30 Days of Biking - My Wrap Up

Print by Adam Truman, click here for information on how to get one yourself.

Well, April is officially over, and I am happy to say that I participated in the 30 Days of Biking during April, and rode my bike every day.

If you're wondering what I'm talking about, 30 Days of Biking is a pledge to bike somewhere for 30 days - around the block, to work, wherever - then share your adventures online with the hashtag #30DaysofBiking.

It started in 2010 as the creation of a couple of friends in Minneapolis, and grew into a social media monster with over 3500 cyclists around the world pledging to ride this past month.

"30 Days of Biking is not elitist. It is not a political statement. We don't want you to worry about whether you have the right bike, or whether your butt looks good in spandex. We just want you out there, pedaling alongside our community, whether virtually or for real. Our goal is not to reject cars so much as promote bikes as a viable alternative to cars. We want you to remember how riding around your neighborhood felt when you were a kid, when a bike was your only transportation and you loved it. We want you to remember the freedom bicycling offers. The happiness, the independence. These things aren't lost to the ages or the past. They're still available, as nearby as your saddle. And, ultimately, they lead to a healthier life."

The majority of my rides were my commute to and from the bus stop. There were also some longer weekend rides and a metric century. There were rides around the neighborhood with my kids, and a very short 0.5 mile ride around the block at 10:30 at night because I had to go out of town for a funeral that day. I rode my cross bike, road bike, fixed gear, and my tall bike. I rode in rain, snow, and some absolutely beautiful weather. A total of 343 miles logged for the month of April.

For me, the main accomplishment achieved by 30 Days of Biking is that it got me on the bike on days where I would normally pass, either because of weather, or because I felt too tired.

It also got me in the habit of riding. Today I instinctively grabbed the bike when it was time to leave, even before I checked the weather forecast (rain all day - still rode).

You don't need to wait till the next 30 Days of Biking, make your own goal. get out there and ride!

Enjoying the Ride

We got back from our long weekend trip last night. I didn't make it out for a ride before we left St. George , but figured that I would take care of my ride to keep my 30 Days of Biking streak intact after we got home.

What I didn't take into account was how tired I would be after all of that travelling. My wonderful wife kept on telling me that I needed to get out before it got dark and the weather turned nasty, and that I didn't want to miss a day. She was pushing me to go out and ride?! Gotta love her!

I honestly have to say that I wasn't looking forward to a ride - blasphemy! - until my 8-year-old piped up that he wanted to go with me. Suddenly what I was expecting to be a ride of drudgery turned into a great father and son bonding experience. I let him set the pace, and direction, and we went off for an enjoyable ride. We talked about this and that; the goats and other animals that we normally see, school, running, etc... Both of us had a great ride.

It made me realize that as much as I enjoy going fast, and as much as I appreciate the feeling of completing a century, the rides I enjoy the most are the ones I take with my family.

It's memories like this that are important.

I'm glad I went riding last night.

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30 Days of Biking

I am of the belief that there are two main ways to commit to a plan: 1) Paying a significant sum for it, and 2) Public scrutiny. For example; If you pay the registration fee far in advance of a given race or ride, you are less likely to back out of it because you don’t want to waste the money (doubly so if your wife has any say in the matter – and she always does…).

Similarly, if you announce in a public forum (such as Twitter, Facebook, or on a blog) your intentions to follow a plan, you are far more likely to stick with it.

That is why I am taking this time to announce that I have registered for Round 3 of the 30 Days of Biking.

Hopefully, you are asking yourselves what the 30 Days of Biking is. If not, I hope you know already - and have signed up yourselves. If not, 30 Days of Biking is where you commit to ride your bike for 30 consecutive days - in this case from April 1st to April 30th. The only rule for 30 Days of Biking is that you bike every day for 30 days - around the block, 20 miles to work, in your basement. As long as your butt is on the saddle and you’re turning the pedals, it's all good.

Go to http://www.30daysofbiking.com/ to register. Once you start, you can share your adventures online, and read everyone else’s adventures too. If you are on the Twitter, you can also share your adventures using the hashtag #30daysofbiking.

What are you waiting for? It’s just like peer pressure. We’re all doing it, why don’t you too?