Around the world in eight years
February 16th, 2007Three thousand miles and sixty thousand feet(*): this is the total distance and total uphill climb that I travel on my bicycle each year, mainly for commuting purposes. In eight years, my mileage will be the length of the Earth’s circumference. Well, to tell you the truth, I am shamelessly bragging about something that has not happened yet: in 2006, the total was only slightly over two thousand miles — and zero climb, as the stretch I had to ride between the central station and my office was along a canal. But early this year I decided I’d stop driving the van for the 7-mile stretch between my home and the train station where I get on the train.
I would have done it much earlier if this ride had been level. Unfortunately, although my house and the station are at the same altitude,there is a river cleaving the plateau, resulting in a deep gorge. Therefore I have 600 ft of steep downhill, with most of the descent at a slope close to 12%(*), followed by a shallower (6%) but longer uphill portion (and vice-versa on the way back). The whole ride takes 30 minutes, with four minutes of downhill fun and the rest in uphill toil.
This new habit has increased my weekly riding distance by close to 50%, to a total of 120 km (75 miles). The uphill stretch is by far the hardest sport test I ever had to take. Why I chose to start this in January, just as the temperatures decided to drop sharply below freezing, is still a mystery to me. Probably I was thinking: ‘If I do not give up now with the worst possible weather and light conditions, nothing will stop me afterwards’. The day I started, the batteries for my light were flat, so I had to essentially guess where the road was, as there was no moon to help. In the past few weeks, I have had temperatures of -9°C (that’s 15°F), I have had fog, snow, ice, drizzle.
I have done this a few weeks now, and I like it so much I am pretty certain I will keep up. It is bound to get better as the days get warmer and longer. In March, I will ride in the dawn and dusk. In May, I will ride in the sunrise and sunset. This will be pure fun! By next fall it will have become such a habit that driving will stop being an option. I set myself a goal and a prize: if I still do this at the end of June, I will buy myself a brand new bike for my thirty-third birthday (with the savings in gas bills). At the end of 2007, the total riding distance will be more than three thousand miles.
I have yet to experience this ride under pouring rain, but I doubt any amount of rain can make me forget how magical it felt to climb steadily between the snow-covered chestnut and oak trees, in utter silence, with the late-January full moon lighting the way for me alone.
(*): figures updated from the ordnance survey map.
Update: I have been doing this for over a year now. And I will stop only when I telecommute, that much is for sure. I have bought a new bike as I had said, with a power generator in the hub for perfect lighting in winter.
I bet riding in the Spring will be absolutely gorgeous! Keep it up!
That’s great! With all my training and racing, I rode about 3,700 miles last year, so your 3,000 commuting miles strikes me as a LOT!
Nat: I will try to take pictures. If I can catch a rosy sunrise in a flawless indigo sky over the fog-filled valley as my train crosses the gorge on the bridge (lucky train), it will make my day.
Dorothy: it seems a lot to me as well. But in fact, the distance is really no problem. I have been doing 2,000 horizontal miles a year for close to seven years now. The steep slope is way more challenging. Luckily I find it easier day after day. Thanks for the compliment.
Mandarine, I am awed by your dedication. In freezing temperatures? In fog? In the dark? In the RAIN???? Wow!
I told myself that I would start biking to work in the Spring. I’ve mapped out my route. It will be 3 miles longer than by car, but I don’t live in a bike friendly city and I don’t want to ride through the intersection rated #1 for vehicular accidents for the past 10 years (its national rank isn’t as high, but it still supposedly ranks nationally as one of the worst intersections! Who would have thought that there was such a dubious honor as worst intersection in the US?).
But starting in winter? Even before the recent 18″ of snow made the streets nearly impassable and turned the shoulders into mounds of ice & snow several feet high, I wouldn’t have considered it. Daylight Savings time goes into effect earlier this year, so that may delay my start of plan until April. But you have inspired me!
Three extra miles are really worth it when it comes to avoiding traffic. When I was still designing airplanes, my office was right across the city, near the airport, so that I had to find my way through the downtown traffic to a tangle of railroad tracks, expressway onramps, industrial wastelands and residential mazes. I was put off at first, then a colleague told me of an astute stretch of cycle lane by the railroad that bypassed the worst part of the traffic. The ride was 50% longer than by car, but we gradually optimized it to the point we did not mind the few extra miles.
And yes, starting in winter was somewhat foolhardy (or outright foolish, time will tell): thanks for the encouragements.
Good going! The world needs more cyclists!
Well if the world wants more cyclists, it knows what it has to do: setup as many cycle lanes as in Germany or Holland and double the price of Benzin each year.
Yes, the German cycle lanes are good. It means novice cyclists like me can ride in safety without having to inflict my complete lack of road sense on unsuspecting cars.
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