2020 Rewind

Rolling into 2020, I knew our lives would change - plans were underway to relocate to a new home by May/June, which eventually happened, so it has been a bittersweet year. In fact, for most of 2020 I've been full of gratitude.

I spent January and February bike commuting to work, per usual, not minding the cold but wary and careful of slick surfaces. Looking down the road, I was mentally and physically prepared for a future double-the-length commute, and in fact I applauded a challenge, primarily because of cycling on a flat, car-free path with Lake Champlain views.

"Furloughed" in March, I busied myself with old and new home tasks and regularly checked in with my mother's household. I exchanged regular commuting miles for bicycle challenges to keep the wheels turning - a savior in an upside down year: Burlington Historical signs, Visit Little Free Libraries, visit Burlington Parks, and my annual Coffeeneuring Challenge. 

2020 was also full of wrenching, getting to projects earlier than anticipated. In April I upgraded my Clementine, swapping handle bars and tires, and a bit later dismantled the Trek Antelope, plus swapped the Peugeot commuter's bars for a more swept back version.

Along with new home sewing projects, I took a deep dive into more creative bikey things. I researched and figured out how to repair old panniers, added a custom bar bag to the Dahon, sewed 3 stem bags, and had fun with a pink reflective vest.

Bicycles and the freedom they provide took on special meaning in a socially distant, brave new world. I was thankful to ride the folding bike for transportation and exercise - or any bike at all - due to a thumb injury, but the Dahon's grip shifters allowed me carefree miles. After a wonderful staycation, quite unexpectedly, I purchased my first hardtail mountain bike, a Trek Marlin 7, in September. The bike added a new dimension to fall foliage rides and avoiding crowded MUPs: meandering in nearby wooded trails alone or with my new dirt-loving, live-in buddy. I'm dreaming of future adventures aboard the Trek. It's bizarre (fortuitous?) that I replaced one Trek bicycle with another in the same year! I have the desire to keep on trucking throughout a Vermont winter - even without a regular commute - recently adding studded shoes on my Peugeot St. Laurent.

For so many, 2020 has been tough, We're fortunate to have secure housing and plenty of food. But it has taught us to be humble, to be giving, and be thankful. Though I'm still seeking a safe employment situation, learning and creativity has been my salvation on top of regular cycling. I've completed an intro to Excel class and have started a personal project, tailored to track my bicycle mileage and specific statistics. 

And, somewhere amidst all the life changes, I almost overlooked two milestones: I've been blogging for 10 years and surpassed 3000+ riding miles in 2020. 

Be well friends.

Bye Bye Trek 830 Antelope

Too small frame, no longer fitting anyone in our family.

Over several sessions, I broke down my once beloved Trek 830 Antelope, kept parts that might come in handy on our other old mountain bikes, and donated the frame to Old Spokes Home, where magic happens and they will rebuild it back up again for someone to use as transportation. 

I haven't seen this bike without a rack since 1985.

 Deore LX derailleur looks to still be in good shape.

Letting the crank and sprockets go with the bike.

In 1994 all the original Suntour components were replaced with the recommended Shimano group set, in preparation for our around the world journey.  As I lovingly dismantled the bike, I noted that the only thing still original were the stem and handlebars - a testament to how long these old mountain bikes can last and why they still make wonderful commuter bikes.

I have no regrets - how liberating to part with an ill fitting bicycle!

I'm now down to a manageable 4 bicycles.

Thankful for QCBC Wrench Series

How to work on your bike in good company? Attend a weekly Queen City Bike Club Maintenance Night! New this winter, when it's too cold or snowy to hold the usual club ride and later gathering at Zero Gravity, you can attend an open session at Old Spokes Home to address any bike issues. Guided by a lady staff mechanic, I showed up to clean my Trek Antelope's drive train, popping the chain into an ultrasonic cleaner, plus replaced the right shifting cable and housing. The next session is in another week or so and with scarily soft brakes, that's the next item on my agenda.

It's great to have dedicated time to get some much needed maintenance done.

2019 Rewind

If there is one word that describes 2019, it is transition. I'm proud of a leap in creativity, overcoming and fully embracing riding on snow, thoughts on replacing one bike for another, an amazing hiking adventure that stretched my physical limits and unfortunately lowers the bar for future long distance hikes, and finally an upcoming relocation that's filled our thoughts since October.

