The Importance of Recording Annual Miles

December conditions in Vermont: snow covered bike path or clear after a big melt.

 
I keep track of annual bike mileage, generally, penning basic numbers into a date book, then transcribing them monthly into a self-made spreadsheet. It's not logged with accuracy though because I don't use a GPS specific computer  - Google Maps, and on occasion when I ride a unique route, Strava fills in the gaps, rounded to the nearest whole number. Most of my rides are repetitive and easy to count, so computerized tracking is rare and not the norm.

I have found consistent motivation to ride frequently upon computer shutdown at my home office - Work and home life balance has been important since 2020. Nothing like fresh air to crank out miles! I don't put much stock in the annual number, yet, if early December's total is close to a significant milestone, then I try for the end game. The result is wholly dependent on weather, bike path conditions - remember, I often ride in darkness - bumpy, packed snow is difficult and exhausting on studded tires, yet satisfying because cold is no longer a deterrent - I stay warm in 10-15F. Clear paths mean a faster 10-15 miles in 1.5 hours. With late December's big melt, I was able to surpass 3500 miles, treating myself to a well deserved restaurant lunch!

Coffeeneuring 2024 - More Gouache Exploration, Rides 5-8

Coffeeneuring #5 - I painted this one with an acrylic gouache (more opaque, sharper edges).

This one is with my typical gouache (softer edges).

Vivid is a large coffee shop (formerly New Moon, with the vertical sign still evident). Without a nearby bike rack, I made do by wrapping my cable lock around a tree. I sat in front of the garage-type window, sipping my first Matcha Latte - wow, delicious!

5. The Place:  Vivid Coffee in Burlington
Date: Wednesday, November 6
Observation: Took the day off for Election fallout and decompression.
Total Miles: 13

Drink: Matcha Latte - my first!

Coffeeneuring #6 at Scout.

The Rose donuts at Scout are sooo good.

Local roaster Scout has a few cafes open later on the weekend, so I went to Winooski's location in a historic building. I am continually impressed with their smooth dark roast. Their cappuccino, once again, was exceptional. And their chewy donut is to die for!

6. The Place: Scout Coffee in Winooski

Date: Sunday, November 10

Drink: Cappuccino
Observation: Warmish and pushing daylight to arrive after 4 pm. Scout's coffee is very smooth, and likely the best brew around.
Total Miles: 15

Coffeeneuring #7 at a Starbucks.

I was away during the final weekend of Coffeenuring (and on a train for most of the day), so I sought out a cafe that would be open late afternoon—Starbucks. What could go wrong? I'll give them kudos for providing a visible bike rack, but the latte was watered out and the barista sheepishly said, "I'm sorry I don't know how to create coffee art." Fortunately, I found out later that the deadline was extended another week!

7. The Place: Starbucks in Troy, NY

Date: Saturday, November 16

Drink: Latte
Observation: low 50s, arrived at dusk, terrible latte for a Starbucks
Total Miles: 16

Coffeeneuring #8, going out with a bang - more delicious matcha

Bonus round thanks to Queen Coffeeneur for graciously extending the deadline.

I headed to downtown Burlington on a weekend, selecting Black Cap for its glass storefront and convenient bike rack. Their matcha was stellar and the flourless chocolate torte was very yummy! I delivered half the dessert to our youngest son, the bike mechanic because I can't treat him well enough for maintaining my bicycles!

8. The Place: Black Cap Coffee in Burlington

Date: Saturday, November 23

Drink: Autumn Harvest Matcha Latte
Observation: Downtown Burlington feels unsafe due to unhoused people yet it's where there's the widest variety of coffee shops. I was delighted to find Black Cap with a bike rack in front.
Total Miles: 17

I learned that I prefer the coffee shop without walls venue versus working around coffee shop hours. I enjoyed painting coffee art plus adding the handwritten details. Who knows, maybe I'm ready to incorporate mini landscapes into next year's coffeeneuring theme?

And like last year, the Coffeeneuring Quilt:

Coffeeneuring 2022 - Fifth Cup at Scout

A cuppa at Scout's outdoor tables.

Attending Burlington's Halloween Bike Ride with a friend and her dog.

There's still lingering colorful trees.

Loop Rides

I rode downtown to meet up with Adele and 100+ others to be part of the Halloween Bike Ride. With a warming trend that doesn't seem to quit, it was great to see lots of families in attendance. 

I avoid coffee shops these days, so the cappuccino at Scout was a special treat. The indoor seating is delightful and patrons were safely spaced amongst tables, but my new bike lacks a kick stand at the moment, and I was happy to sit at the picnic table. 

My roundtrip route resembles a spatula!

