December (Miles 2053 - 2162)
Exceeding the Goal
I aimed for 2,020 miles in 2020 and ended up with a whopping 2,162 miles! Consistency is king, but also not a possible solution. I had good weeks, and bad weeks, even bad months. The real key was changing my lifestyle. I didn’t make excuses, I just made space for it all. There was never time to get outside and rack up miles. I was always going to be too busy. I just had to do it. There were a million things on my to-do list, and they were still going to be there when I got back.
This Challenge changed my day to day life. In a way that really forced my hand to do it again in 2021. I am faster, more confident, and more fit than ever. Getting out to get in miles is how I stay sane in trying times. I leave 2020 different than I came in. I guess the moral of the story is to set stupid goals, and just commit.
November (Miles 1903 - 2053)
Reaching the Goal
Ambitious goals are easier with a great crew. I crossed the 2,020 mile mark with a shuttle up Blodgett and long ride all the way back to I-25. I’ve been riding with Tom & Dan for the last decade now. We all seem to push each other, we all are better riders over the time spent. Come hell or high water, I have to return to racing on 2 wheels in 2021. I’m faster and more confident in my riding abilities. I may have hit a point where competitively, I’m more gifted on 2 wheels than 4…
October (Miles 1707 - 1902)
Dirt Jumping
Back in September, I took my birthday off work. I resolved to just ride my bike all day. As I pedaled by the jump park, I though back to 13 years ago when I used to jump daily. It was on that starting block that my wife called to tell me to come home. She had taken a pregnancy test, and wanted me to see it in person. Life, and fatherhood pushed to the front of my mind back then. I fell out of jumping. After that though, I stopped, and wanted to I’d see if I still have it in me.
Dirt jumping has become the best thing to come out of the 2020 challenge. Flying through the air on my bike makes me feel at home. I am slowly returning to pulling a few lame tricks, and progressing back to the bigger jumps I used to hit in my 20s. The last two months have been really good for me mentally. With all the stress of 2020, it was good to reconnect with some piece of my youth. I also reconnected with a community I’d forgotten about. In that short time I’ve already made new friends between jumps.
September (Miles 1528 - 1706)
Are you silly? I’m still gonna send it!
Not all of my miles were biking. My neighbor invited us up for an epic camping trip on a race weekend. None of that stopped me from packing a racecar, and going out for a weekend of drinking and hiking. On our 14 mile epic we punched above tree line. This lead to crossing over a knife ridge and into the sketchiest 1/4mi of hiking in my life. This band of snow and ice was the trail. Above it, solid cliff rock. Below it a 500 foot drop of you guessed it, solid cliff rock. LOL, when racing cars isn’t the most dangerous thing you did in a given weekend.
August 2020 (Miles 1325 - 1527)
Riding bikes and racing cars…
I stayed the course while the RustBucket was stealing the show for August with the new modifications and the stage of GridLife. I even packed my bike, logging a few miles between sessions. Certainly made getting around paddock a lot easier. Almost 200 miles a month for 3 months straight.
July 2020 (Miles 1084 - 1324)
Commit - Go All In…
The 2020 Challenge has transitioned from a challenge to a way of life. I finally bought my dream fork a 180mm travel SR Suntour Durolux for the Snabb. I ride in knee pads to take care of myself. After my crash in May I started seeing a chiropractor to fix my misaligned bones. In doing so I ride a lot more, and my Strava times keep dropping. I ride longer and further, with greater frequency than ever. I’m well passed the pessimism of January & February. This challenge has put me in a better mind space.
June 2020 (Miles 892 - 1083)
Halfway there, in time and miles…
The long days and making headway for longer rides. Gave me a chance to get ahead of schedule with my miles. I have also started taking my bikes a little more seriously. Making a few upgrades to my full suspension bike to finish the build and spend more time riding it. Over my shoulder is my new Fox Vanilla R coil shock. I do not miss riding an air shock at all. The control and speed are quite impressive on the new set up.
May 2020 (Miles 709 - 891)
The New Normal…
I wake up, I work, I ride bikes, repeat. If you noticed, I am on helmet #3 of the year. I started the year with my old Fox helmet, which, this is gross, had a plastic strap dissolve from friction and sweat. Nearly a thousand miles is not kind to equipment. I replaced that helmet with a nice Giro, while I only had it a short time. I got my money’s worth out of it.
I had a huge accident off a small feature. It was just a small jump, but I came off it wrong and was certain I could ride it out. I didn’t ride it out. I landed smack on top of my head, cracking my helmet, cutting my thigh, and damn near knocked me out. Always wear a helmet, you never know when that little thing will catch you out.
I take the kids with me when they find the weather agreeable. This month’s photo features Danielle.
April 2020 (Miles 513 - 708)
Just try to stay sane…
Work from home, teach from home, try to keep everyone from going stir crazy. The bike has become my jail-break and my link to my sanity. I am riding much more frequently now, just about everyday. I believe I only missed 4 days in the whole month. Sometimes I take the family out on a walk. It is good for all of us.
March 2020 (Miles 280 - 512)
What the actual F#ck just happened…
Ok, so apparently this is the end of the world. Roll credits.
The lockdown has me at home, which is nice as I have a very large network of trails just a block away. I am getting out and taking walks. I am riding everyday. Catching up on my miles and each one builds more and more confidence.
The photo I chose for March was of me and my oldest. We pedaled downtown, and it was a ghost town. Staying distant from other people. Staying fit. Trying to get through whatever the hell this is.
February 2020 (Miles 160 - 279)
Work has me falling off the wagon…
Of the first two months of the year, I have only seen 6 days off. However, having a second job in the Air Force has its perks. I got to finally travel to Nashville. I took the opportunity to do a 5 mile run, and a massive 20 mile walk-about. I often do this when I travel. I get to the hotel, change, and then immerse myself with my new surroundings. Someday I’ll put together a photobook of what I have seen doing this all over the world.
January 2020 (Miles 0 - 159)
What have I gotten myself into?
This seemed like a good idea leading up to 2020. 2020, it has a good ring to it. Let’s shoot to ride / run / hike 2,020 miles in 2020. My New Years Resolution was settled. I would complete the 2020 Challenge and do 2,020 miles in 2020.
January felt completely defeating. I wondered if my resolve would fail first, or would it be my body that gives up? I started running a few miles in the gym at work. I also ride a lot more often. Not quite daily, but more often than not. I am honestly unsure how I am going to do 5 1/2 miles a day, every day, for a year.