30DOB - And It's Done

I have fulfilled my pledge to ride my bike thirty days in a row. How many miles did I ride? What was my fastest speed? How many calories did I burn? I have no idea. I don't use a bike computer, a heart monitor, a power meter, or any other gadget to measure my cycling. There are far greater benefits derived from riding a bike.

Sometimes I flew like the wind. Sometimes I struggled against it. People walking on the sidewalks returned my "Good morning" or "Good afternoon." Every whiff of morning bacon and afternoon barbecue was mouthwatering. Other cyclists returned my greeting. Countless vehicle drivers gave me my space and shared the road. Every once in a while I backslid on eating healthy. I climbed some long and steep hills in a higher gear than before. I rode all over north Spokane and discovered new and interesting things to see on streets I chose at random. Little kids on bikes smiled and waved as I rolled by. I saw lots of wildlife. I splashed through puddles after the rain. People sitting on their front porch nodded back at me. My breath puffed like a steam engine and my eyes watered on cold mornings. I had the freedom to choose my route, change it on a whim, and enjoy every mile of exploration. I found myself cruising on the big chain ring and a smaller cog on the rear cassette.

Try experiencing that in a car. If cycling doesn't float your boat then maybe you should get a different boat.

I've been pondering a change in direction for Shallow Cogitations. You'll find it becoming more bicycle oriented. I will still include the occasional post about social, political, legal and other issues, but I need to focus on something and I've chosen cycling. There will be more coverage of cycling events, including more photos and videos. Out of respect for the general public and with a sense of common decency, I will not include my made-for-radio face and made-for-American-Sign-Language voice in the videos.

In yesterday's post I risked jinxing myself. I had a flat when I left work today. There was nothing to indicate fallen branches did it, but I'm sure they were behind it.