Another year and as I look back, I must focus on what I accomplished as opposed to what I failed to do. Honestly, it has been difficult to remain positive so this is my best attempt. I did have a lot of fun and rode a lot, almost 7,000 miles, but I wanted to do so much more. But let’s be positive.
MY TOP TEN CYCLING MOMENTS/MEMORIES
(In no particular order)
- Delaware Loop
- Panhandle Trail
- Hincapie Gran Fondo, Lehigh Valley
- Allegheny River Trail
- Salisbury Ferries
- Easton, With Friends.
- Horrible Hundred
- New River Trail
- Pine Creek Trail
- Susquehanna River Ferry
10. The Delaware Loop. In September, I went to Lewes/Rehoboth Beach for a softball tournament but was able to squeeze in an enjoyable 20-mile loop, part-paved, part-gravel/sand.
9. Panhandle Trail. This paved trail runs from the southern Pittsburgh suburbs to Weirton, West Virginia. I rode well, but the forecast for when the rain was moving in was wrong. I got soaked, and it ruined my phone.
8. Hincapie Gran Fondo Lehigh Valley. A challenging ride in May with not-so-nice weather. Rain at the start and cloudy throughout. I would do this one again.
7. Allegheny River Trail. A mostly paved river trail along the Allegheny River in Pennsylvania. One mile of gravel right in the middle and horribly rooted sections near Emlenton detract from the great views and two awesome tunnels. Would avoid until it is known that the rooted sections have been milled and repaved.
6. Salisbury Ferries. This could be a super ride – a flat metric century with two river crossings by ferry – but one ferry was not operating and it forced a detour through town.
5. Easton. With Friends. Easton is one of my favorite destinations. Distance and DC Beltway traffic keep it from me more than I would like. Mostly solo, sometimes with one friend, in August, I was able to post a club ride, and we had eight riders sign up for my favorite ride. We even did a bridge jump swim.
4. Horrible Hundred. Florida’s hilly century, I was unsure how my body would react to distance since I hadn’t done anything more than 70 miles this year. But I was 10% faster than last year (slow), and this was after breaking away from a 42-mile group ride on Saturday and averaging more than 18 mph.
3. New River Trail. It was never quite a bucket list trail for me, but when Stewart posted an interest query, I responded. Beautiful trail with 32 trestles and two tunnels (you don’t need lights) from Galax to Pulaski, Virginia.
2. Pine Creek Trail. This trail cuts through the Grand Canyon of Pennsylvania. Starting from Wellsboro to Jersey Shore, Pa., I went with a group of eight from my cycling club. We hired a shuttle from our parking spot in Jersey Shore, were transported to Wellsboro, and rode the 62.14 miles back to the start. This was my second time on the trail, having ridden in solo in two parts in 2020.
1. Susquehanna River Ferry. A page on Facebook was in my feed with interesting places in Pennsylvania. I saw the only paddleboat ferry on the Susquehanna River. I then found a ride on RideWithGPS and downloaded it to my Wahoo bike computer. What an enjoyable ride. The distance to get there, more than 3 1/2 hours, may keep me from riding here again, but I would like to.
A summary of everything else from a year of riding on a bike.
I NEED GOALS
I thought that cycling 10,000 miles (16,214 km), which I had done for the past six years, was a byproduct of enjoying myself on a bike. In June, I decided no longer to chase that goal and fell further and further behind the goal that I wasn’t chasing. Maybe 7,000 miles is good to ride if you have no goals, but I would like to ride 10,000 again.
STANDOFF OF POLITENESS
On a country road near Richmond, Va., I came to the four-way stop slightly ahead of the car on my right. We were both going in the same direction – she was going straight, and I was turning left. I waved for her to go and she waved for me to go. We each did it a second time. At the third time, she put down her window to tell me to go ahead at which time I said, “You go first. You don’t want to follow a cyclist.” She smiled and said, “You’re right.” She went, and I followed, and we were both happy. Note that cyclists also don’t want vehicles following them.
