510 Miles Biked in April & 2,012 in the First Third of 2020

~ A Dude Abikes

Another month, another milestone. My bicycling has been a daily affair for some time now, and I’ve kept that streak alive. And that has made keeping my numbers consistently up from last year. I don’t want to leave big numbers to do at the end of 2020, and long rides aren’t a great idea in case of breakdowns or injuries. So I’m out there daily putting up the numbers. As I often do at the end of a month, I like to look at the statistics, so this is what this blog is about. No fake news here! Just A Dude’s journey by bike (non-motorized) through the streets of Austin, Texas.

The last ride of the month to meet my goal. Copyright Strava

As I wrote in Strava, my fitness app:

Had a couple of long stops. That’s riding every day (120) at 16.66 miles per day average and 116.66 miles per week average. At this rate I’ll achieve 6,000 miles for the year. That’s barring injury and illness (that bar has been lowered but so far so good). I don’t know why I’m doing it but so far can’t think of a good reason not to. Things could and likely will easily change and make it a lot harder. Not being fast or doing long rides, it’s definitely a time commitment. About 12 hours a week is two full days a month on the bike!

I still enjoy getting out from house arrest and it’s still legal so far. Wearing a mask when other people are around makes breathing more difficult. I’m also giving people a wide berth, avoiding roads with lots of people and bike lanes sometimes, too. Aside from the one fall due to an errant banner that caught my handlebars two weeks ago, I’ve had no wrecks, tickets or major mechanical issues. So this Dude just keeps pedalin’.

You can see my month includes a ride every day yet again in this chart.

Every day I’m pedalin’. Copyright Strava

The thing about all these miles is that overall, they may seem like a lot (to some), but broken down into small bits, it’s very doable. Not exactly easy, but possible. Days where it rained, I was tired, or had a flat, or didn’t have anywhere to go, etc. I did less miles. Then I made up for it over the next day or more. It’s not a superpower, but it requires some discipline, dedication, suffering, and struggling. Not like people trying to survive the deadly disease sweeping the globe. Or those people keeping the economy on life support (sorry about the play on words). I’m just A Dude riding his bike through the Pandemapocalypse, and I know how trivial and silly it is. Knee pain, bloody road rash on knee and elbow, fatigue, muscle tightness — it’s not nothing.

I’m very aware that not being able to work has made all this time spent riding a lot more possible. I’m both grateful for that and not, of course. Because, money. But soon a job will intrude and I’ll be at work and not biking as much. Or will I? We’ll see. For the first two years of this blog, using Strava and riding higher mileage on purpose, I rode 10,000 miles while holding down a full-time job. I’ve aged and slowed down (and lost the use of my lighter aluminum bike Sookie the Fuji), but I’m still kicking.

12 hour a week, that’s half a day! Copyright Strava

If there’s one thing this fathlete has learned that I could impart to you, Dear Reader, it’s this: JUST KEEP PEDALIN’! Maybe every day is not right for you, and maybe 116.66 miles per week isn’t doable for you (yet!). But why not strive to bike (run, walk, jog, swim, bounce, etc.) regularly, if you aren’t already?

No, all my activity hasn’t given me the results I’ve wanted in terms of weight loss, along with walking, yoga, and dietary restrictions. But it’s given me so much more: overall health, stories to write about, friends, and je ne sais quoi what else. If I had a chance, I wouldn’t go back and not do it. That said, Janurary 1, 2021 may find me taking an extended break. But probably not.

That’s all from me for this time. Today is a new a new day, week and month. Another opportunity to get on my bike and ride around for fun and exercise, to do errands, or to just escape the cabin fever. Lots of people are rediscovering biking, so if you haven’t, you may want to. After all, May is Bike Month. Maybe it’s time you got back on that horse and took ‘er for a spin. Have fun and be careful if you do. Put that mask on (around others), do your ABCQuick Check (Air, Brakes, Chain/Cassette, Quick Release), and most of all, keep the rubber side down.

What is it that keeps you moving toward a goal?

How was your first third of the year for your activities?