The Place: Scout

Date: Sunday, October 30

Drink: Cappuccino
Observation: Third weekend in a row of warm weather!

Total Miles: 15

Coffeeneuring 2022 - Third Cup at Leddy Park Beach

Beach weather in October? You betcha!

Sometimes it's nice to bring a favorite mug.

Loop Rides

I can't believe this streak of mild weather two weeks in a row! I pedaled beneath a gorgeous canopy to Leddy Beach. I left the stove behind, due to windy weather. No problem! I brought a thermos of tea, a sandwich and an apple, relaxed in the warm sand, and watched kite boarder's riding waves. Afterward, I did an errand while looping homeward.

The Place: Leddy Park Beach

Date: Sunday, October 22

Drink: Tazo Passion Tea
Observation: Blustery, nice to sit on the warm sand.

Total Miles: 9

One Step Forward

Keeping the fire alive through winter night rides.

As the temperatures slowly warm, I'm heartened that the world is beginning to emerge from it's Covid cocoon. It may be baby steps - rightfully so - but I'm feeling hopeful that more travel will be on our horizon. I talk daily with customers who are planning bike trips abroad. I'm amazed at their optimism, or fortitude, or devil-may-care attitude, or...I don't know, but they possess more gumption than I've allowed myself! I've been extremely cautious for family reasons, but I'm planning a simple overnight aboard my Dahon Boardwalk, with cooperative weekend weather, as soon as mid April. I'm not yet ready to fly, but taking Amtrak last year has boosted my confidence, enough to plan a similar adventure for later in 2022. And, if anything, adventure by bike is surely much safer than most forms of transportation - at least that's what I tell myself.

How is everyone else feeling about bike travel?

Coffeeneuring 2021 - Sixth Cup at Lone Sailor Park

The Zen of pebble designs - as mesmerizing but not as risky as stacking dominoes!

Stones were the only art that would hold up against the strong November gusts - commonplace this time of year.

There is still foliage, mostly yellow and gold.

My leopard print thermos is a delight for my eyes and cozy warm against hands.

The sprouting maples were tenacious and vivid color against a monochrome windy waterfront.

This photo makes me happy because it displays moody clouds, picturesque Spirit of Ethan Allen tour boat, Rock Point peninsula, planted grasses bending in the breeze, and an awesome lake view surrounding my bicycle..

A steel sculpture that captivates me because of it's construction. The art is a rusting reminder of old mooring buoys once bobbing in the lake from Burlington's lumber and oil days.

Pedaling beneath the golden Linden trees.

Art for art's sake

Lone Sailor Park is tucked away on a manmade peninsula, with plaques commemorating Lake Champlain naval battles, and honoring Vermont veterans on the former site of the naval reserve center. A larger than life sculpture of a sailor stands prominently, gazing at the lake. I often take selfies with the sailor and post on Instagram. The park is very private and often overlooked - a boon for locals seeking solitude. I avoided goofy selfies this time, preferring to concentrate on location, views, and of course, coffeeneuring! The land was somewhat sheltered from the strong wind - a perfect spot to enjoy a cup of tea and arrange pebbles to my heart's content.

The Place: Lone Sailor Park, also visited in 2017
Date: Saturday, November 13
Drink: Chai Tea
Observation: A blustery November day
Total Miles: 15

Coffeeneuring 2020 - Seventh Cup at the Fishing Pier

Focusing on Gratitude

I'm trying to be positive in a world upended by chaos, by concentrating on little things, like being thankful for still being able to ride a bicycle. This is at the root of who I am as a person: I find joy in moving slowly, smelling leaves, listening to bird calls, gazing at Lake Champlain in all its year-round moods. Isn't it amazing that a simple machine can provide so much joy?

Thank you bicycle! 

And thank you MG for hosting the 2020 Coffeeneuring Challenge.

7 full cups of gratitude:

• Special time with son exploring area's mountain bike trails
• Spending time with a cycling friend
• Personal comfort in solitude 
• Grateful to be living near water
• Ample time to explore our new community and autumn's colorful foliage 
  
• Very thankful for any sunshine on my face
• Gratitude for the power of two wheels
  
  

The Place: The Fishing Pier
Date: Friday, November 12
Drink: Barry's Tea with milk and sugar
Observation: When the temperature drops below 50F, thankfully the hordes on the Greenway disappear.
Total Miles: 15

Coffeeneuring 2020 - Sixth Cup at Battery Park

This photo says it all: sunshine and a perfect Lake Champlain view.

Benches for everyone.

 

Sporting a new longer length, windproof jacket and toasty, lined helmet.

Tea and dumplings. I like that the new coat has a two-way zipper. 

