Thoughts can be such heavy things. Literally weightless, still they will press down, anchoring us where we stand if we let them. Daily actions also take their toll. Routine activities, interactions, and the small challenges of everyday life tempt the body to stop moving when free time comes around. If we succumb to inertia our world becomes small, the people in it outsized, our thoughts … Continue reading Shrinking the Giants
Ever since my ride to work went from 2.5 miles to 7.5 miles one-way, I have been in pursuit of the ideal bike commute setup. After a few months, I settled on using a Carradice Camper for the to and fro, and that worked well, as long as I did not need to ride anywhere else during the day. Recently I’ve been needing to attend … Continue reading Review: Po Campo Bergen Pannier
While in the midst of final preparations for the weekend’s Shenandoah 600K in Virginia, a friend asked me how I was feeling about the ride. I raised my eyebrows and said, “I’m ready for it to be over.” “You need your face!” she responded. Ah yes, I was so proud of dialing in my 400K face, and had looked forward to showing off my 600K … Continue reading Shenandoah 600K: Ride With What You Have Inside
Want a successful 400K ride experience? Bring your 400K face to the ride and no other. After over a decade of randonneuring, some lessons have begun to sink in, and I’m finally figuring out what a good 400K face looks like. My 400K face is one that begins a ride full of a week of good sleep. According to a reliable source – my mom … Continue reading D.C. Randonneurs 4 States 400K: Bring Your 400K Face
Fourteen years ago I rode my first 300K brevet with the D.C. Randonneurs, and this weekend Felkerino and I were back on that very same course, now fondly titled the Mother of All 300Ks given the gnarly 13,600 feet of climbing in 189 miles. One of the first weekends to give a clear indicator that summer will arrive, I spent the day enjoying the sun … Continue reading Mother of All 300Ks and the Passage of Time
One lesson I keep relearning is that you can’t work too hard to make things happen. You can put your shoulder into something only so much. After that, other factors must play a role. Nowhere in my life is this more true than with Capital Bikeshare‘s elusive Bike In Bloom. In concert with the annual Cherry Blossom Festival in Washington, D.C., Capital Bikeshare releases the … Continue reading Bike In Bloom Destiny
The Errandonnee is back for its sixth year, my friends. This challenge is designed for the utility cyclist and transportation runner with errands to do, no matter the season. That cyclist or runner might be you! The short version of the Errandonnee is: Errandonnee: Complete 12 errands in 12 days, and ride or run a total of 30 miles between March 20-31, 2018. Errands are inevitable, so … Continue reading Errandonnee 2018: The Details of our Lives
You may not have noticed, but the time I’ve spent in this space has reduced over the last year. Several factors contributed to this, but the most dominant was the belief that my energy needed to be spent understanding the state of current affairs in the U.S. For much of 2017, I took a deep dive on various topics of the day, and used bike … Continue reading Peaceful Everyday Actions
Over the years that I’ve lived in the District, Ohio Drive has become one of my favorite city streets, especially around this time of year – the non-tourist season. Compared to many other routes, the car traffic is relatively light. The road follows the bends of the Potomac, offering up rare views of open space in the urban environment. Cherry trees, willows, and elms line … Continue reading Landscape Adjustments on Ohio Drive
While winter is not my most preferred cycling season, it does have its perks. Fewer people are out, making the city a more contemplative place, and non-cycling friends and colleagues regularly give me props for riding in less-than-inviting pedaling conditions. (“You’re so tough, MG.” Ha ha ha ha, we know the truth.) In exchange, I go through lengthy preparations for the outdoors – donning multiple … Continue reading Winter Commute Days
At the beginning of each year, I like to set an intention to carry me with me over the next 12 months. These are usually developed as a way to address some aspect of life I’m wrestling with. For 2017 my intention was “Try harder, calm down.” Stuffed with anxiety about 2017, I resolved to somehow find a way to calm down. Reading the headlines at … Continue reading Try Harder, Calm Down: Final Thoughts on 2017
Around this time last year, I was 90 percent blah about cycling. I appreciated the bike for how it improved my quality of life and distanced me from driving and other transportation options, but I was not enjoying the rides. Blah, time to go get groceries on my bike. Blah my boring commute awaits. Blah a brevet. Blah to it all. But 2017 turned out … Continue reading 2017: A Fine Year to Ride Bikes – And the Photos to Prove It
The Coffeeneuring Challenge continues to roll strong. Submissions are beginning to trickle in (four people as of this writing) and it’s time to announce the 2017 Coffeeneuring Challenge Finisher’s Prize. Each year the patch design varies, and is only available to those who complete the Coffeeneuring Challenge. Chasing Mailboxes has again partnered with Doug of Umbrella Works for this year’s patch prize. Check out his Coffeneuring designs from … Continue reading Coffeeneuring Challenge 2017 Finisher’s Prize Reveal!
One of the kerpillion things I love about coffeeneuring is the virtual journey I go on through people’s submissions. Some people send snapshot summaries, while other write-ups read like a travel journal. John, who rides in the areas on the Virginia Peninsula is one of the latter. He not only shows us around his neighborhood, but shares his coffee and brewing methods used during his … Continue reading Coffeeneuring Rewind with John: Coffee Outside and Meanders along the Chesapeake Bay
More people than ever appear to be taking on the Coffeeneuring Challenge this year. Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and even Strava are full of vignettes of people’s rides to coffee (or other acceptable beverage). The Seven is a Lucky Number theme is working! It’s our year! If you have not yet started, get on your bike today and you can still qualify as an official coffeeneur … Continue reading What the World Needs Now: Coffeeneuring