17 thoughts on “510 Miles Biked in April & 2,012 in the First Third of 2020”

  1. Ha! Make-up miles! I was afraid I was the only one that did that! It rained non-stop here Wednesday and Thursday, so my April ended with 1161 miles. I’m ahead of pace for the year to get my 9500 in (tough to be ahead of pace in MI so early in the year), but I felt guilty about missing those days. Yesterday, then I went and knocked out my first century of the year…108 miles with 51 of it on dirt roads! Keep it going Dude! How’s the home hunting going?

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    1. That’s alot or miles. Wish my bike and my body were that fast! I don’t think you have much to feel guilty about.

      How do you do it? Why do it? Why not 10,000? What is your average speed anyhow?

      Looks like I won’t be on the streets for another six months.

      As a blues band named Omar and the Howlers here in Austin sang,

      “Tough times in the land of plenty / some got it all while the rest ain’t gonna my any.”

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      1. I’m not that fast really. I used to be about 8 years ago. Now, depending on the bike, i average between 12 and 18 mph. I have 10 bikes ranging from a heavy, foldable mountain bike with suspension, to a fat tire, to a dedicated touring bike, a couple of old steel bikes, an aluminum road bike, a cyclocross, and my carbon fiber racer.

        As I’ve said in my blogs, my body doesn’t produce enough endorphins naturally to stem back mental health problems, but exercise induced endorphins take their place. It’s either that or pills.

        After my bariatric surgery several years ago we set up an increasing set of mileage goals so I would be ready to do extended touring by the time I and she retired. Stupid me decided to get a PhD in the interim so I became expensive and they forced me into early retirement. Then she had cancer and passed. This year the goal was 9600, but I’ve actually logged 11400 since last May 1st. My new year blog wrote about goal setting. Like you said, barring accident/injury I’ll probably end up with at least 10500 this year.

        My leagsis have always beenrated pretty tireless…also wrote about the reason for that in one of the blogs. Pretty easy to knock off rides of greater than 100k when your legs are still capable of squatting 500+ pounds at the age of 60 and you have the lungs generated by being a trained operatic tenor!

        And, again, I’m retired and live alone in a big old house. The longer I’m away on my bike, the less I have to deal with coming back to that.

        Liked by 1 person

      3. Thanks, I just don’t see myself as very fast. That century I did yesterday on my touring bike, I only averaged 14.1 on. The number of bikes are a necessity in MI if you want to ride year round.

        Liked by 1 person

  2. You’re right, it’s always doable. Thing is, to start doing it for some.

    The running is treating me right and I feel good in spite of having moved to an overnight working schedule. Actually, daily exercise is more vital for me now. And iced water too.

    Keep kicking butt, Dude.

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    Reply

      1. Yep, we had to put together an overnight team in the age of COVID. Took a few weeks to get used to the change, but like I said, exercise and ice water help immensely.

        Liked by 1 person

  3. This is fabulous and I love seeing it all broken down into manageable chunks … good on you! I’m muttering again to my other half about a trip next spring/summer but it would mean buying all my kit again and bike (although I could probably improve on my lovely £100 Claud Butler that I used from the trip through France!). We’ll see. Katie

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      1. I’m not biking at all which is sad. My bike is in storage whilst we’re over here and they seem to be very expensive to buy in Manhattan. It feels like so long ago since I was cycling and so I hope I’ve not lost my mojo. Some bad stuff happened on my return from France so I’ve been loathe to go on any trips, but am beginning to think I need to move on. Lovely post!

        Liked by 1 person

      2. Oh, I’m so sorry about the bad stuff, especially if I missed reading about it. Seem to to recall something, was it your hunnies health?

        Maybe a community or regular bike shop or Craigslist will have used ones.

        Hang in there, Betty killer!

        Liked by 1 person

      3. Oh you’re very kind. In fact I didn’t write about it … partly because my husbands ex has found me on here and there are some things I don’t want her knowing about and partly because I was a bit lost at the time and didn’t know what to do. Anyway … I think all is well – thanks so much.
        I hadn’t thought of Craigslist, what a good idea! Many thanks! Katie

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