The 10,000 Mile View

Obviously, I like to ride bicycles. Like many cyclists, I also like to keep track of my mileage. However, I don't keep track of miles as a way of competing or training. I just like to see how far I can go, and sometimes I like to look back at how far I've come and gone. Let's just say, I've come a long way...

Yesterday on a gorgeous late Summer Saturday, I passed yet another milestone: 10,000 cycling miles (since I started using Strava to log mileage 3 1/2 years ago)! I couldn't have planned the moment any better:

As so many of my cycling milestones have, it began with a commute to work (thanks to COTA for the assist):

I decided to detour into downtown Columbus on the ride home (as seen above). The ride there on the Scioto Trail was about as beautiful as you will see it this time of year. The leaves are starting to change and I dare say that Autumn is in the air...

Such a moment calls for a celebratory beverage of course, so I popped in to Land Grant, one of my favourite Columbus craft breweries:

While I was enjoying that gorgeous beverage (it's called Concentrate, in case you like hazy IPAs), I posted a photo to my Instagram page. A friend saw it and commented that he was just down the street at BrewDog, so I hopped over there to join him for another beer:

While we were there, another mutual friend stopped in and joined us. Realizing that I actually have friends out here was another small moment that reminded me how far I've come in those 10,000 miles.

From a single guy living in Philly working 3 part-time jobs to get by, to a home-owning family man in Columbus, let's just say it's been one heck of a ride. I've seen just about everything I think I could have seen and shared so many great rides with people of all ages and walks of life. The best part is, the ride goes on, and on, and on...so cheers to the next 10,000 miles, everyone. Thank you for riding along thus far.