Worst Person in the World

5000 km and counting...

I achieved a personal milestone on Sunday when I passed the 5000 km mark on my bike.  Well, it's 5000 km since I got an odomoter about four years ago (give or take a year, i don't remember).  If you can't read the picture above, it's 5032.4 km to be exact.  For those metrically challenged, that's about 3100 miles - or the distance from SF to NY.  I'm sure lots of bikers have riden many more miles, but it's a big enough number that I'm proud of myself.

I ride a 20 year Trek that was my dad's.  It's a steel frame road bike (600 series) that has certainly proved durable.  It's a vintage bike, but still performs well up hills, down hills and all in between.  It's changed a bit since my dad had it.  I've replaced the white seat and handle bar wrap with black, added a water bottle cage and gone through several wheels.  The guts of the bike, though, are all still there.  Of course, the Obama bumper stickers weren't there 20 years ago.

I would estimate that half the miles are from recreation rides and half are from commuting to work.  I started biking to work on a semi-regular basis two years ago when the Planet Earth shows were on Discovery HD.  There was a really sad episode about a Polar bear who was swimming around the artic because the ice had melted too early.  I was talking about it with some co-workers when I decided to at least do something myself.  I realize that the 8.5 mile round trip ride isn't stopping global warming by itself, but we all got to start somewhere.  The icing on the cake is that I love riding to work.  I've never shown up to work and wish I had driven, and there have been many times I've driven and wished I'd rode.

When it comes to recreational rides, the majority of the miles have come from out-and-backs up the coast.  The stretch of coast along 101 through La Jolla, Del Mar, Solana Beach, Encinitas, and Carlsbad is one of the premier biking areas in the country and I'm blessed to have such great access.  The longest ride I did was from my place up to north oceanside and back - 100 km.  Still quite a bit short of a true Century Ride (100 miles).  It's always fun to head up to Carlsbad/Oceanside and stop by Ross and Laurel's or Jac and Aaron's.  Of course, the pain always returns on the way home.  Leaving the Torrey Pines hill for the very end is a bit cruel.

Another ride I enjoy up and over Mt. Soledad.  The steepest hill I've encountered is going up the Pacifica Ave on the south side of Soledad.  However, that section is only half the hill, and the rest is more gradual.  The hardest ride has been going up the north side of Soledad.  Same height gained as the south ride, but in half the distance.  Closest I've come to walking.

My most recent ride, and the one that saw 5000 km, took me to Point Cabrillo.  It was the first time I rode south and I'll certainly do it again.  The views of the bay and downtown from the top of Cabrillo are awesome, and riding along Sunset Cliffs reminds me a bit of Carmel.

Getting on a bike and riding (both to work and for fun) has been one of the best things I've done.  But don't just take my word, get out and do it yourself.  You'll feel better after, I promise.