It’s a bit hard to reflect and write about this year, mostly because of the mean way it started. Still, I have generally liked the practice of the wrap-up post. It gives me a sense of where I’ve been and helps me think about what to look forward to in the coming year.
So let’s get to it, dear readers.
January: Start of a Hyperlocal Year
Felkerino focused on healing while I focused on not crying. I’m a crier, okay?
Winter in the city was prime time for short walks, healing, and sorting through an unexpected beginning to the year.
On another solo January outing, I snapped a photo of Stumpy, the tenacious cherry tree who gained fame over the years for hanging onto life despite its outward frailty.
Stumpy was removed a couple of months later, along with several other trees around the Tidal Basin, as part of a much-needed seawall restoration project that is currently under way.
February: Unexpected Trip to the Heartland
It wasn’t all hyperlocal in 2024, I guess. A family emergency found me in the Midwest during February. More crying! Stop with the emergencies, life!
March: Pickleball, Audiobooks, and the Tidal Basin
I wrote about this earlier in the year, but one of my friends really helped me out by teaching me something new that was completely unrelated to cycling yet still outdoors. Pickleball!
Yes, pickleball. It’s that great sensation that’s sweeping the nation. Playing pickleball brought structure and a semblance of routine to a pretty unwieldy year.
In addition, I joined a social league that played at courts located a 1.5-mile walk from my house. This distance was perfect for unwinding from the day and sneaking in some prime audiobook time.
Yes, I also discovered audiobooks this year. I’m late to the party and I’m hooked! I loved figuring out what books translated well to an oral format. Hyperlocal super fun.
Hearing and reading books also helped me manage the out-of-control feelings I had in my life. Good stories often wrestle with overarching themes many of us face, and they can also offer a welcome escape into another world.
The best part of my walks to pickleball was the stroll by the Tidal Basin. I’ve never really paid attention to this space and I discovered I loved this little down-the-sidewalk view.
April: Rainbow Days
Felkerino was well enough to travel in April and we met up with his family to celebrate a couple of milestone birthdays. We weren’t thinking far enough ahead on this one because his family resides along the path of totality of this year’s eclipse and we did not realize it until we were traveling there. So of course we just missed it.
Oh well, we had other things on our minds! And as a consolation prize, we enoyed this spectacular rainbow on the last day of our visit. It was a joy to be united with family for a fun occasion.
May: Take Heart
One of the things I like about riding bikes in the country is taking in all the church signs we pass. I’m intrigued by the messages people choose to feature. In addition, many churches have converted to electronic signage now, and I appreciate those who are holding on to the old ways of manually changing out the signs. It takes a little extra effort, you know?
This year, there were no rides in the country, but there were still church signs to be had. One of our regular pedestrian coffee routes took us past Friendship Baptist Church.
I found comfort in their signage. No fire and brimstone for this church, and no religious pun games. Only words of encouragement and the ever-present “All Are Welcome.”
I love that this church still stands as rapid redevelopment goes on all around it. Thanks to this humble church sign, and Friendship Baptist Church (150 years in 2025!) for helping me keep the faith in 2024.
June: Metro, You’re Alright
Felkerino used Metro so much this year, which meant that I also took more trips on it than I regularly do. Usually we ride bikes, but that did not happen for much of 2024.
Felkerino physically could not ride due to his injuries, while I felt so let down by all things bicycling that I completely lost my appetite for it. It’s taking a while to work through those feelings. Am I moaning and groaning? Well hey, at least I’m not crying anymore!
Okay seriously, Metro proved to be a welcome option for us in 2024, as it allowed us to go places faster than we could on our own two feet and we did not need to drive. Have I told you my thoughts about driving? Let’s go have coffee and I’ll tell you all of them.
I’ve long had a soft spot for brutalist architecture, and if you want to bask in brutalism look no further than our Washington, D.C., metro system. Brutalism for days!
July: Street Crossings and Intersections
As a pedestrian and cyclist, I regularly think about intersections, but this year I thought about them a lot. So much!
