08 February 2014

five hundred and twenty hours [UPDATED]

I simply could not muster any stoke, despite 19" of new being reported for the week at Snowbowl, to go stand in long lines just to ski the same six groomers over and over this morning.  I don't know if I've grown spoiled, or if I'm becoming more misanthropic as I age, but the thought of massive bluebird-day Phoenix crowds and meager off-piste conditions, caused me to turn my back on my plan to ski the area today.


So I went fatbike riding by myself in the woods instead.  No lines.  No piste. Only perhaps three inches of warm wet snow with a bit of mud here and there.  Fine conditions for the fatbike.


I was in San Diego at a conference much of last week, s
o today was my first bike ride in February.

This means I am off to a very poor start for the month working toward my New Years Resolution goal, which is to ride my bikes for at least 520 hours (or an average of about 10 hours a week) this year.  Last month I did almost 26 hours of riding, including both my occasional commutes to work and regular weekend forays into the too-dry for January woods.  

But to keep on par, I really need to get to something closer to 42 or 43 hours on the bike per month.  That's gonna be next to impossible for February, I think.  And, honestly, as complicated as my life is these days, it is going to be a tough goal every month going forward throughout 2014. I am going to have to work darn hard during the spring and summer to make up for the deficits that I will surely continue incur during the remainder of the winter months.

Will I make it to 520 hours by 31 December 2014?  Only time will tell.  I know it's not likely.  But I'm sure-as-heck going to have fun trying!

[Update: 30 Jan 2015]  I rode 388 hours in 2014.
May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous, leading to the most amazing view. -- Ed Abbey