Ten years ago I began life as a daily bike rider, after years of mass transit and more driving than I care to remember.
My bike was my tour guide, encouraging me to explore and familiarize myself with the city.
Because of bike rides, I gained physical strength and confidence.
Through a friend of a friend I learned about the D.C. Randonneurs, and soon began clipping in with them on brevets and flèche rides.
The D.C. Randonneurs welcomed me, and their bike rides taught me that I was tougher than I knew and could ride more miles in one go than I ever imagined, in weather I previously considered un-rideable.
Because of my daily bike rides and weekend brevets, I began to feel a sense of belonging to the city and a connection to people that I hadn’t during my initial years residing in Washington, D.C.
It was thanks to a bike ride– ten years ago– that I met my tandem and life partner, Felkerino. We rode 100 miles on our first date (my first time on a tandem), and we just kept on riding together.
Our bike rides have taken us to places I never thought I would see, at least not from the perch of my saddle.
Through my daily rides in the city, I began meeting other local cyclists. I’ve shared good bike talk, friend talk, Friday Coffee Clubs, and miles of pedaling along with good #BikeDC friends.
My bike rides inspired me to begin this blog and, later, to launch the Coffeeneuring Challenge and the Errandonnee.
These events, which are all about using your bike to go places, led the way for me to connect virtually with other bike riders, some of whom I have had the unexpected good fortune to meet in real life.
Self-confidence, fitness, friendship, camaraderie, laughs, and true love. I found them all through bike rides.
Happy Thanksgiving, bike rider buddies.
Chasing Mailboxes 