After 30 Days of Biking
Well, the 30 Days of Biking challenge is over. I'm happy to report that I did, in fact, ride my bike "Every. Friggin. Day." (quote from the 30 Days of Biking website). I even made it 32 days straight. I'm feeling pretty good about that because I don't think I've done anything for 32 days straight - other than brushing my teeth and getting dressed and things like that. I certainly haven't done any sort of challenge, especially something exercise related, for more than a few days before running out of steam. So, I'm proud of myself for sticking to something I didn't think I could do.
Here's some information to recap my 30 Days of Biking experience:
I biked every day for 32 days straight.
My shortest ride was 3/4 of a mile.
My longest ride was 31 miles.
Fastest ride averaged 14.4 mph
Total miles biked in 32 days: 154
I biked in the rain at least once.
Biked in my slippers one day.
Biked in the dark another.
Took my bike to a belly dancing conference in order to get my ride in one day.
I learned how to use Twitter, sort of, to post my rides.
My kids got into biking and in the last couple of weeks have each logged over 30 miles
Owen did not do the challenge but biked a lot more because of it and logged over 190 miles in the last month.
I met many people through the challenge. Most were from Minnesota but one is from Scotland, another from Canada (Darryl from Lovingthebike.com). I expect that Darryl, and hopefully some of the others, will be friends for years to come.
The 30 Days of Biking guys and sponsor Urban Bean Coffee put on a Raccoon Rally and 30 Days of Biking Celebration Party last night. (Urban Bean Coffee, by the way, is supposed to be one of the, if not the, best coffee place in Mpls. Their Power Smoothie was the official drink of 30 Days of Biking) The Raccoon Rally was, in case you don't know (I didn't) an informal bike race through the city where the racers discover the route and stops as they go.
I did not plan on doing the race but wanted to go to the party to meet some of the people I've been tweeting with this past month. So last night Owen, the kids and I drove to Minneapolis for the 30 Days of Biking Celebration Party. I expected most of the party-goers would be cool young people and that Owen and I would be some of the oldest party goers and Rose and Ryan the youngest. Yep. I was right.
When we arrived some nice young guys looked at us like we might be lost and asked if they could help us. We told them we were looking for the 30 Days of Biking party and though I think they were a little surprised we were there for the party they welcomed us right in. They told the kids they could paint on the garage wall (the owner of the building and garage was there and was okay with that) so Rose and I painted raccoons on the wall (for the Raccoon Rally) and our initials. Ryan was shy and didn't want to but got out there later and painted a big R and M and a raccoon on the wall. Inside the party building, a cool loft-like apartment, there was music playing and lots of people. Beer and wine was served in bright yellow 30 Days of Biking/Raccoon Rally bike bottles. Fun!
I got a chance to meet Patrick, one of the 30 Days of Biking founders, and got to talk to him quite a bit. Very nice guy. I wanted to hug him (I'm a hugger) but come to think of it, I never did. I saw the other founder, Zachariah, but he was on his phone when we got there and I couldn't find him before we left. Bummer. He was tall. I probably would have wanted to hug him, too. We talked to several other people, listened to some music, showed the kids real records spinning on the DJ's turntable and talked to a woman about the Twin Cities Bike Walk Week which is taking place June 5 - 11. I could have stayed a lot longer but it was 8:30 by this time and we needed to get the kids home and to bed. So we said our good-byes and headed off towards home.
I haven't ridden my bike now for four days. It's been nice to have a little break but not riding feels strange like I'm missing part of my daily routine. Like I'm missing part of what makes me tick.
Here I am after biking 22 miles on the Root River Trail last Sunday, May 2nd
I biked every day for 32 days straight.
My shortest ride was 3/4 of a mile.
My longest ride was 31 miles.
Fastest ride averaged 14.4 mph
Total miles biked in 32 days: 154
I biked in the rain at least once.
Biked in my slippers one day.
Biked in the dark another.
Took my bike to a belly dancing conference in order to get my ride in one day.
I learned how to use Twitter, sort of, to post my rides.
My kids got into biking and in the last couple of weeks have each logged over 30 miles
Owen did not do the challenge but biked a lot more because of it and logged over 190 miles in the last month.
I met many people through the challenge. Most were from Minnesota but one is from Scotland, another from Canada (Darryl from Lovingthebike.com). I expect that Darryl, and hopefully some of the others, will be friends for years to come.
The 30 Days of Biking guys and sponsor Urban Bean Coffee put on a Raccoon Rally and 30 Days of Biking Celebration Party last night. (Urban Bean Coffee, by the way, is supposed to be one of the, if not the, best coffee place in Mpls. Their Power Smoothie was the official drink of 30 Days of Biking) The Raccoon Rally was, in case you don't know (I didn't) an informal bike race through the city where the racers discover the route and stops as they go.
I did not plan on doing the race but wanted to go to the party to meet some of the people I've been tweeting with this past month. So last night Owen, the kids and I drove to Minneapolis for the 30 Days of Biking Celebration Party. I expected most of the party-goers would be cool young people and that Owen and I would be some of the oldest party goers and Rose and Ryan the youngest. Yep. I was right.
When we arrived some nice young guys looked at us like we might be lost and asked if they could help us. We told them we were looking for the 30 Days of Biking party and though I think they were a little surprised we were there for the party they welcomed us right in. They told the kids they could paint on the garage wall (the owner of the building and garage was there and was okay with that) so Rose and I painted raccoons on the wall (for the Raccoon Rally) and our initials. Ryan was shy and didn't want to but got out there later and painted a big R and M and a raccoon on the wall. Inside the party building, a cool loft-like apartment, there was music playing and lots of people. Beer and wine was served in bright yellow 30 Days of Biking/Raccoon Rally bike bottles. Fun!
Beer and Wine glass of choice at the 30 Days of Biking Celebration Party
I haven't ridden my bike now for four days. It's been nice to have a little break but not riding feels strange like I'm missing part of my daily routine. Like I'm missing part of what makes me tick.
Comments
Great post and congratulations on all you accomplished during the #32daysofbiking. I knew that the #30 days idea was a great one as soon as I first heard of it and you are a perfect example of the great things that came out of it.
Darryl