Ride Something. Every Day. (New Quest)

Let me just say, before I get started here, that this is probably a bad idea.
I mean, the idea itself isn't bad, but writing about it? Writing about it probably is.

This is me simultaneously trying to keep myself honest
and
at the same time, bank on the fact that this little piece of internet real estate is not tread upon too often, so - if I fail, and fail early....maybe no one will notice.

[I wrote a thing here detailing, rather thoroughly, my distaste for New Years Resolutions. In trying to make this neat button...I deleted it. So, in short - I dislike New Years Resolutions as they imply simple solutions to 'problems' that are not simple. How often do we tell ourselves, "If I could just....Things would be better/great/perfect" Further more it is arbitrary. We made up when the first of the year is. It is tied up with the god Janus, January and the turning of one face to another (Janus was the god with two faces). So, if you want/need to make a change in your life and you can accomplish it, don't wait - just do. For this reason I like the idea of New Years Intention. Still problematic in some ways, but a step in the right direction regarding trying to make changes in our lives. ]

30daysofbiking.com

This all kinda started around the idea of #30daysofbiking, which of course, those of use who participate in riding every day in April each year, have Patrick and Zach to thank for the creation of the event 5[?] years ago. I've done it each year and it is pretty great.

So there is my plug for my friends' excellent event, if by some chance you found your way here and did not know about it previously, there it is.

In any event, this post is, really, in a lot of ways a declaration. Perhaps an intention for myself for the new year. My goal, and we will see how far I can make it, is....

To Ride Every Day In 2015.

For some people this isn't a big thing really, and I'll admit that with as much riding as I do, I'm not terrified of the idea - though I really think that it will prove to be far more of a task than I imagine it will. For this reason I wanted to get most of the way through this month before even declaring that I was doing this. NEW QUEST LINE ACCEPTED!

THINGS TO NOTE:

PITFALLS/CHALLANGES:

• I already ride a lot and I know that part of what comes with that is occassionally crashing. Honestly, when it happens, I sometimes feel that I've earned it, not because I've done something dumb, but because on a long enough timeline, with enough miles underneath you, it happens to everyone. The concern here is if I am at all seriously hurt. If I am able to push on, I will do so, but I won't do so at the risk of long term health/ability to ride.
• A full year of committing to something is a LONG time. Hell, #30daysofbiking is a commitment, but I want to try this, so I'll do it till the wheels come off (metaphorically speaking)
• I also intend to update this blog with my progress. Now entries in the past have been scattered and I even have several entries from last year's #30DOB that never even got published, because keeping a blog going isn't the easiest thing. I have two others, one which was the extension of a research project, and the other, a fun blog about videogames and playing them, both of which are more or less defunct. So my goal is to write about this Quest line at least once per moth, hopefully more and in the process write a bit about my life as well, as that should help keep me interested.
• Conveniently I have a few bikes, so I shouldn't have any issues should damage or repair come up as a problem, but finding time can be even harder to do when the bike you want to ride is busted and you have social obligations..."and you know you could just drive there" blah blah blah. I don't have a solution for this, but I will work to avoid missing any days.

RULES/Guidelines:

• I Will Ride A Bike Every Day of 2015.
• While I will not set a strict time limit for each day, it has to be a "real" ride. It cannot be that I hopped on the thing, pedaled it for a moment and now I've done it.
• Sometimes it gets very cold out, other times I want to make extra time to play videogames...In those situations, This Counts:

Old picture, but seriously...been playing Diablo 3 on the trainer

• Ideally, the ride should never be under 30 minutes, but at the least, if it is it should be because the ride has a destination and that destination (a friend's home, a coffeeshop etc.) is closer than is optimal. 

AND FOR NOW  - that is it. I've got some work/riding to do.
Expect an update very soon on how January has treated me riding thus far.

-E

Soundtrack of the moment: aivi & surasshu - Mabe Village