Round two: teatime at North Beach, sheltered from the wind.

Focusing on Gratitude

When the colder weather sets in, exacerbated by multiple cloudy days, it's a gloomy time of year. An extra boost of vitamin D often helps take the edge off - that - and getting outside as much as possible during the day. I'm very thankful for any sunshine on my face, especially this fall!

It was a blustery 35F degree afternoon. And so, I bundled up, testing a new jacket, winter helmet, newly completed handlebar bag, along with a return to riding the Dahon for the first time since July. I picked up tasty Hong's Dumplings and picnicked at Battery Park, one of Burlington's prime Lake Champlain vistas. It turned out to be a tough location to avoid the wind altogether, so I gobbled my lunch, sipped tea, then headed towards home, with an impromptu detour to sandy North Beach where I found a relaxing, sheltered spot to finish my drink. 

Ah, thank you sunshine. I'd needed your kiss.

The Place: Battery Park
Date: Friday, October 30
Drink: Barry's Tea with milk and sugar
Observation: After a hiatus, I love zipping along on the versatile, highly maneuverable folder.
Total Miles: 17

Ride to Visit Little Free Libraries

In early May, seeking another motivational ride challenge, I visited registered Little Free Library boxes in Burlington, VT. The map displayed 16 locations. I found 12; 3 were missing; and one I could not visit one because of it's location inside a closed university building. During these strange times, many sites are offering cleaning wipes (with little trash cans for waste), puzzles, food items, stands offering local newsprint editions of Seven Days, bee polinator plants adorned one lawn complete with educational material, and another place even cataloged clothing for those in need (see yellow boxes in next photo). Each box was uniquely designed, the only commonality was their official labeling as a Little Free Library. I restrained myself to carrying home two books.

What became clear, after stumbling onto other non-official sites since my quest, is that there's an equal variety of undocumented sites with their own flair that are bright spots in our community. 

Little Miss Sunshine library is also a community resource for clothing and food.

Some Positives in an Otherwise Strange Time

Relaxing on our camp deck

Like everyone that has been severely impacted by the current situation, (we are selling our home and building another - and we're fortunately healthy) it's important to remind ourselves of the positive impact of staying at home.

• More family time (college and high school age sons both at home)
• We are finding patience with each other
• We spend less money dining out, thus eat healthier meals prepared at home
• Furloughed (VT has 23% unemployment), I have time to continue sprucing up our current home and accessorize the next - guess which one is more fun?
• Ability to help my mother/brother's household
• Time to reconnect with friends
• Lots of time to ride and work on bikes

In Vermont, because of our smaller population and quickly implemented SIP orders, we've escaped severe impact of the virus - so far. In Burlington, Vermont's largest city, we have room to spread out for daily walks and rides. With the popularity of our waterfront trail, it gets dicey on weekend days, so I'm finding alternative routes.

Like others who've suddenly found themselves at home, I've run the gamut of emotions: first delighted to have a couple weeks off to take advantage of lots of projects, to daily crying because I felt inadequate, to now a more acceptable mental health state, being kind to myself, lowering expectations as far as productiveness around the house.

As the spring warmth descends, it's easier to adjust, wandering outside, watching birds and squirrels, puttering (productively, of course) and for once, I've kept up with weeding my perennials. While each day blends into the next, I've found it's important to just keep moving forward - the excitement of  watching construction on our new home is keeping me upbeat!

What are positive impacts to your daily lives?

2018 Rewind

The Minuteman Bikeway, barely snow-free in January.

2018 was a year of discovering new trails and spending time with family - sometimes both aligned to create magical moments.

It all started in January...
After a long hiatus off the bike, a winter thaw coincided with a company party in Boston, which opened up a wonderful opportunity to revisit the Minuteman Trail.

The winter bike.

February was bittersweet, losing my gracious, endearing mother-in-law, yet I witnessed how her children came together to honor her long life. I also began commuting to work again, discovering that linking dry neighborhood streets and back roads in lieu of snowy/icy bike paths opened up possibilities.

March and April dumped the most winter snow, yet I persevered through a rash of unexpected flat tires, completed the Errandonnee, spruced up a rusty Peugeot frame, and thought about what I'd hoped to accomplish in 2018.

Sinking my toes into Coney Island sand.

May, by far, satisfied my wanderlust, plus opened up new experiences by traveling with our eldest son on Amtrak to New York City. We spent 5 whole glorious days riding, exploring, eating, and realized we were great traveling companions!

My husband on the Nashua River Rail Trail.

In June I sold a beloved, but little used Miyata 610 touring bike, then looked ahead at how the Dahon could fit my current lifestyle. Attending a wedding also provided an opportunity to explore two new-to-us New Hampshire rail trails.

