1000 miles and counting

As of June 2009, I was able to put in 1000 miles in the saddle since the beginning of the year. All of these were in commuter miles around the city of Stockton.

I reached the 1k mark just as I arrived at work and the picture was taken by my co-worker. I'm pretty pleased with the achievement because my goal was to reach 1200 miles by the end of the year. In reality I'm well past 1330 miles and it's the middle of August.

I also achieved my goal of reaching the top of "Holy Hill" near the CDSP campus in Berkeley before the end of the Spring Semester. With my biking gaols for the year complete, it's time to create some new goals. The main goal I'd like to make it keeping up with my studies and completing my school work in a more timely manner than last year. I know I can do it... I just need to apply myself to a more disciplined work ethic.

The goal starts NOW!

Let's face it, I've become a bicycle advocate. My friends are taking me more seriously when I show up to events and meetings on my pedal-powered conveyance. Working at REI makes it easy to stay on track, especially with many of the staff involved in some sort of regular physical activity. I'm asked nearly each time I arrived to work if I've biked in, whether rain or shine.

Now, in the past I've halted my riding when the weather became the least bit uncomfortable... a little rain, cold, etc. Since returning to the saddle I'm detemined to ride as often as I can, especially if there's time and no need to drive, day or night, rain or shine. So far, I've ridden in the rain to deliver communion; riding around 8 miles to share the Eucharist with a family of 5, then return the 8 miles to share it with an elderly couple before returning home another 4 miles.

I bought some raingear from REI (duh) which worksa pretty well. I also have a pair of wind pants, under which I wear a pair of light weight lounge pants to absorb some of the moisture from sweat. I'm getting pretty good at figuring out what to wear under the right weather conditions. I have a "turtle", a tubed collar which can cover the neck, head and face, if necessary and I wear it with a skullcap under my helmet. It's my belief that you don't need the fancy, expensive equipment and clothing in order to protect yourself from the elements. I've tried a combination of clothing options and I think I've found some that work. I may look goofy, but I'm warm and relatively dry when I arrive at my destination.

While this is not my bike, it does represent my present lifestyle... I ride a bike. Since last April, I have been riding regularly about five days a week. It's mostly commuting miles and I don't have an accurate tabulation of miles. However, more importantly, I am back on the bike after putzing around for the past 10 or so years while I was taking care of my kid and trying to raise her to be a proper young lady. While the verdict is still out about how well I did as a dad, the prospect is looking good that she's going to graduate from high school in 2009. She's also working at her first job at Mickey D's. She's reached the age where I can begin to let go and let her fly on her own. Not an easy thing to do, but it needs to happen. (I'm scared, but ready)

New Year's is just moments away and I'm wish Susan were awake to share the change of years... again for the second year in a row, she's not feeling well and we stayed home to watch a movie and turn in early... I feel like an old person, sitting sitting around watching the minutes pass until midnight. We could have gone to a party, but my desire to stay with the one I love dashed my hopes to ring in the new year with friends.

I'm not going to let that begin my new year on a sour note... the bike beckons and starting tomorrow, I will beging trying to keep track of how many miles I log in for 2009.

Let the miles begin... 0000... and counting.

Goodbye library, hello REI

Generally I'm not one to make changes too swiftly. I'm not at all resistant to change, it's just that I want most of my bases covered before leaping into a new venture.

Frankly, I was willing to leave the library for a job at Micky D's as long as it paid close to what I was already getting. But when REI showed an interest in me and made an attractive offer to work with them, I was ready to take it. At the point of this writing, I have the job pending a background check (nothing to hide).

Working for the library gave me a sense of pride. I was an advocate for literacy, an extension of outreach to the community. Now I'll be a representative for health, fitness and outdoor living. Something I've been advocating for most of my life, with a few years of sedentary living in between.

I'll still be working similar part-time hours as I've been doing with the library and I'll have a closer bike commute. So, we'll have to see how this works out. I won't have the freedom to find information online as I did with the library, I'll be dealing with the public in a recreational environment... a completely different clientle.

Pedal Pusher

Bicycle commuting has fast become one of my favorite things to do since returning to the saddle. Most of the places I need to go can be made by bike. The only time I find myself driving is when I give rides to kids for Wednesday night youth group and Sunday rides to church.

One of the benefits, aside from better health, fitness and loss of weight is the inspiration you become to others. Yet, the drawback is that those you inspire do not tell you this... you kinda find out when you see people emulate you. My friend, Fr. Mark had been a rider for some years, but a busy schedule put his bike riding days on the back burner. He returned to biking by listening to the changes it has brought to me. Same with Brett, another friend from church who, upon learning of my weight loss, took up riding. Lisa Z. took to riding to church. Heather and Jeff bought new bikes. Jeff said that my story of reduced blood pressure was the reason he wanted to give biking a try. Greg rides 14 miles to work.

Even before these revelations, I wanted to advocate bike riding to my fellow parishioners, but I'm glad people have picked up on the idea of riding on their own. I'm thinking of putting together some short rides as a fellowship gathering. Perhaps in the spring... most people will have put their bikes away for the fall/winter. With the exception of rain, I'm going to try to ride through the cold season...

Chunky Monkey

Geez, look at the chunky blob. I should have taken notice of my weight when I saw this picture of me taken in Sept. '07. Sometimes you need something to trigger the thought process that leads to better health and fitness.

Since this picture, I've lost nearly 15 pounds and my blood pressure has improved (127/79). I'm looking forward to the day when my doctor lowers the among of medication I'm taking.

Back In The Saddle Again

Well, it took a few reasons, but after years of talking about getting back in shape, I'm "back in the saddle again".

You'd think that health issues alone would cause someone to make a change or the rising cost of gas prices, but it actually all started when I was making arrangements for the impending regularly scheduled monthly commute from Stockton to Berkeley for classes at the School for Deacons.

Driving my van would eventually becoming too costly with the wear and tear on the old beast (which I need for driving the youth group on Wednesday nights). So I looked into the cost of taking the train and the BART system. Surprisingly, it would cost less to take this train/public transit method than the gas it would take to drive, so the choice was a no-brainer. All I'd have to do is find a way to the Amtrak station in Stockotn and rest would be easy. That's where riding the bike came back ito play.

Now I've always been an avid cyclist. I've ridden the Rosarito to Esendanda 50 mile fun run and a few long distance sponsored rides in the Central Valley and Northern CA along with commuter miles when I was younger. It was also my custom to take a long distance ride once a year on my birthday (the last time was an all day ride through the streets on SF). But riding regularly had taken a backseat in recent years.

My interview to attend the SFD was in May and I decided to test the proposed idea for transportation. I dusted off my trusty Schwinn Frontier and trekked to Amtrak in Downtown Stockton. Admittedly, it was a little rough and I had to take it slow on the body but I made it.

Now I have enough sense to know that if I'm going to make this ride on a regular basis, I should do this more often, so I decided to make riding the bike a lifestyle choice and use it for commuting around the city when there's no real need to drive.

Since beginning this change, I have lost 11 pounds, reduced my blood pressure and increased my energy level. When I started, I felt the need to listen a radio headset to pass the time riding, now I prefer the natural sounds. Susan is pleased to see the changes and I'm beginning to anticipate the next chance to get back in the saddle for another day of biking.

Just think, by the time I graduate from SFD in 2010, I may be in better shape than when I first arrived in Stockton 12 years ago.