Previous readers (but old and new are all welcome) know that in 2016 I biked5,306 miles, which was nothing short of incredible, especially to me. That’s because I’m not a young, thin, professional cyclist. (Or use PED’s [performance enhancing drugs], although I do take my share of vitamins and supplements to get me through the rides.) But more than a few people say I’ve inspired them. Like my good buddy from high school Jeff, who’s no slouch and climbs rocks, plus donates money. There’s a guy on Strava in Florida I’ve never met. My dear lunkhead brother said he began walking more on account of all my bicycling. Co-workers, friends, family, and strangers on line in the grocery store have in various ways said my efforts were, well, to paraphrase my fellow Jewish brohim Adam Sandler’sThe Hanukah Song — “not too shabby”. So when I decided to retire from long-distance cycling, especially the charity fundraising rides, I thought I would go back to my car-free life and do more walking, swimming and weight-lifting. No more 10 hours a week getting my 100 miles. Not having to ask for money.
New Jersey for the MS 150
But then Bill (there’s always a Bill in these sort of stories, isn’t there?), an inline skate marathoner (!), fellow bike rider and nice guy who helped me get through a tough patch in the Mamma Jamma Breast Cancer Ride in 2015 and then donated to both my AIDS rides, said he couldn’t do the MS 150, but if I did, he would donate. Then I won the new bike (see my previous blog post), the weather got warmer, I found myself riding more, so I said yes: I would bike from Houston to Austin April 29th and 30th to inspire people to donate to help sufferers of Multiple Sclerosis (MS) with treatment and research for a cure.
This super-exciting event started with a routine administrative procedure. Last November I renewed my membership to Austin’s biggest advocacy and educational bicycle organization, Bike Austin. A merger of the former League of Bicycling Voters and Austin Cycling Association, BA came to my attention due to a past landlord (who shall remain nameless and faceless, at least until I can unearth a photo he okays). I finally joined, began volunteering, entered a raffle and voila! I won a BRAND… NEW… BIKE! Continue reading →
One year ago I wrote about my anniversary of not owning a car when my car was hit on January 25, 2005. So now it’s another year, and I suppose A Dude Abikes is a little bit proud about that accomplishment. In last year’s post, I referenced Trump’s hair, Star Wars, real war, the environment, love and of course, bicycling. Well, what a year it’s been! Yes, the nightmare of a proto-fascist becoming president has come true. But so has resistance come alive; A Dude Abikes attended the March on Austin with 50,000 friends, where he experienced a great deal of hope. We’ve had another Star Wars movie, Rogue One, which if you think about it was about suicide bombers. War in Syria and other places, probably some love somewhere, the hottest year on record, threats to re-open pipelines, etc. ad nauseam. But most interesting to me, the biking. So much biking. ALL THE BIKING! Did I mention I biked 5,306 miles in 2016? I’m STILL sore!
A Dude Abikes attended the March on Austin with up to 50,000 people, including that guy with his bike in the photo
Well, A Dude Abikes did it! He not only met his original goal of bicycling 4,000 miles for the year (or almost 77 per week); he totally crushed it by 1,300 miles, finishing at 5,306, averaging 102 per week. He (OK, I) bicycled the equivalent of going from Key West, Florida to the edge of Mount Denali park in Alaska. Here’s my Strava summary chart to prove it to the doubting Thomases out there. (NOTE: Pictures forthcoming.)
Yes, you read that correctly. Today I have completed my third year of daily yoga. Technically I began on 12/4/06, but I missed two days right before Christmas for a medical thing, so I count 12/6/13 as my yogaversary. Purists would say my uninterrupted consecutive practice began on 12/25/13. However you count it, it’s a heckuva lotta downward-facing dogs, which is something worth celebrating and announcing to the infinitesimal corner of the internet in which A Dude Abikes inhabits.
October 29, 2016, Liberty Hill, Texas: The morning began with A Dude Abikes awaking before the alarm, at 5 am. Not a great start. But still better than the 4:24 am wake-up by lightning camping out at the Hill Country Ride for AIDS six months and a day before. It was on that day I first rode a century — 100 miles (104 to be exact). That was no picnic. Today I was planning on going for it again, but events conspired against me, as they often do in bike riding, as with life. Today was Bike Austin’s Armadillo Classic to “Support Cycling by Cycling.” And I sure did a whole hell of a lot of cycling.
First there was the ADAB patented pre-ride Epsom salt bath. By the time I got it drawn and got in, it was time to be getting dressed. Then, it wasn’t hot enough. And I had to take a dip in my host’s very chilly pool to bring down some inflammation from the massage I got the day before for an irritated TFL joint or something. Then I had to get a hot shower to recover from the pool. My host then made a lovely bowl of runny yogurt with apples and protein powder, to which I added oatmeal. I directed driver and rider Gregg to the wrong school. By the time we arrived, I had to sprint to the porta-potta. Then get all my stuff together. 7:30 came and went and I missed the start. Relieved.
The third member of Team T.I.T.S. (Time in the Saddle), Saurabh arrived early, so we figured we’d ride together. But the fog rolled in and the sheriff held us up an hour. I lined up with the 68-milers, which was my original goal anyway. It was good to see fellow riders from the Peddler Bike Austin rides. They finally let us go and I y the time we reached the cut-off point for the 68-milers, it was too late. They had closed the Dillo Door. So 50 miles it was, exactly. I met up with Gregg and Saurabh and we rode for a while. I had made great time the first 11 miles, so dawdled at the rest stops, taking on as many banana and peanut butter wraps, cookies and pickle juice that I could, chatting with the volunteers, EMT and other riders. It was a social ride, after all.
