As of the end of June my 2020 mileage was: 1203.74
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That number put me more than halfway to my goal as of the mid-point of the year, so I’m on track - or actually a little bit ahead - for making the 2000 mile goal. As of today - July 12th - I’ve added another 114.99 miles, putting me at 1318.73 so far for the year. I’m less than 60 miles from exceeding my distance for 2018, which is my second longest year on record; and if I stay on track over the next couple of weeks I’ll roll past that marker by the end of July.
That all probably sounds like boasting, and I suppose it is. But I hope it also offers a bit of hope for others who wonder about taking up cycling, particularly since we’ve been in a period of accelerated bike sales during the lockdown. In 2016 - just four years ago - my total mileage was 260.49. You can change it if you want to.
My other goals for the year included:
- Riding from LaSalle to Ottawa along the I&M Canal Trail
- Riding further down the Hennepin Canal Trail
- Finishing my trailer project; and
- Stopping more regularly at restaurants or taverns along my routes
On this list I’m not doing quite as well. I did finally buckle down and finish the trailer. Mostly, anyway - I still haven’t put the sides on it, but having used it a few times now, I don’t think I’m going to. I can secure items pretty well using bungees, and I like the flexibility of the flatbed for carrying larger things. And I can always put a container like a Rubbermaid tote or similar onto it if I need that type of capability. So I’m counting it as complete.
The Pandemic has really hampered progress towards the other items on the list. This is an effect both of the shutdown of everything in the spring, and my personal reluctance to be around people, particularly with what appears to be pretty limited mask and distancing cooperation out in our rural areas.
I did make it out to the Hennepin Feeder Canal trail when Illinois first opened it back up, so I suppose I’ve technically met that goal, but not in the spirit I intended it. My intent is to get further along the main canal - the East-West trail that is the Illinois Gateway trail for Rails to Trails. The challenge is that the trailhead for that section is about 40 minutes away, and while it’s usually pretty lightly used, I’m a little concerned that it will be packed full of people, which was not my thing before the pandemic, much less now. I’m reluctant to invest the travel time to potentially find out I don’t want to be there.
The I&M Canal trail is closer, but I have similar concerns there. Besides, part of the idea there was to go to a particular brewpub which, although Illinois has moved into Phase 4 and now allows outdoor dining, is also something I’m reluctant to do.
So, in a way, the pandemic both giveth and taketh away. It was already my goal to ride more, but my opportunities have also expanded because of changes in work life, making that goal easier to achieve. And I’m very happy with the progress there - I’m riding both more frequently and further than I have in the past, and I like it. The impediments to the other goals are a bit of a bummer, to be sure, but the trails will still be there when we come out the other side of the current travails, and I prefer to do what I can to make sure I’ll be able to enjoy them when we get there.