Ferries on Lake Champlain open up riding loops between Vermont and New York.

July, August, and September - July and August particularly - were the hottest months ever recorded in Burlington so I spent lots of time in the water, and joined an open water swim club - albeit too late to improve much - but it's a sport I aim to continue in 2019. However, I also spent time with my husband in Canada along with my annual pilgrimage with Adele exploring Canadian back roads. I also shared a beloved 3-ferry loop ride, twice, yet with two different friends completing the loop in opposite directions to keep the route fresh.

Revisiting the Lachine Canal.

October and November were filled with Coffeeneuring rides and I discovered the antidote to keeping the challenge fresh this year: using a thermos for impromptu rides and quiet, contemplative resting spots. It was also a refreshing change to coincidentally open the challenge along Montreal's Lachine Canal. My family and I also tried out our first e-bike: a Rad Mini.

A crisp, clear winter afternoon on the Colchester Causeway.

Winter weather came early this year, but switching to the winter bike means I continue to commute when I'm confident with road conditions. In addition, I'm learning to push my limits, with occasional pleasure rides that are surprisingly punctuated with sublime, spectacular views.

Conclusion
I failed to complete even one official bike overnight in 2018 (outside of simple but fulfilling forays at our nearby camp) and have given up on the challenge of riding all of Colchester's public roads. Spending meaningful time with my mom has filled the gaps on weekends, and I stayed close to home, rounding out any "free time" with our children and my husband. I immensely enjoyed and lived vicariously through Rootchopper's frequent blog posts as he crossed the country by bicycle. As I age, I'm increasingly thankful for the role that bicycles play in my life, whether for solace, commuting, or exploring - bikes take me where I need to go.

Coffeeneuring 2018 - Sixth Cup, a 2-fer on a Blustery Afternoon

Snow-filled clouds and strong winds howl and stir up Lake Champlain.

Early to mid November can be rainy or snowy or extremely blustery. Sometimes it can be all of the above. This year November is chilly, below average, I figure, just to make up for July and August's record heatwave. But the lure of the lake is strong, and spinning wheels the perfect instrument to sing rhythmic solitude, so I bundle up in down parka and my warmest mittens and set off on my folder, just because I can't get enough of my brilliant little bike - time is limited before I trade it for the chunky tired Trek Antelope. 

A thermos of tea can heal the grumpies, and with a historical venue in mind (to keep with my theme), I set off to explore one of the Burlington Traction Company's buildings. The former trolley maintenance building was built about 1900 with four large bays, then re-purposed as a Vermont Translines bus facility until 1999.

Vermont Translines' logo is prominently displayed on the building.

In recent times, the bay doors were glassed in and the building converted for commercial use. Fortunately, it still retains enough original architecture, and fits Burlington's historic character of mostly brick construction, and was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2004.

I liked the rusty decoration, which turned out to be a fire alarm cover. Since this discovery, I've located one other example on the side of a downtown building.

I balance a cup of tea on the seat and snap photos. Interesting to later see my reflection in the windows! After quickly downing the tea - cooling off in the chill - my bike falls over in the breeze. I rescued Miss Dahon - no harm done - and decide to keep riding, heading for the waterfront.

Oh how I enjoy being by the lake!

I automatically include lights on any ride these days, which lends comfort, and I can stay out as long as I want.

Adjacent to the waterfront path is Lakewood Cemetery. With abundant trees, winding paths, 200+ year old oak trees, and sweeping views of the water, this place was once on the outskirts of the city and built in the late 1800s when the fashion was to enjoy burial grounds like parks. Previous to 1830 only small family plots existed, until Mt Auburn Cemetery in Massachusetts changed how people view burial grounds. It was also a time when there weren't many city parks, thus cemeteries functioned as picnic grounds. I think Lakewood Cemetery is one of the prettiest places in Burlington.

It's also the resting place of my father's family and many of my husband's relatives, including his parents who we recently laid to rest. I discovered beach stones lovingly placed on my mother-in-law's gravestone, a perfect spot to enjoy my remaining tea, and contemplate those wishing stones which came from their camp's rocky shore, a place she dearly loved. The visit was short-lived however, as the wind continued it's blustery howl. I packed up and rode north a few more miles before turning back towards home, toasty and satiated and full of family warm-fuzzies.

The Place:  Burlington Traction Company & Lake View Cemetery
Date: Sunday, November 11
Drink: Chai tea in a thermos
Observation:  I know that Burlington is steeped with history but it's fun to learn about one place at a time. Each year Preservation Burlington holds a history tour in Lakewood Cemetery. I hope to make next year's event.
Total Miles: 15