Lots of cyclists do a very boring thing when they get to the last day of the year: they total up their annual mileage. Now some of you are already breaking into a sleep-driven yawn, and saying things like: “C’mon, you can’t be serious….you mean you note the mileage of absolutely every ride throughout the whole year? I mean… how sad is that?” My answer is : “very”.
But, of course, it has to be done. Someone has just got to do it. It may be the only bit of news worth listening to at the last minute, of the last hour, of the last day of the year. C’mon let’s lighten up a bit! The only news to dominate the airwaves was the possibility, at 23.59 Eastern US time, of the whole of the USA falling over the ‘fiscal cliff’…….and probably taking the rest of the world with it (fulfillment of the Mayan prophecy?). There had to be a diversion to distract us from that.
Cyclists, like myself, spend most of our cycling lives going round in circles. It is similar to the insanity manifested by joggers, rowers, skiers, ultra-runners, and a host of others. Namely, we use a mode of transport (be it feet, bikes, skis..etc) basically to go nowhere. We set off from point A, which is frequently home, and end up at point A on the return. In other words, we go round in circles. Seldom do we use the mode of transport to go from A to B, where B is possibly several miles from A.
I have to admit that the bulk of my mileage in 2012 has been circular, even though I spent a week in Mallorca at a training camp, and a week in Shropshire at a Cycling Rally. All the rides at both events were circular. So the result of all these musings is: though the bicycle was invented as a mode of transport, many simply revel in the activity for its own sake.
My total mileage for the year was 10,288 miles (16,558 km) which, visualised as an A to B ride, would have looked something like this: Bodo, Norway (north of the Arctic Circle) to Cape Town, South Africa. That might have been a great deal more fun…………………
I think I may have gone from L.A. to NYC. Better than five years ago when I would have gone from L.A. to Long Beach.
Ah, the challenge of cycling across America is a great one. Maybe one day………….
Impressive!
Congratulations on the mileage! I really don’t have to write my mileage down since I use the Cyclemeter App for my iPhone — it logs time, speed, distance and everything else I need and then adds it to my calendar on my desktop computer.
Good one David. I am still using a Cateye, but am just getting into the world of the smartphone. On my upcoming trip to NZ and Oz, this little bit of kit is going to be everything (GPS, phone, email,Skype,blogging……….) but only if there is connectivity. In the back-country of South Island, that could be very interesting.
Wow, that is very impressive and I like that you put it in context for us on a map. It makes it more real. Good luck with the NZ ride…I love NZ as it is so beautiful and the people are simply the best!
Thank you both. NZ has been on my shortlist for a loooooong time!
Great visualization. As a geographer I love it. Congratulations on the miles, that is so awesome! The other reason to collect the miles is for bike maintenance purposes. Here’s to a great 2013!
Chatter, I like your allusion. But I certainly don’t go out of my way to practise my bike maintenance! But I have to say that 2012 has been a relatively roadside maintenance-free year.
Very impressive Frank – keep up the total with your latest venture. Well done!!
Very impressive for sure!!!!
Holy cow! That’s almost the distance for you to ride to America and back — twice!
Well done. I’m envious!