I find writing this year end blog post very therapeutic - a chance to reflect - so I can move forward. Equally important to recounting is writing (and referring back to periodically through the year) a future goals/ideas type of blog post - not so detailed to feel overwhelming - but to set an intention, which gives me something to look forward to. When winter rolls around, I anticipate future trips, thoughts, new places to see, etc. for the coming year. It keeps me going!

I fully embraced the Dahon in 2019, focusing on lowering the gearing, fixing a broken fender, making a water bottle holder, pouch thingy, (from scratch!) and creating small panniers. While riding the brilliant, easy to mount folder, quite a lot this year, I realize I would be perfectly content if I had to make a choice of having one bike - the Dahon is it. This simple realization is liberating.

My heart wasn't in planning my own overnight excursions in 2019, but I found a solution: hook up with a cool trip to Law Island and a WTF Explorers weekend. Both adventures stretched my comfort zone - never forget your sleeping bag! In addition, Adele and I made our annual pilgrimage to Quebec happen with last minute planning. I'm so fortunate to have an adaptable companion.

In September I went on a two week hiking adventure with my husband, a 100 mile circuit of Mont Blanc, often referred to as the TMB (Tour du Mont Blanc). With daily steep ascents and descents, it was very difficult terrain, but easily the most beautiful scenery. With complications in places to stay, and the busiest trail I've ever seen (in the off season no less!), and very sore knees (yours truly), it was a wonder we were able to finish every mile. Going forward, I've given myself permission to avoid difficult hikes from now on.

The Coffeeneuring season has turned me into a confident winter rider. For the second year in a row, November's arctic blast and early snowfall meant toting a thermos when I otherwise might've stayed indoors. With a chosen theme to explore a neighboring town - where we'll eventually move in 2020 -meant a least a 15+ mile round-trip ride, often in temperatures of 20F. Because of the coffeeneuring challenges, I believe a year from now, when my commute distance doubles (9.5 miles each way) on mostly flat bike path, I'll be able to ride to work on many wintry days.

Emotionally I'm ready to let go of one ill fitting bicycle. I am also considering acquiring a hard tail mountain bike as I have a desire to ride trails. I've also accepted that blog posts will remain infrequent (though follow me on Instagram at @annie.bikes for photos). I'm content with this social arrangement.

I'm ready for 2020 - are you?

The Journey: Becoming a Year-Round Rider

It's been a slow process, from adjusting to riding in complete darkness, wearing appropriate winter clothing, switching to flat pedals, finding and altering the perfect (for me) work pannier, stretching coffeeneuring outings a little beyond my comfort zone, to seeking out weekend rides in winter. And lately, I've been quite comfortable riding on a little snow. A traffic-free route has allowed me to experiment with what's possible, adjusting attitudes, lowering speeds, and walking when it makes sense: to warm feet, negotiate a steep incline, or to skirt a patch of ice.

It's been totally worth it!

Traveling at 10 mph is my favorite way to explore. I enjoy walking also, but by challenging myself to stretch my idea of what's rideable, or not, I've been pleasantly surprised at what I can do.

All of this feels like a culmination, and liberating! It's made our decision to move further away from my office very acceptable. Living closer to the lake means I'll have a much longer though a welcome, prettier commute. It will be an adjustment, I'm sure, but in the end worthwhile.

One step at a time.

Coffeeneuring 2019 - Seventh Cup in our Future Backyard

Having a cuppa in our future backyard.

New Places, New Spaces
The final stop on my Coffeeneuring in Colchester tour was a special bank overlooking, yet again, the Winooski River! One of the reasons I've chosen to explore Colchester, and specifically the region surrounding the mouth of the river where it empties into Lake Champlain, is because in late spring of 2020 we will be moving into a new house - part of a new neighborhood of 12 homes in various phases of ownership/construction.

The Place:  Future neighborhood, sitting on the riverbank enjoying our future backyard view
Date: Saturday, November 23
Drink: Trader Joe's Red Refresh tea
Observation: Ugh, still waiting for the cellar hole to be dug.
Total Miles: 20

Parking bike in future driveway (actually in path/sidewalk just before).

Sipping tea and looking upriver. 

Sipping tea and looking downriver.

Street view with model home under construction.

The new neighborhood view from nearby fishing access. Model home is in the center.

