Saturday, January 10, 2015

COMPLETION of My Most Ambitious Cycling Goal - 327 CONSECUTIVE Days of Riding.

All good things must come to an end  . . .
     Day # 327 (February 17th) brings my CONSECUTIVE bicycle riding streak to an end. Since April 1, 2014 I have pedaled 6,273.5 miles averaging 19.18 miles per day. Unfortunately, ice covered roads have made it to treacherous to continue. Maybe by next winter season I will acquire a fat tire bike and be able to negotiate the slippery roads a little more safely. Thanks for following along on this adventure.

February 11th update . . .
320 CONSECUTIVE days and still going.
STILL GOING - - - On February 10th I reached my 320th day of riding. I have traveled 6,181.81 miles and still averaging 19.3 miles per day. 
     The unseasonably dry weather pattern for the past month has made it possible to keep riding. We've had some very cold weather but the minimum among of snow and ice have allowed the pavement to remain clear. This is very unusual for the St. Louis area in January and February.
     Lord willing, I'll keep pedaling until inclement weather sets in. I'll keep you posted on my progress. Thanks for checking out my blog.

The End of Nine Months of Consecutive Daily Riding NOT QUITE YET
JANUARY 20TH, 2015 UPDATE
Although I had intended to quite riding everyday 10 days ago, old habits die hard. No longer worried about maintaining an average of 20 miles a day or more, I pressed on. This morning's ride to work marked my 300th consecutive riding day. Since April 1st, I have pedaled 5,822.14 miles and still maintaining an average of 19.4 miles per day.



On April 1st I started a consecutive-day riding streak with 30 Days of Biking. You can visit their web site HERE. The idea is simple --- Ride your bike every day for 30 days (1 mile or 100 miles, it doesn't matter) and you are likely to get in the habit of riding your bike regularly. It is a good plan and it does work. 

Nine Months (290 consecutive days) Later
       That was 9 months ago. I really did not have a particular goal in mind when I started. After I hit 150 consecutive days, I thought I would shoot for 182 days, which would give me six months of daily riding. Six months came and went -- I pedaled on! Each ten day mark made me want to do another ten. So, here I am at 290 consecutive days! 
3º with -16º windchill on January 8th
                                                                        5⃣7⃣4⃣0⃣
Weather and Average Miles per Day
       Early in the game, I said I would keep going until cold weather brought slick pavements or I dropped under a 20 mile per day average. It looks like I have reached both this weekend. This morning I calculated my total and average; I have traveled 5,744.19 miles since April 1st; because of the extreme cold mornings, my daily average has dropped to 19.8. With the forecast of sleet and freezing rain on Sunday, I figured this is a good place to stop. I would have liked to make 300 days, but I really did not think that was feasible this time of the year. 



The weather does not look promising for the next few days.

I don't want to end up like this guy!
This has been one of my most ambitious cycling goals. I am grateful to the Lord for the health and ability to do this. In 2014, I rode more total miles than in any previous year. The year-long stats revealed that I averaged over 16 miles a day for the past 365 days. I can live with that. I’m grateful I can ride at all. I have met many wonderful people, visited many interesting places and enjoyed many delightful hours from the seat(s) of my many bikes. I hope 2015 will be as enjoyable as the last year has been!   


A man who has friends must himself be friendly,
But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.
Proverbs 18:24

Visit Hope Bible Church's Website HERE.


Wednesday, January 7, 2015

Commuting by Gondolier

Bakfiets or Cargo Bikes
The English term cargo bike has a strong and obvious connection to freight. However, the Dutch word, bakfiets is more neutral and literally means ‘box bike’. That makes it perfectly normal for the Dutch to transport not only cargo in these box bikes, but also their children. A number of years ago, I saw a picture of a “box bike” and have always been fascinated with them. 
Since the first time I saw this picture, I was intrigued with the bakfiets.

Up until a few years ago, they were difficult to acquire in the United States; if you were able to secure one, they were quite expensive. Although on my wish list, I didn’t seriously entertain the idea of buying one. 
About a month ago, I came across a bicycle company in San Diego that manufactures and distributes a number of box bikes. The company is Virtue Bikes. You can see their website HERE.
The line at the top of their page says it all for me —
It’s not sport, it’s not hobby, nor is it recreational. It’s lifestyle.


Virtue offers several different models of box bikes. (Do visit their website and see them all) I was especially interested in the model they call the Gondolier +. It appeared to be just the kind of box bike that I was looking for and seemed to be within my budget. I placed an order for the bike through Ye Old Bicycle Shoppe in San Diego. You can visit their website HERE.
Although I had never ordered from them before, my order helped me start an acquaintance with this shop. Their staff has proven to be everything you would hope for in an online buying experience. They processed my original order promptly and shipped the bike out very quickly. Because the bike required specialized assembly and set up, I had it sent to the Trek Store St. Louis for assembly and adjustment. You can see their website HERE. I might say that customer service at this Trek store is exceptional. George, John, Gary and Justin handled the setup competently and professionally. If you are looking for a local bike shop in the St. Louis area, I can highly recommend these folks. 
Parking outside the front door at work. 
Gondolier looks big next to my '69 VW Bug! 
Bakfiet Debacle or Cargo Bike Collision
Throughly pleased with my new box bike, I was commuting back and forth to work, congratulating myself on the purchase I had made. I had been so pleased with the purchase and setup, that I called both the bike shop in San Diego and the Trek Store, thanking them for their help in the buying process.
Although I have ridden thousands of miles each year for the past ten years, I have been fortunate never to have had a collision with a vehicle. That all changed a few days before Christmas. On the way home from work one afternoon, I had a collision with a vehicle at a four-way stop less than a mile from my house. Thank the Lord, although I was knocked off the bike, I was not seriously hurt. Unfortunately, I could not say the same for my new bike. Initially, it did not appear that the damage was great, however, further investigation revealed the damage was quite extensive. I decided to replace the bike with another one just like it. 

Large, stable kickstand makes it easy to park and secure with lock. 
Revisiting Ye Old Bicycle Shoppe 
After ordering replacement parts for my original bike and getting what I needed to put it back together, I told James at the Ye Olde Bicycle Shop that I wanted to order another bike. He had been so helpful in getting the necessary parts sent out on the first bike. He contacted Virtue and really went to bat for me to secure a new bike at a very reasonable price. He gave me several possibilities for a replacement and showed me all the options and corresponding cost. In the end, he sent out a newer model Gondolier + that is now on the way to the Trek Store for assembly. 
I really appreciate all the help I received from James and Jennifer in San Diego in getting these bikes and parts to me. Their competent, courteous, customer service is exceptional. Although I’m hoping I will not need to order another bike from them anytime soon, if you are in the market for a box bike or anything else they carry, I highly recommend you give them a call!

Awaiting the assembly of the 2015 Virtue Gondolier +

Thanks for taking the time to view my blog. I enjoy sharing my travels and travails with you!   By the way, if you know anyone who might be interested in a non-electric assist box bike, have them contact me….. I will make them a VERY good deal! :-)   I must make room in my garage!


A man who has friends must himself be friendly,
But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.
Proverbs 18:24

Visit Hope Bible Church's Website HERE.