Thursday, March 26, 2015

Burlington Streets Challenge

The City of Burlington mailed a bike map to me. I haven't decided whether I will use this for documentation
 or reference.This side of map only shows Burlington's northern sector. Red lines indicate pedestrian/bike trails.

My personal quest this year is to ride all of Burlington's 95 miles of public roads. It will be a relatively easy goal, I realize, for someone who loves to bike commute, but nonetheless it's a project with an objective and will inspire me to seek out neighborhoods I haven't ridden in a long time. I anticipate riding with our children, with diversions for coffee or ice cream treats, using destinations as mini incentives, and stumbling upon garage sales.

Much like simple bike overnights, having a mission provides the impetus to explore and document on a map. Should I color code each day's route, estimate daily mileage, or list street names, as I complete a section? Inevitably I will blog about the adventure, though at present I'm not sure what type of format that will be. I am as excited to tally and scribble down each day's ride as I am to ride and discover what particular neighborhoods hold for flower gardens, interesting porches, homes for sale, or whatever things I might discover. There are possibilities that have yet to reveal themselves, which adds to the overall enticement.

I am tempted to broadcast this challenge to the Burlington cycling community. If I find this quest appealing, there must be other like-minded cyclists who would enjoy this mission.

I give thanks and appreciation to GE at Endless Velo Love. Without her inspiration, I would never have come up with the idea. Read about GE's goal to ride all her city streets.

Have you ever done something like this?

4 comments:

  1. I am so excited to see that you're going to do this, Annie! I am also anxiously awaiting your reports as you get underway. I find it fascinating to explore my own city, but it's interesting to see what others have a view of during his/her ride each day too. I'm glad it's something you'll be able to enjoy with your kids too. Sounds like a fun family adventure. :O)

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  2. Sounds interesting and fun. Looking forward to your reports. Curious how you'll go about it and document it.

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  3. Love this! I like giving myself challenges like this all the time. I haven't done anything related to biking yet, but I'm hoping to start small this summer by going car-free a week at a time. Now that I've traded my cruiser in for something with gears, my pedaled miles should increase. So excited for that and the photos to come! I'm looking forward to seeing how your project progresses.

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