Bike Goals for 2015
I've briefly mentioned a few times before how I'm from the middle of nowhere. Anything we ever wanted or had to do was done by car and took at least twenty minutes to get to which since I grew up with that didn't seem like a big deal. Now that I'm living in the city I'm constantly in awe of the fact that anything I could ever want to do is just a short distance away. (Getting used to not leaving for things so early is HARD. I am always early!) It also means I'm a lot less dependent on my car.
Getting a bike changed my life. It pushed me out of my shell, and has taken me on many adventures. Lets not forget how it's changed the way I view my body. I am strong, and powerful! I want to continue this. I want to continue to do things that are out of my comfort zone, and that are just totally different than what I'm used to. I thought it would be kind of fun to make a list of a few bike related goals. These are just things that have been floating around in my mind these last few weeks as I'm getting back into the groove of biking again after a winter spent missing it. I might even think of a few more things to add throughout the summer.
In 2015 I want to...
▴ Get groceries on my bike. I live around a mile and a half away from the grocery store and I'm just about the same distance away from the Westside Market. There's no reason to use my car, especially as someone who shops often for small amounts per trip.
▴ Bike over 1000 miles total. This is one of my big goals for 2015. Like I said in my new year's goals post, I'd love to smash 1000 but we'll see!
▴ Bike to a concert. My whole life I've lived at least an hour away from all concert venues. Now that I live a hop, skip, and a jump away I'd just get a kick out of biking to one. I guess this goal being met all depends on which, if any, of my favorite bands come to Cleveland this summer.
▴ Tackle the roads that scare me. There are a few places that I don't like to bike alone. Actually the two places I'm thinking of while typing this are both busy intersections. I just hate getting stopped at them, it stresses me out. When it comes right down to it, they aren't a huge deal. I can do it. I want to conquer this city on my bike. I don't want there to be anywhere I don't feel like I can confidently bike by myself.
▴ Bike most, if not every, Critical Mass. I know I've blogged in the past about how much I love Critical Mass so obviously I want to bike as many of them as I can this year. I've even talked my mom and dad into joining me one month this summer!
▴ Give biking in a dress a real try. I'm not sold on biking in dresses. I don't like getting sweaty in dresses, and something about the aggressive position I'm in on my bike just doesn't fit how I like to feel in a dress. The thing is I've never actually tried to ride in one so I'm gonna give it an honest try once it warms up.
▴ Practice endurance. I have pretty poor endurance when I bike alone. I'm able to go a lot further between stops when I bike with friends because I feel dumb being like "Uh, can we stop again?" I'd like to work on not letting myself stop as often (unless it's for photos or something like that!)
▴ Use legs, not brakes. When I first started riding I used my legs to stop a lot more often than my brake. Somewhere along the line I got lazy and started braking. Getting back to doing that will not only make my legs much stronger but it'll help keep my front wheel cleaner since right now it's nearly black with brake dust.
▴ Bike to the beach. I don't live far from the beach, it's a 1.5 mile ride which is cake but for some reason I can't quite figure out it seems intimidating so I'm putting it on this list! Honestly, thinking about it now it actually seems like way more work to drive to the beach than bike.
▴ 20 miles per day for one week. This is probably the most difficult goal on the list. Not because 20 miles is hard for me but because I feel like doing it seven days in a row will be challenging time and weather wise. A few weeks ago we did 20 miles a day three days in a row (not on purpose, just happened) and I have never felt better.
▴ Go places I've never been. My favorite way to explore the city is on bike. I want to check out all the little neighborhoods, side streets, and alleys! No need to bike the same route all the time.
▴ Get groceries on my bike. I live around a mile and a half away from the grocery store and I'm just about the same distance away from the Westside Market. There's no reason to use my car, especially as someone who shops often for small amounts per trip.
▴ Bike over 1000 miles total. This is one of my big goals for 2015. Like I said in my new year's goals post, I'd love to smash 1000 but we'll see!
▴ Bike to a concert. My whole life I've lived at least an hour away from all concert venues. Now that I live a hop, skip, and a jump away I'd just get a kick out of biking to one. I guess this goal being met all depends on which, if any, of my favorite bands come to Cleveland this summer.
▴ Tackle the roads that scare me. There are a few places that I don't like to bike alone. Actually the two places I'm thinking of while typing this are both busy intersections. I just hate getting stopped at them, it stresses me out. When it comes right down to it, they aren't a huge deal. I can do it. I want to conquer this city on my bike. I don't want there to be anywhere I don't feel like I can confidently bike by myself.
▴ Bike most, if not every, Critical Mass. I know I've blogged in the past about how much I love Critical Mass so obviously I want to bike as many of them as I can this year. I've even talked my mom and dad into joining me one month this summer!
▴ Give biking in a dress a real try. I'm not sold on biking in dresses. I don't like getting sweaty in dresses, and something about the aggressive position I'm in on my bike just doesn't fit how I like to feel in a dress. The thing is I've never actually tried to ride in one so I'm gonna give it an honest try once it warms up.
▴ Practice endurance. I have pretty poor endurance when I bike alone. I'm able to go a lot further between stops when I bike with friends because I feel dumb being like "Uh, can we stop again?" I'd like to work on not letting myself stop as often (unless it's for photos or something like that!)
▴ Use legs, not brakes. When I first started riding I used my legs to stop a lot more often than my brake. Somewhere along the line I got lazy and started braking. Getting back to doing that will not only make my legs much stronger but it'll help keep my front wheel cleaner since right now it's nearly black with brake dust.
▴ Bike to the beach. I don't live far from the beach, it's a 1.5 mile ride which is cake but for some reason I can't quite figure out it seems intimidating so I'm putting it on this list! Honestly, thinking about it now it actually seems like way more work to drive to the beach than bike.
▴ 20 miles per day for one week. This is probably the most difficult goal on the list. Not because 20 miles is hard for me but because I feel like doing it seven days in a row will be challenging time and weather wise. A few weeks ago we did 20 miles a day three days in a row (not on purpose, just happened) and I have never felt better.
▴ Go places I've never been. My favorite way to explore the city is on bike. I want to check out all the little neighborhoods, side streets, and alleys! No need to bike the same route all the time.
I know I talk about my bike all the time. Some of you probably get it and are like "yeahhh! bikes!!!" and then the rest are probably thinking something more along the lines of "okay... cool" but I encourage you to give biking a serious try, especially if you haven't been on one in a while. I've said it before and I'm sure I'll say it again, but I really think as adults people forget how much fun riding a bike is. It is honestly hard to be sad on a bike. It just makes you feel darn good.
Still not convinced? Last summer I posted 3 reasons I love to bike, check it out.
xoxo
Still not convinced? Last summer I posted 3 reasons I love to bike, check it out.
xoxo
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