25 F without wind feels balmy! 

Parting thoughts

• By far, this year I rode the most mileage during a Coffeeneuring Challenge, averaging 15 miles each time.
• 2018 and 2019 saw below average temperatures and snowfall in early November. I was lucky to have finished both challenges.
• This was my 7th year of Coffeeneuring. 
• To keep the challenge fresh, I decide on a different theme each year. In the beginning, I visited coffee shops, then toted a stove for coffee without walls, even gravitating to setting up a camping chair! For the past two years, I've used a thermos, which has improved my outdoor experience (and kept my hands warmer). Who knows, because of next years new living situation, I may go full circle and ride into Burlington to explore coffee shops!

Coffeeneuring 2019 - Sixth Cup at Billado Park

New Places, New Spaces
The next stop on my Coffeeneuring in Colchester tour was Billado Park. Because the waterfront path conditions might be iffy because of wintry-like weather, I cruised instead down busy North Avenue (thankfully on a bike lane), over the Heineberg Bridge to where I could easily access the park. With temperatures in the mid-30sF the plan was to meander homeward later along the waterfront path to see if it was ice-free. 

The Place:  Billado Park
Date: Sunday, November 17
Drink: Trader Joe's Red Refresh tea
Observation:  I'm curious where the trails lead.
Total Miles: 15

I walked the last hundred yards to rest on the boardwalk overlooking the Winooski River.

It's a pretty spot and seemingly under-utilized - visible from a car, I rarely see anyone standing or fishing. Sipping hot tea, I noticed ice was forming along the water's edge. Nearby snowy footprints headed off in different directions into the woods. I made a mental note to check out more of the park later. It was still hunting season, also allowed in the woods nearby, connecting Halfmoon Cove wildlife management area with Billado Park. After becoming obsessed with finding access to Halfmoon Cove, I spotted it from a dead end Colchester neighborhood. The water way is much larger than I expected; would make a nice area to explore when frozen or covered with snow.

Overlook is currently under construction.

Lucky me! Looping back home I discovered that 35F and sunny feels like 50F! Trail was passable, so I enjoyed a quiet moment with the best water view in the world - I'm biased, of course - of Lake Champlain.

There is more precipitation in the forecast. If I'm lucky, I'll be able to finish with coffeeneuring next weekend.

Winter Cycling, a Challenge in Itself

There are different realms within winter cycling, whether it's challenging yourself to ride on snowy or only dry roads, ride at least once per month, or to be able to withstand a certain temperature. Throw in commuter cycling versus pleasure cycling and "winter cycling" covers a broad spectrum. Riding in 30 degrees in Washington DC could be very difficult for some while hearty Swedes might consider similar temperature as balmy spring riding weather. We all have different tolerances. Distances, temperatures, and lifestyles are a significant factor in whether winter cycling is doable.

Until recently I've been a fair weather winter transportation cyclist, riding only when dry roads prevail. However, something has undoubtedly changed and I've made a personal breakthrough. It wasn't one big decision, but rather a metamorphosis over the span of a couple months.

In November cold descended early upon Vermont. I struggled to complete the Coffeeneuring Challenge and pedaled on weekends in 20 degree cold aided by a thermos filled with a hot beverage.  Miraculously, I kept warm.

In December cold days prevailed, but I refused to give up weekend pleasure rides and kept at it, dressed warmly, and actually enjoyed sunshine and lake views. It was a revelation that cycling along the waterfront meant peaceful meanderings. Gone were the summer and fall crowds. Hello quiet sunsets and awesome clear air!

On New Year's Day I set out again, breathing in cool air and after stopping for a blazing sunset, popped on my lights and rode home through quiet neighborhoods.

And then, just last weekend during a cold snap I waited until mid-afternoon to get outside. The temperature had risen to 13 degrees. It would've been my first ski of the season on powder snow, and yet because it was faster to dress for bike rides, rather than switching sports and driving 2 miles to a nearby country club, I chose to spin wheels. The Burlington Greenway was sketchy, with packed snow and ice in places, but I prevailed. My feet grew chilled after a while; the remedy was jogging a bit, but that's probably my limit for pleasure rides.

