Two Wheels To Nowhere

on the Move in Twenty-Eighteen

Twenty-Eighteen is all but behind us now. Another year of two wheels to nowhere! It seems like it doesn’t matter where I ride, how far or how fast I ride, I always end up in the same spot. Home. Barrie. Ontario. Canada. It is either the definition of insanity (am I trapped in the Twilight Zone?) or it is testament to the fact that I am very happy with where I’m at, so I keep coming back. Either way, here I sit – at home – looking back on another year spent predominantly on two wheels or on two feet. First to mind when reflecting on twenty-eighteen is *gratitude*. How fortunate I am to have covered so much ground largely unscathed despite the inevitable aches and pains of my aging body. How fortunate I am to have further forged friendships with many of you along the way, along with new acquaintances made through Strava and on the road – Joe F, Andrew D, Kirk R, Dale S, Larry O, Peter S, Derek J and others. How fortunate I am to live in a place and arc of time in the world where I can dedicate much of my free time to exploring the natural wonders of our surroundings while enjoying the exhilaration, physical and mental health benefits of continually being on the move! I am lucky. WE are lucky.

They say “it’s not about the destination, it’s about the journey” but I beg to differ. In twenty-eighteen, I spent more time than ever commuting on two wheels and on two feet and it was very fulfilling. Commuting is all about the destination! One hundred percent. That’s why we do it – to get somewhere. However, the beauty of commuting under your own power, at a perceptibly slower pace than an automobile is that you you get to see the world around you at a more granular level and at a completely different time scale that allows you to see the little things you wouldn’t absorb through a windshield. The beauty of a chain link fence encased in freezing rain. The moonrises and sunrises over the long grass behind my place of work. The wild turkeys perched high in the trees on my route home. The drowned-rat flattened on the road. The sundogs on the horizon of a crisp January morning. The ants working in chaotic harmony to build a colony. You see, the beauty of commuting is that although it’s ultimately about the destination, the journey there presents a window to the simple wonders of life you’d otherwise miss. The journey is a downright bonus in your day – twice!!

Although most of my Strava activities in twenty-eighteen revolved around commuting to work and all around town, I managed to get in tons of recreational cycling and running during all twelve months of the year! Funny, when I watched my little personalized Strava “Year in Sport” video that highlights all the stats and numbers that Strava logged over the year, I was rather underwhelmed. Although Strava does a great job capturing the reams of data we generate while riding, running, walking, etcetera, it completely misses the essence of and adventure in what we do! So, no surprise that my #yearinsport video let me down. It did not capture the cold, gritty challenge of a January Honeywood ride. The stats don’t reflect the rush of adrenaline (and anxiety) from a 70 kph speed wobble down Mount Pisgah. Strava doesn’t capture the sense of adventure of a spontaneous solo cruise exploring Simcoe County all day under a calm, sunny blue sky. It didn’t record the uncontrollable shivering or comradery during a very wet Hairshirt Ride to Niagara Falls and back or the exhilaration of finishing an epic ride with the indomitable Barrie crew. It failed to capture neither the agonizing alarm at five o’clock on Thursday mornings nor the satisfying reward of an early morning rip through Oro led by Craig S with the BCC morning crew. My sense of satisfaction through Terry Fox Run fundraising was not quantified by Strava (thank you for your support!). Our gleeful tandem ride and my mother’s heartfelt appreciation didn’t show up on a leader board. It didn’t record my sense of power and freedom during a speedy ride through Innisfil on Thanksgiving weekend. We love the numbers. Distance. Time. Speed. Pace. Elevation. Cadence. Heart Rate. Power. Watts per Kilogram. It’s all very fascinating to me. The feedback defines our performance and motivates us to fine tune our training plans and racing strategies, alter our nutrition, push our bodies a little bit harder, further, faster. It gives us a sense of accomplishment as we claw our way up a leader board and earn bragging rights when we capture a KOM.

At the end of it all, whether you are competing at national and international levels like Jenn J, Will E, Trevor O; competing locally and at O-Cups like Avery G, Carol K, Linnley C, Rob V, Joe P, Greg I, Paul L, Eric J and so many others in our social circles; or just recreational riding like me and other men and women of all ages and walks of life; we all win because we have spent the year moving! We’ve kept our hearts pumping, blood flowing and endorphins coursing through our veins. We have kept our muscles strong and loose and our minds cleared, renewed and relaxed by making sure we were not idle in one place for too long. Moving under our own power makes us feel alive and may even keep us alive longer! It’s been a pleasure and an honour to share activities with you all in twenty-eighteen! I wish you all a fabulous 2019 full of good health, happiness and lots of adventures on two wheels to nowhere. Stay curious. Keep moving.