Ten years ago this January (2009) I got it in my head to do the STP (the Seattle to Portland 200 mile bike ride). I had been doing a little bit of cycling around Whidbey Island in the previous year and a half, and had somehow heard about this ride. I had no idea what I was doing. I had never done an organized bike ride, or something of this scope. All I had at the time was a (very) used, heavy, Specialized mountain bike.
So in February I bought a "new " bike--a $400, heavy, steel Jamis--probably the heaviest bike any of the 10,000 riders used that year on the STP. I started riding longer and longer rides, to prepare for it.
I crossed that finish line in that July a different person. I have said this before, but next to all of the important aspects of my life that involved people I love, crossing that finish line, by myself, was the most life-defining moment I have ever experienced.
Since that January, I have had multiple surgeries (3 shoulder surgeries, 3 foot surgeries, open heart surgery). I have probably had to sit out a year, in total, for these surgeries, so my actual window for accomplishing this goal was probably closer to 9 years than 10. In addition, Vicky and I have spent 2 1/2 years of that time in our camper, mostly in the desert southwest, during the winter, doing no cycling but hiking instead (over 3400 miles).
In 2011, while training for my second STP. a real life-defining moment happened--I met Vicky.
And we started riding. Since then we have done the STP in 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, and 2018. All with Jules. And one with Sean. How many men get to do this with their wife, son and son-in-law? I am blessed.
By doing this with Jules and Vicky, I was able, through all of the lay-offs because of surgeries, keep my motivation for, and enjoyment of, cycling.
Today I passed the 20,000 mile mark. 20,000 miles in slightly less than 10 years.
20,000 miles. A feat I could never have imagined when I retired 11 1/2 years ago. Miles with Vicky, and with Jules, and with Sean.
The photo above is when I achieved this milestone. I planned it so I would be on the street across from where my parents lived for 20 years in Leisure World. I knew they would be happy for me, and I wanted to share the moment with them.
There is something kind of wacky about doing this wearing what we call our old lady gardening hats. But they work--they keep the sun off of our faces and neck and provide terrific visibility to drivers. We are in our late 60s/early 70s. We have no pride left, so what the heck? We get tons of compliments on them.....although to be honest, only from other people in their late 60s and early 70s. There is something fun about accomplishing this milestone while riding our tandem, Daisy.
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