Monday I rode to work in zero degrees or slightly below, depending on which weather source was accurate! I rode on snow covered paths then resorted to snow packed, gritty sidewalks with occasional bare spots. This would normally be beyond my comfort zone, but conditions were rideable and I didn't freak out, but instead slowed to a manageable speed. The downside of those conditions was that I had to clean a dirty drive train.

I don't know if I'll continue riding on weekends. I've pushed my limits - something I never expected - and broken a barrier, so only time will tell whether I will keep it up.

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.

Why I Ride

Testing my winter boots by venturing on a long ride to visit the Colchester Causeway during a sunny and
windless 23 degree afternoon.

Cycling is my chosen speed to move through the world.
At 10 m.p.h. I notice flowers, animals, and caterpillars. I notice ice sculptures, snow sculptures, sometimes melting, dripping, and morphing.

Because I have bike toured and camped extensively in my 20's and 30's, I'm comfortable traveling on my own. I much prefer a partner - my favorite companion is my husband - but I am confident planning solo cycling and hiking adventures. Sometimes, simplicity is key to following your own dreams, and traveling alone is worthwhile and necessary.

The ice formations were spectacular. I danced around icy patches before turning back due to treacherous surfaces.

Solitude and Contemplation
Like many riders who feel the need for two wheeled ramblings, rhythmically spinning is a journey to understand our place in the world, to work out life problems, and clarify our soul.

I brought a thermos of hot ginger tea to keep myself warm. I found a perfectly flat marble slab (of which the entire
causeway is constructed) for a brief break. 

I love riding because I dislike driving.
I often rode my bike to high school, which set the groundwork as a bike commuter. And later, I sold my first car so I could afford to move into the "big city", another example of the lack of importance that driving had meant to me. I'm thankful to have a spouse who enjoys driving, because an automobile is necessary for many Vermont journeys. If anything, more than ever, I rely on my bicycle for transportation, and in recent years, when weather permits, even throughout the winter.

The Green Mountains were cloaked in a fresh layer of snow.

Cycling has also become a creative outlet.
As a youngster, I loved to draw. As a teenager, I quilted (and occasionally still do) and sewed clothes in to my late 20's. I still dabble on the sewing machine, mainly repairing clothes, and of course for creating cycling accessories. I like to upcycle pannier parts, decorate handlebars, re-purpose bags for tool pouches, handle bar bags, or sew and design useful pouches and accessories from scratch. It gives me great satisfaction to solve baggage problems by breathing life into old equipment.

A serene moment before turning back.

Riding a bike is who I am. And will always be.

Photography & Legacy in a Digital Landscape

Digital imagery: left is phone capture, right is taken with my camera.

At a dinner time discussion with our teenage sons, I brought up the topic of digital photography and storage in the ever changing world of technology. And as background: my husband and I have recently been handed an overwhelming treasure of family photos at a time when we are beginning to downsize our belongings for an eventual move into an easier living situation. And as an added weight, I have always chronicled our life's journey, which has included outdoor adventures and the growth of our children.

For many years I have embraced digital photography for it's merits: to capture and keep the best images then store them on a CD while printing a few for the album. Of course, technology advances and soon - if not already - that system is obsolete. Instead of transferring to the latest, greatest storage system, and revamping, worrying, etc. I thought I'd revisit my role as photographer, from the view point of our children who will eventually become the heirs of family "photographs".

As it turns out - as I expected - children of the digital age could care less about stacks of family albums. They take lots of photos for instant sharing then keep their images on Google Photos or transfer the best to Google Drive - our eldest son claims Drive has lots of free online storage while keeping photo resolution intact. I am concerned and skeptical of online storage, yet also realize continually printing photos for their legacy is a moot point.

After condensing the last two years of photos from my laptop - the keepers that I would upload to Google Drive - I realized that it's the human connection, ie. photos of loved ones, that are worth keeping for the long haul. I snap a lot of photos, especially to illustrate topics for Anniebikes, but sadly I've decided they're not worth holding onto well in to the future.

Lately, I've been using my phone more to record blogging images because I also use Instagram (annie.bikes) though the quality suffers a bit when transferring the same images to my blog, but only because my digital camera currently has better quality. I still like the physicality of my camera (touching buttons, the sound of the lens opening) plus it's much easier for timed shots, and for processing through software, though I suspect in the future I will eventually resort to solely using a phone camera.

