Final mileage check

The (nearly) final tally on my bike commute this year: 2,044 miles since I started in early April. And if I do my minimum rides on the six days of work I have left this year after returning from vacation, that figure will rise to 2,080 miles. I hope to get in some full rides, though, and cap the year around 2,100 miles.

That, roughly speaking, is the distance between Portland and Dallas, Texas.


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Not bad considering I started out this spring as a complete novice unsure of whether I could do it and if so for how long.

Now, as the year nears its end, I'm completely hooked and know this is a commitment I'm going to stick with long term. I've found a great pleasure, relief and satisfaction in doing something that is entirely based on my strength and willpower. I've never felt healthier, stronger or better in general.

Some other numbers to consider:

By biking this year I...
- Avoided using 78 gallons of gasoline.
- Kept about a half ton of CO2 out of the atmosphere that driving would have emitted.
- Averaged, for the year, about 64 miles a week.

That last one disappoints me. I know some late nights and crummy weather dinged that figure this winter. I'd like to get that back up into the 70-mile range, if not higher. My goal, for 2009, is to get around 3,500 miles in. And I think I might talk to some of my more serious cycling friends and see if I can build up to my first century -- 100 miles in a day -- ride. In fact, I think I'll plan to tackle this one, the Portland Century, next August. Anyone want to join me?