2025 Wrap-Up

​Nine Thousand … and One miles! What the ticker says I finished at on Xmas day. 
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Not too bad!

I didn’t think I’d quite hit 10,000 earlier in the season when we had unusually cold/wet spring quickly followed by a couple heat waves. At one point, I was easily 1500 miles behind schedule, yet by the end of November I had caught up a bit. But I knew this would be a “weaker” year. That’s OK. Because in reality, I do have a lot more miles in the saddle than what RWGPS reports because I don’t count or record “errands” like going to the Public Market, Abundance Co-Op, the gym, the Cafe, or downtown for whatever reason. That could easily account for a significant chunk of miles.

Besides the weather distractions, there were a couple excursions this year too … a trip to Kingston NY and a longer trip to Pittsburg and some POI’s on the way home. High points of the Pittsburg adventure included a visit to the Bicycle Heaven museum / bike shop. Far more than just a bike shop, this place has multiple floors and multiple rooms FILLED with collectable bikes and componentry. I even found a twin of my very first “10-speed”, a 1971 British built Dunelt … gorgeous!

I’m in Heaven!

​Next up, a tour of the Andy Warhol Museum …

Interactive Too!

​… rides up BOTH of the cog inclines …

Pittsburg ain’t flat!

​… and dinner at the Church Brew Works. 

I had a Coke

​I had to take Karen there after talking it up. That was where I took the Chicago - New York City tour group with Adventure Cycling in 2017. 

In fact, we stayed at the Travelers Rest, a hostel / hotel I had learned was in development along the river where I had wanted to take the tour group. But at the time, it was just getting final touches before opening and couldn’t yet accommodate a group of 14 cyclists.

We meandered on home through the Allegheny National Forest with a stop at the Kinzua Bridge …
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Destroyed by a Tornado

​… went hiking at Rock City Park just south of Olean NY …

A Little Spooky

​… and near Ellicottville, we visited the Griffis Sculpture Park in East Otto.

Critters!

A nice way to cap the summer.

Now it’s almost 2026, the snow has been falling, and the Surly Wednesday fatbike w/studs has been making up for lost time. (Public Market AND the gym today) It doesn’t see much action in the regular season outside of RBC “Adventure Rides” but it’s the Go To bike when everything outside turns to crap.
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Gotta Love It!

​BTW … my last post shared a photo of The Beast overlooking Keuka Lake from atop Bully Hill. Well, fair is fair … here’s my favored way / steed for climbing that hill!

High Point of the Day

Life is Good!