The headline is this: I beat 2017 by 429 miles! (4,714 Miles Bicycled in 2017 = 10,000 in 2 Years! A Recap of My “Epic Velocimania” (Day 1)
Of course that’s not proof, for that, see below. But I can assure you it’s accurate. Except that maybe it’s not, because the annual strava video shows I rode an extra 100+ miles. The point is that I biked my butt off (well, it’s still there) and added the daily walking. So even though I biked 250 miles less, I walked 500+ miles more than last year, when I barely did any. In addition to my daily yoga practice of 5+ years now, and writing this blog or in my book-in-progress, I had a very busy year.
The effort took me 427 hours, which is about 18 full days of biking. The elevation was 122,700 feet, which is less than last year, but not by much. And I definitely didn’t seek out hills this year. I didn’t go on many group rides, either. But still, somehow I was able to GIT ‘ER DONE!
Keep reading for more…
Crunching the Numbers
I can’t show you the walk data very easily, just a spreadsheet from Garmin. You’ll just have to trust me on this one. But you can look at every day that I walked in my Strava. You may go to my Strava feed anytime at this link:
https://www.strava.com/athletes/adudeabikes
Larry David here sums up my year very well. Another quote I like is from fellow comedian, the Buddha. He said, Comparison is the death of joy.” There are plenty of stronger and faster cyclists than I. But comparing oneself to oneself is a fair measurement of progress. And like I said, I improved over 2017. However, it meant walking and writing, which took time away from biking. I won’t get into the various health challenges that held me back too, but they were definitely extra hills to climb.
One of my ongoing obstacles is the extra pounds on my body. Despite all the miles, I’m still a bit of a fathlete. But I’m pretty damn fit, and to me that’s far more important than looking like a pro cyclist, which I’m not. Speaking of comedians, here’s one of the greats with a very appropriate quote:
“Of course I’m in shape. Round is a shape.”
–George Carlin
If there’s one point to understand, that while the big numbers are great Garmin and Strava collect a ton of data. Too much to relate overall, and too much to sort through for one post. So to simplify things, consider this cool video My Year in Sport.
More Random A Dude Abikes Data:
- Garmin says I missed one day of walking, March 14. However, I did two walks on the 13th due to volunteering South by Southwest. For most of February, I took two walks a day, with Buddy the Dog.
- Although I borrowed two different cars for about 4 months total, I didn’t let them stop my biking and walking efforts. It did have an effect, though. The main reasons were for driving were a) to do dogsitting in the country, and b) to beat the heat in the hot summers.
- I only fell off my bike once: during the League Cycling Instructor (LCI) training, quite ironically. Pride was injured more than anybody’s body.
- Someone this year, just like last, also actually said, “I’m-a knock yo’ bitch ass offa that bike!” (He didn’t.)
- My longest ride was on my birthday with two friends. This was rather disappointing to me, but I didn’t have any real reason to go farther or faster.
- I did one charity ride — the Mamma Jamma Ride to Beat Breast Cancer — and raised $2,502. That brings my total for six rides to over $12,000 including some personal costs.
- Tickets by police = 0. Crashes = 0. Stolen bikes = 0. Stolen bike bags = 2.
- Stages of the Tour de France watched = all of them.
- Tour de France riders that I met = 1 (Lawson Craddock).
- Interviews with Austin cyclists done = 4. Interviews published = 1. Why? Not enough readers, and publishers block. In 2019 I plan to rectify this.
- I wrote in either my blog or book or both. EVERY. SINGLE. DAMN. DAY. I’ll write another post about food, yoga, blog and book soon.
I’d like to THANK EVERYONE who lended support: from bike shops, fellow riders, friends, to family, donors, and more. Special thanks to my blog readers, be you passersby or regulars. I truly appreciate your support, whether it is anonymous viewing, or more vocal with likes and comments. Best wishes to you for 2019, whether you have sporting, fitness and writing goals like I do, or something else. Feel free to leave your suggestions and comments below! And if you aren’t a follower of this blog, I hope you’ll consider becoming one as my journey continues into another year. Cheers, y’all!
Thank you for visiting me on WordPress or www.ADudeAbikes.com. Feel free to add your Likes and Comments and Follow the blog through WordPress if you have it or by email. Contact me with any questions. Please feel free to Reblog and share as long as you give credit and the permalink to this post.
© 2015-18 A Dude Abikes. All rights reserved.
A Dude Abikes 
Great year. Love the Buddha quote.
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Thanks! Compared to other Buddha quotes, I guess it’s alright. LOL
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Nice job dude! I hope I can do half that this year. Any interest in the MS150 in April? See you on the road, dude!
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Thanks, man! Well, you have bigger fish to fry. I ground it out this year, no longer rides. Lighter bike is dead as you know,and cracked aluminum frame can’t be welded. And I need to be fundraising for myself. I was.ted to do the San Antonio Route as it’s more picturesque. Tired of fundraising. Aside from all that, maybe?
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Good job, dude!
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Happy new year dear,hope 2019 it will be an other happy cycling year😀🎉🚴♂️
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Thank you! And a great year for you, your family and your blog (plus that book in Swedish that you’re doing! LOL).
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Lol,thanks🤓😂
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