8400!

Heatmap: Purple lines indicate rides in 2021.

​Or thereabouts.

Wrapping up '21, I’m at the ‘puter now after we enjoyed a really nice ride today, Dec. 31st, with our friends, A&C. 31 miles. 45 degrees. Little if any wind and partly cloudy. The only hitch was my rear flat tire … the second in three days. I’ve had enough flats this year to cover all of ’22 … I think that’s fair.

I did a lousy job of tracking my biking miles this year (2021). I let RWGPS track and record all my “real” rides, but I neglected to let it record the gazillion of commutes to the gym and back.

There. I said it. I went to “the gym”. Never thought I’d say that. I always questioned why someone would drive to a gym to workout when they could ride a bike out the door of their house and have a lot more fun, stay out longer, and burn more calories. (At least, I never DROVE to the gym!) But heck … my gym membership is free because my insurance pays for it, and I’ve been inspired by a revelation this year which may be detailed in a later posting. So, we even splurged to hire a personal trainer for 6 months just to get ourselves started. Given that my only “weight training” experience involved a lot of heavy lifting in multiple factory jobs in my younger days and pressing 100+ pound steel plates overhead while working in a prior career as a plastics mold maker, I figured learning how to do things correctly might not be a bad idea. Better late than never! ​I’ve traumatized my body with enough broken bones and torn connecting tissues over the years that I don’t think I have a lot of UN-injured parts left to sacrifice.

I guess I play a little too hard. Or, I’m just terribly uncoordinated.

But anyway … that gym time took a hit on my bike mileage this year. 2020 was much better with over 11,000 miles, but I’m OK with 8400 (or 8500, or 8600 …whatever). But two or three days a week at the gym for almost 6 months DID have it’s payoffs, however. I hit my lowest weight / BMI / BMR ever since boot camp, could do a plank for FIVE MINUTES, and on the bike, I could climb hills like a raped ape. OK!!

But let’s not blame the gym for sucking up ALL my time off the bike.

Then there was the hernia. Or two, actually. Now, full disclosure … I knew I had a hernia for years before the gym thing. I didn’t bust anything working out. 

Well … not there anyway. More likely from schleppin’ overweight luggage for bike tour guests who can’t follow simple instructions on gear limitations.

A DOT physical revealed the hernia years ago, and I was TOLD to see a surgeon about that. (It didn’t bother me so …) But I got a new Doc this year, and she told me: Get it fixed! OK, OK! I mentioned to the surgeon that I had another “bump” nearby that had been there as long as I can remember. Turns out, I had TWO hernias to fix. So all that set me back with over a month off the bike!

All stitched back up, and back on the bike, and feeling’ great!

But then … there’s that “other distraction” that’s on my mind. Sadly, I neglected to share the story of a wonderful 4-day bike camping tour down into the southern end of the Finger Lakes with Karen, Todd and Dave, because I’ve been so distracted, but I’ll get to the tales of that adventure later … really. It was likely THE highlight of the year for me.
​

Yeah, it was a little hilly.

I’ve been on the ‘puter doing a lot of research in the last year, particularly the last 6 months, and since I don’t have the right “confirmation” to share just yet, I’ll save that discussion for a later post ... perhaps in just a few weeks. Stay tuned.

So, 2021 was a disrupting year. My sweet sweet kitty Ziplock passed away, I did no BIG tours, I got laid up for longer than planned, and I discovered a potential “issue” to deal with looking forward. But I might have big dreams and adventures in the works for ’22!

​Happy New Year!