2013 in Review

This year has been a mixed year of good and bad. I’m looking back on my goals for the year that I posted just a little more than a year ago and I want to take this chance to reflect on the year that is passing and also set (and reset) some goals for the coming year. I hope you will humor me and my nostalgic thoughts.

The Good
I got myself a Wonderful Bicycle - Orange All City Macho Man Disc Brakes
My weight is down enough that it registers on my scale.
I managed to ride over 1000 miles this year (barely)
I made new friends and help others (old friends) explore cycling for the first time.

The not so good
Commitments this summer stopped me from riding more often than once or twice a week. According to my records I was only on my bicycle 61 days out the year. That kept me from spending the kind of time on my bike that I wanted to. Life is like that sometimes. I don’t regret it, it is what it is.

I still haven’t gotten up 18th street.

The Bad
At the Beginning of October my mother passed away and this took away from me (for this year at least) my joy of riding during fall. Fall has always been my favorite time to ride. I love the coolness of the air and the changing of the leaves. I missed that this year and my mileage shows it. I don't regret it, the time I got to spend with my Mother before she passed is something I will treasure. Even the frustrating times are something I can look back fondly on now.

So Last year around this time I posted my goals for 2013.

Ride Bike More
I think I managed to do this one even if I barely got 1000 miles in. (Check)

Fix Myself
well considering this is the first time in a long time (maybe since 2000) that I can actually weigh myself on a scale without getting an “Error” I have a new Job that I love and a great group of cycling friends. I’m calling this one a win. (Check)

Icicle Bicycle
I did this ride and truthfully it was awful. I did not enjoy it.  I did not enjoy being ditched by those “leading” the ride. I did enjoy the drinks and food afterwards with my friends. This won’t be on my list to do again. (Check)

Pedal Pittsburgh
I missed out on Pedal Pittsburgh this year. Unfortunately this ride fell during that time when I was otherwise committed. I did enjoy the first one, even if I got rained on, rode the ride alone, was cold and tired at the end, and the weather made hanging out afterwards a joke. What I saw was potential. If the weather had been better it would have been a fantastic ride. This Ride stays on the list for next year (Fail)

Ride more than 1000 Miles
I did manage to accomplish this (1016.66 miles), but it was a lot harder than I expected it to be. I just wasn't able to get and ride as much as I had planned. I realize now that a mileage goal is the wrong kind of goal for me. according to the records I only got out on the bike for 61 days out of the entire year. So for the next year my goal will be to get out and ride at least 100 days out of the year. (Check)

Write more
This is another one of those goals where I thought Quantity was more important than Quality. in 2012 I posted 57 posts here on the blog and in 2013 I posted 35 posts. So technically I failed this goal but as I look at the posts themselves I tend to think that what I posted here was of an overall higher quality. This year I am hoping to make the schedule for the blog and for the facebook page a little more regular. I’m calling this one a win. (Check)

Ride up 18th St
Nope still haven’t made it (Fail)

Go on 7 flock rides
Forgot to count how many rides I was on but I am going to call this one a win. I managed to get several of my friends to go on a flock ride for the first time. (Check)

Organize my own ride
I didn't manage to Organize my own ride. I was able to help out with several events that I found to be more important. The first was a ride called “Pedal for the Pantry” this was a grocery gathering alleycat that was a huge success.

I for one would be just as happy to help out with the next Pedal for the pantry than to try and organize a ride of my own. (Fail?)

My goals for 2014

• Ride 100 days in the next year
• Write better posts 
• Weigh less at the end of the 2014 than I do now
• Cherish my cycling friends
• Pedal Pittsburgh
• Pedal for the Pantry
• Write 5 interviews for the blog
• Write 9 reviews for the blog