There are some streets in D.C. where additional measures have been taken to help protect vulnerable road users, and others where I feel my life is akin to a squirrel’s – good luck to us both crossing these mean streets.
One of my biggest pain points is crossing South Capitol, and another is crossing Independence Avenue (I have more, these are the the 2024 highlights!). South Capitol is a mess because it has fast traffic going all directions and, in some places, you have to walk across six lanes of traffic. Six! That seems crazy. You know why? Because it is crazy.
Independence Avenue is another big street that drivers do not like to find themselves stopped on at any time. As a result, many drive above the speed limit and often run lights. I see this a lot on 4th and Independence.
I don’t get it. We are not road furnitue. We are people on two feet trying to go places just like the people on four wheels with metal boxes! Can’t we all just get along? Lolz.
Because of this fraught reality, my approach on these streets is wait for the light to change to the walk sign, wait a little more, and then poke my nose and toes out there.
We need safer streets, and I’m grateful to the advocacy work of WABA and others who work to incrementally improve our infrastructure. It’s a hard job, and often feels like retrofitting, probably because it is retrofitting, but I have seen meaningful infrastructure changes in D.C. over the years.
August: Pittsburgh!
No bike tours for us this summer, but we had a nice trip to Pittsburgh where we stayed at a haunted Airbnb, walked our legs off, visited the Maxo Vanca murals (which you should definitely go see!), explored the alleyways, escaped our troubles, and ate with abandon. You know, a regular vacation!
Pittsburgh is such a rich city to explore. I can’t get enough of this town.
September: Back on the Bike, Outside Edition
After many months of short indoor rides on the trainer, Felkerino was able to begin short rides outside in the real non-Zwift world toward the end of August.
In September, he rode to Friday Coffee Club for the first time. AND we also went meandering along the Anacostia River Trail, one of my favorite places in the world.
This trail is lovely because it is sufficiently wide in most parts, it’s scenic, and it is not crowded. Don’t tell anyone about it! The only downside is that you more likely than not will have a headwind on your return trip. But who doesn’t love a little headwind?
October: Small Wins and Coffeeneuring!
Coffeeneuring turned 14 this year, and this challenge (and people’s requests for me to continue running it) motivated me out the door for my own little coffeeneuring adventures.
I love this challenge and the people who bring it to life. We even had a meetup in DC this year, and that made my heart so happy!
I also have to give another shoutout to those coffeeneurs near and far who have gracefully shown resilience and forward momentum over the years, despite some of the thorny circumstances they have faced. I reached a new appreciation for the short rides and small wins in 2024.
I’m super excited about year 15, and hope you all will join in again (or for the first time). Coffeeneurs are the best and coffeeneuring is the best time of year!
November: Still Riding
Fall is my favorite season. Leaves fall and the trees transition into their stark winter look, but I still experience it as a time of renewal and opportunity. Maybe that’s because it coincides with harvest in the Midwest – that place of my childhood – where fall is a truly dynamic season.
We don’t know what’s around the corner, but crunchy fall smells, cooling days, and falling leaves make me believe it must be something good.
Speaking of that, I did make it back to Iowa during harvest season. It was just a nice pre-planned visit this time, thankfully.
There’s no time like harvest, and those Iowa sunsets can’t be beat.
December: Gotta Move On
The body doesn’t let the mind forget. Maybe that’s a good thing? I’m not sure, it doesn’t always feel that way.
I’ve found that painful memories make a resurgence even when I think I’ve put them to bed. Go back to bed, painful memories! It’s past your bedtime. Jeez!
This December marks one year from the morning I received the call about Felkerino’s crash, and one year that he has been on the healing roller coaster. I know I’m lucky he is still here. We know we’re lucky.
Still, it doesn’t mean the year was fun. It was small wins with a dash of fun, and lots of unfun things to work through. No sprinkles or glitter for 2024. And I like sprinkles! Glitter is just extra and I’ll take it when I can. So let’s hope for sprinkles in 2025 and at least a tablespoon of fun.
If you’re still here, I thank you for reading and for all the support this year. ABC
Chasing Mailboxes 