I’m not getting any younger and neither are you. It’s a cruel fact, but maybe a useful one, because here’s the thing, life benefits from urgency. If we had all the time in the world, we might never be in a rush to get out the door. That bike will ride itself later.
As 2023 peters out, and 2024 looms on the horizon, it’s a natural time to look back on the pedals we turned this year, and the riding we’d like to do next go round. For myself, I’m optimistic. Despite being a cynic and a chronic depressive, I still think I can have a bigger, better year on the bike next year than I had this year, and 2023 was a good one for me. I rediscovered an everyday passion for riding that had been on autopilot for a year or two.
The way I measure these things is more subjective than it used to be. I guess I used to think in terms of miles ridden or events completed. Now I think about how much fun I had. What did I aim at? What did I accomplish? For six weeks in the fall of 2023, I thought about a single obstacle on the backside of a tiny trail system 40 minutes from my house, and then I cleaned it, and I was cheerful about that for a week. That one obstacle (two rocks and two skinnies configured in a devilishly fun way) lit me up for a month and a half. That’s how I wanna ride bikes.
I have a logistical jump on 2024 already. In just five days I’ll be on a plane to New Zealand, where I expect to ride in Rotorua and Taupo. There’s another trip to Wales penciled in for the summer. Is this the year I tick the Trans-Cambrian Way off my list? Could be.
I’m about to turn 52. I’m not old yet, but I’m old enough to feel a sense of urgency about these adventures. They’re ambitious. Hell, they’re expensive. But if not now, when?
This week’s TCI Friday wonders what you have in mind for your 2024 on the bike? Big adventures? Big miles? Or taking it all easier?
Nothing super ambitious planned. Didn’t do any centuries in 2023 so will definitely pencil a few in this year. Never been to the Philly Bike Expo so planning on that. Will check out a few new rail-trails with my wife; heard Pine Creek in PA is spectacular. Planning a long New England trip next fall and will probably bring the bikes (or rent? dunno). So otherwise we’ll see what the year brings.
Doing a little road riding in Arizona in a few weeks. Signed up for 2 gravel stage races this summer (Oregon Trail and TransRockies). It will be hard to top 2023 for variety and adventure but that’s what I said about 2022.
Be safe out there everyone.
I had a decent year on the bike but was derailed by Covid for a couple months when the weather was best for riding so I was motivated to get into great shape again and did just that, anticipating hitting late winter Early Spring roads with good form.
Now as it seems, I am hoping to be in good shape for post op surgery recovery from neck dissection surgery for cancer in a couple weeks. So my 2024 hopes are simple, to be able to ride.
I’ll just say my scar is my second smile :))
My plans for 2024 are to expand slightly on my hours ridden (way down from my racing days in the 90s and 00s) to keep a reasonable amount of fitness. I also want to add another gravel ride (not race) event to my calendar because I like to see where other people ride.
Good question. I plan to ride the amount that feels right. Might do another century, although I tend to not like to pay someone for the fun of riding my bike when there are so many ways to knit a long ride together just rolling out the door here in Santa Fe. But Century rides aren’t just 100 mile rides. They are milestones and social events, too, and I need to be a little less antisocial.
This was a good year up until October, when I got Covid not once but a second time on the rebound. Kinda served me right as I was so proud of myself for finally getting in a 500 mile month in September. That Bug wiped out most of October and some of November as my doc told me to ease back into serious exercise as my cardiopulmonary system took a bit of a hit. December was just too damn cold to do long rides.
So in addition to wanting to get back into some Zen-like miles, I roll over the big Seven Zero this coming year (been a while since 52, Robot….). It is a little unnerving. Feel fine at this point, but one can’t help but wonder around what curve I will see that Offramp sign. So mainly, just hope to have a fun, healthy, and interesting 2024 and make sure I still feel like a bicyclist rather than a washed up former cyclist.
Happy New Year, Emlyn, Padraig, the rest of the gang, and dear readers.
Best wishes Blue Zurich.
Too much work and too little time on the bike. I hope to reverse that trend in 2024. The weather for New Year’s Day doesn’t include precipitation in the forecast so I will start off with my annual NYD ride. I also want to do less e-bike rides and more rides on my other bikes (although e-bikes can be a lot of fun). The caveat is that planning to do something needs to be followed up with action towards doing it.
I’m feeling ambitious going into 2024 in a way I haven’t felt since 2016. But, my confidence that I’ll be able to follow through on my ambition is rather low. Other commitments haven’t changed and those make it hard to put my ambition into action. I’m going to just have to see how things work out and if I’m able to turn that ambition into action.
I’m heading to Emporia.
To volunteer. To guarantee entry into the 200 in 2025, when it will be my 60th birthday present to myself. I’m a lousy gift-giver.