More to follow, but I wanted to get this out there.
“The mountains are calling, and I must go.” -John Muir
September 14, 2016, Sacred Mysteries Bookstore, Livingston, MT
I’m sitting in a small room in an old building with a high ceiling, surrounded by books and pictures of deities, saints and mystics from all the traditions. The creaky, sienna-colored, peeling paint wood floor I slept on was hard, even with my new sleeping bag and pad. So I’m sore and groggy — trying to wake up without Folgers in my cup. There’s some traffic noise from the street and the hum of the mini-fridge and something else I can’t identify. I notice a large black, green and red sheet with cuneiform writing and the Hindu elephant god, Ganesh: the remover of obstacles. Last night when I arrived, the spiritual class being held recited a prayer to Archangel Michael titled “Traveling Protection.” Apparently, I’ve come to the right place.
How I Got Here
“The trick is to tick things off your bucket list without kicking said bucket.” -A Dude Abikes
Thanks for Donating Almost $2,800 to Support Me and a Great Cause!
The HCRA recently had a reunion ride where the funds were presented to the 10 beneficiary agencies. The Ride beat its fundraising goal of $550,00 by $22,000, which is great news! This means more funds can pay for services for people living with HIV in Central Texas – a number that’s sadly growing. Here’s a link to a short news story and video on local NBC affiliate KXAN. It was filmed by Frank Martinez, whom I’m proud to report I arranged to be there.
Here’s also a photo of those of us sporting the LOVE SPOKE Jersey.
(from the left): A Dude Abikes, Dale, Rick, Heather, Tim, Prentiss, Jorge rockin’ the Love Spoke Jersey on the HCRA Reunion Ride, S. Walnut Creek Trail, Austin, TX, July 24, 2016
A Big Public Thank You to All My Supporters!
A Dude Abikes (yes, I donated to try to win a bike and can thank myself!)
Many thanks to Jimmy for the jerseys, to Mike and Chris for great advice and help with my ride in the Bike Shop, support from Brandon and all the guys, and the $100 donation from Tiffany and Barry in the main office!
Every donation, from $17 to $202, was personally meaningful to me and I’m very grateful for each and every one of my donors and each and every dollar. Knowing we had doubled my fundraising from last year helped me doubled my mileage from 50 to 104, a personal best. Plus, it goes to a great cause.
Thanks to Just Some of the Folks in the Bicycling Community Who Helped Me Out:
Saurabh D for being a great riding partner – you’ll be back to beating me soon!
Bryce H and Death Valley Beth – for some wise email coaching
Paulo H – for being a bad-ass 15-year cyclist who’s going to turn pro someday
Gregg K – for taking me to the Ride
Randy L – for helping me go fast and furious on the Dripping Springs Joy Ride
Marty H – for rescuing my jersey early on Ride morning
Stravafollowers – for all the kudos and supportive comments
All the HCRA volunteers – particularly the goddesses on Mount Olympus (call me!)
Dale A – for being the drill sargeant, nature break Nazi and sweeper on Joy Rides
Tim Y (aka Frank) – Chairman of the HCRA Board
and last but not least…
Prentiss Douthit and Nancie Guthrie, the tireless staff of the HCRA!
What’s Next for A Dude Abikes? Prostate Ride 8/27!
Meanwhile, here’s the donation link if you’d like to support my attempt at a 60-mile, hilly and very hot ride (it’s Texas in August, ya’ll!). I hope you’ll pitch in whatever you can for this little known but important cause:
Despite swearing off of charity fundraising rides, I’ve gone ahead and registered for another one. The one-day Austin Community Ride on August 27 benefits www.1400Miles.com, which is “Probing the Conversation on Prostate Health.” Did you know that Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths in men?A Dude Abikes didn’t know that or the fact that it’s also fairly treatable if caught early, but he does now, and he knowsa good cause when he hears one. So I figured why the hell not go for a 60-mile ride in the Hill Country in the heat of a Texas summer to try to raise some money? As long as I’m riding a century every week, all those miles and all that blood, sweat and tears ought to mean something. So I’ll attempt 60 miles and hope to raise a modest $600.
It seems like a lot of people I know are struggling with their health right now, and several have lost the ultimate battle. Two people recently lost their mothers. One of them had recently lost her own mother. Another woman I used to know has had a stroke and likely won’t come back from it. Someone close to me is having a major health challenge that affects their quality of life. And while not comparable or a matter of life or death (well, sometimes it is), biking 100 miles a week is exhausting for this amateur cyclist.
“Such is life” say the French. “And so it goes,” wrote Kurt Vonnegut. “Life goes on” says every other condolence card ever written. But as the kids say, “The struggle Israel.” I don’t know why they say that, but they apparently do. Is that an anti-Semitic joke? Maybe a political statement about Palestinians wanting their own country? Or just absurdism? Oh wait, I’m just now being told it’s actually “The struggle is real.” OK, that makes more sense. That’s A Dude just trying to make light of a serious topic.
A Dude Abikes 