Reconciling the past and present through a legacy of photographs, images, ephemera - heck even furniture - is a difficult journey for any family. And when you throw in technology advancements and the younger generation that has only grown up since it's evolution, it's reasonable to expect the tech savvy youngsters may have a different take on what's important to keep going forward.

I have accepted that my husband and I will need to make some difficult decisions in the future when we move, not the least of which is what to to do with three feet width of photo albums on our bookshelf.
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*Lately, I've had a high instance of spam. If you comment as Anonymous I may inadvertently delete your comment. I'm considering changing the settings to only accept people who comment with a Google address.

Coffeeneuring 2018 - Seventh Cup for the Historical Win

Colchester Merino Mill, built in 1880, extended in 1902. Ice forms first above the falls (to the left in the photo).

Over Thanksgiving weekend I squeezed in the seventh coffeenuring outing, miraculously, because New England in general has plunged into wintry-like weather with regular snowfall. If I had tried brewing hot drinks on my camping stove, like previous challenges, finishing the event would have been a test of my will, and I daresay I would've given up due to frozen fingers!

Looking the other direction, I also admired the underbelly of the Winooski Bridge and Chace Cotton Mill on Burlington's riverbank  The previous bridge was washed out in the 1927 flood then rebuilt, though the disaster signaled the end of mill production as the buildings sustained heavy damage. The mills closed in the 1950s. Today, the bridge is slated to be rebuilt within the next decade to accommodate wider lanes and safer sidewalks and bike lanes.

But, toting a thermos opened up more possibilities for exploration and I often stopped at two historic venues, my theme during this year's challenge. The Woolen Mills in neighboring Winooski have always fascinated me. Most of the mills were constructed in the late 1800s for, er wool production of course, but during the cotton famine in 1860, some of the mills switched to producing cotton.

My bicycle started falling (captured here!) and toppled into the snow.

My personal connection with the mills is my maternal grandfather. I recall him saying that he worked in the power station. Culturally, the mills were significantly responsible for populating Winooski and Burlington with French Canadians and Irish, the population - especially young girls, apparently - were preferred to work in the mills.

Since 1980, the mill buildings have been restored into housing and business space. Perched over or near the Winooski River, there is ample park space to hang out, fish, investigate the fish ladder, or picnic, especially during the warmer months, where cascades drowns out bridge traffic.

Looking south on Burlington Greenway.

As the morning was rather blustery (a pattern on my coffeeneuring outings this fall) I had the freedom to quickly stow the thermos in my pannier and continue riding. The lake front draws me like no other place in Burlington, so I headed directly to Leddy Park Beach.

Looking north.

I knew the Burlington Greenway path was treacherous and as I crossed it - sure enough - there were icy surfaces in both directions.

The beach, however, was deserted - for good reason. 25 degrees and 20 mph winds means you really have to want to be at the lake shore! I was dressed for winter riding though and only had frozen fingers while taking pictures. Otherwise, I enjoyed the view while sipping more coffee, walked on frozen sand, and observed ice chunks at the water's edge.

It had been a week since I'd ridden a bike (insert slippery conditions) so the inaugural 2018 ride on my winter bike meant I could test tire pressure, use the new front rack, and generally assess pannier fit, of which everything worked out fine; just need to eventually install a mirror.

History of Leddy Park:
It is assumed that Abenaki frequented the beach prior to the 1770s. At the end of the 1800's the Roman Catholic Diocese granted land for access to the Rutland Railroad (today's bike path). In 1902 they sold more land to Consolidated Rendering Company (my husband recalls this place) later known as Corenco. In 1970, Burlington acquired the property by eminent domain. Park was originally named Wabanaki but was renamed in 1972 after Judge Bernard Leddy who was a Park Commissioner and crucial to acquiring the land for a park. 

Leddy Park is a gem, in my opinion, as it has an ice rink, tennis courts, ball fields, ample parking, access to a public beach, wooded trails, and of course direct link to the Burlington Greenway.

And just like that, I'm done with the coffeeneuring challenge. By the skin of my teeth!

The Place:  Woolen Mills & Leddy Park Lake View
Date: Saturday, November 24
Drink: Coffee (Equal Exchange though bean type is of unknown origin) in a thermos
Observation:  Originally wanted to visit the Causeway, but due to icy paths I sufficed with nearby Winooski Historic District then tacked on extra miles to visit the lake shore.
Total Miles: 12