day 330: from #30daysofbiking to #330daysofbiking

It began one year ago – #30daysofbiking.  And then turned into #330daysofbiking; my goal to ride 330 of 365 days.  Today I managed to cross the finish line.  Day 330.   It actually took me 367 days to reach the benchmark; I missed a few more “buffer” days for out-of-town travel than I had anticipated … but it is what it is, and close enough for me.

While I would have liked to celebrate this day with some exceptional or special ride, it was really just a day like many of the others … through the local landscape, me, my bike and a few cows.  As I was riding and thinking about this entire “project”, I realized it was the most appropriate way to reach the finish line.   Just another day, just another ride.  From the beginning, it wasn’t about epic mileage, conditioning thresholds or anything cycle-spectacular.  It was just about being out on a bike.  Every.  Every.  Day.  (Or as close to every day as was humanly possible.)

I am sure that many, if not most other people would’ve kept more detailed statistics about a project like this – and in hindsight, it may have been interesting. I basically only kept a daily log in a little Moleskine journal, with the date, a very rough route description and the bicycle I rode.  I estimate mileage to be several thousand miles, but I have no desire to try and make a more specific calculation.   Beyond this, the only other stats I can offer are:

• I have ridden 14 different bicycles – in 4 states and one foreign country (Italy)
• I had one significant crash
• I wore out one pair of shoe cleats and one camera
• number of cows and old barns seen along the way … (lost count long ago)

The best record of the experience, the emotions, and the daily adventures is probably buried in the entries of this blog over the past year.  The rides with friends and family, the rides in the rain, the rides in the snow, the rides on the sunny blue-sky days.  The several thousand photos I have accumulated, many appearing in these entries.  It’s a little too difficult to sum up.

While I wish I had something more profound or insightful to say for this final day, I can’t find the words tonight – other than, “it’s not hard – go out and ride your bicycle.”  One day a week or seven days a week.  Thirty days, or 330 days.  It’s the best gift you will ever give yourself.  All you have to do is pedal.