The element that most consistently changes on this blog is that little box in the sidebar near the top of this front page titled “Bike Mileage Tally.” I’m pretty religious in its updating. Whenever I put my peds to the pedals be it for a short trip in my neighborhood, a mountain bike ride in the Verdugos, a work commute, or a much longer trek I get myself over to Gmaps, plot the course and log the mileage. Been doing that for a couple years now.
As of this morning my distance total for the year stands a few hundredths of a mile short of 5,980, and since my average work commute is somewhere around 30 miles roundtrip, that means that on tonight’s ride back home, I will enter my 6,000th mile for 2009 pretty much in front of the Helm’s Bakery Complex on Venice Boulevard.
I will probably pause and self-portrait the moment in time and space, and further up the road might be found procuring a couple Artie Lange cupcakes from Crumbs on Larchmont to bring home to share with Susan as a celebratory reward.
Last year, I got to that same mark on November 24, appropriately upon arrival to the Bicycle District at Heliotrope and Melrose where my somewhat lagging committment to cycling was reinvigorated back in August 2005 with a wheel-building class led by Jim Cadenhead now co-owner of Orange 20 Bikeshop, but then as a cook at the Bike Kitchen.
I’ve come a long way since then, baby. And I’ve got a long way to go.
Ride on.