BIGGEST JAGOFF
Amtrak Conductor. As the train pulled into the Williamsburg Station, the conductor saw me and noticed that I had yet to remove the front wheel. He was wearing a mask (it’s 2025), so he was very hard to understand. Rather than remove the wheel after I boarded because it’s easier to load one bike than an unbalanced bike with a loose wheel, he immediately said he was denying me boarding because I didn’t remove the “tire.” He got on his walkie-talkie and at least pretended to call the engineer to leave the station. I was able to board, and he showed me the bike rack, then told me to sit down and shut up. And added that one word and he would stop the train and throw me off. Wow. Most unprofessional person I have met in a customer service position. He needed to be reported, but I forgot about it until the 2025 Jagoff Rewards.
HONORABLE MENTION JAGOFF I
The owner of the shuttle service in Jim Thorpe, Pa., that meets in the State Park. They were a no-show despite my reservation, said he would refund my fee, then didn’t, and then had a fit when I had American Express reversed the charges on him. Ride your bikes in Jim Thorpe, but use the bike option that picks up in town, or take the train (available one weekend per month).
(The winner created great angst. The runner-up created a small amount of angst and then I created amusement at his expense. Litterally, his expense.)
HONORABLE MENTION JAGOFF II
On June 5 I was in the crosswalk at 234 and Bristow Road when a Prince William Parks and Rec vehicle pulling a trailer with mowers and trying to turn right on red, gunned it and surged right at me. I went wide and avoided a collision and promptly reported the incident.
BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT
I raised more than $3500 for the M.S. International Federation and paid the registration fee to ride in France. On June 6, I went to Dulles to board my first flight to Morocco. After a lengthy delay, I was denied boarding because my valid passport wasn’t valid enough for the E.U. It needed an additional 90 days beyond the scheduled return date. I was quite depressed for a while, and that, more than anything, led to lower mileage. I just didn’t feel like riding, and that would hang with me most of the year.
MOST DISSAPOINTED FRIENDS
Jens and Loe, in France, when I failed to disembark from the plane for Cycle for MS.
OTHER DISAPPOINTMENTS
Nothing compares to the gut punch of not being able to attend the Cycle for MS ride in France. I did no other fundraisers, although the MS one was huge. The Alpine Loop Gran Fondo, a ride that I regularly attend, was cancelled for this year. I did not ride at all on the Skyline Drive, nor did I ride the Blue Ridger, a local 55-mile route up Mount Weather in Virginia.
BIGGEST WASTE OF MONEY
Well, I paid for a charity trip to France that I did not get to attend. So there’s that. But if there’s a second, it’s Stem Caps. I had Stem Caps made as gifts for the riders with MS on the trip and for the MSIF staff. And one for me. When I couldn’t attend, I paid $60 more for some scam USPS Global Priority service to send them to the group in France in five days. They arrived three weeks after the event and apparently have disappeared.
BEST LEMONADE STAND
Trappe, Maryland (near Easton). On a group ride with friends, we rolled past a lemonade stand. I turned around, went back, and dropped two dollars in their kitty. I did not take any lemonade or a bracelet, but it’s always fun to see kids out selling lemonade.
BEST HITCHHIKER
Looks like fun. March 29. Dunn Loring, Va., over I-495 (the Beltway)
BEST BURGER JOINT
Foster’s Grille in Manassas. Where everybody knows your name. Wait. That’s Cheers. But it’s close. Well, everybody knows my name. This also became the end of our PWCC First Monday’s Ride.
BEST ICE CREAM STOP
Scottish Highland Ceamery, Oxford, Maryland. Always a stop on an Easton ride. Honorable mention: Moo Thru, Remington, Virginia.
ADVOCACY
The most dangerous intersection locally is Yates Ford Road at the Prince William Parkway. Drivers turning right on red generally only stare to their left never looking once to their right at walkers, runners, and cyclists crossing in the marked crosswalk even with the PedHead light. The crosswalk connects the multi-use trail next to the parkway. I requested a light up box for NO TURN ON RED when the PedHead light was active but VDOT thought that would be confusing to drivers. They installed a NO TURN ON RED lighted sign that operates M-F from 3-7 p.m. The times are not signed so there goes the confusion argument. It’s on when it’s on, I just happen to know the timing. It’s a small start for safety.
BEST VIEW ON A BIKE RIDE
Duncannon, Pa. When I rode this as part of the Millersburg Ferry ride, I stumbled upon the the confluence of the Juniata River with the Susquehanna River. It is beautiful by itself but looks even better when you add my grandchildren on the way to see the Little League World Series.
BEST COVERED BRIDGE
Sachs Covered Bridge in Gettysburg, maybe because it’s the longest I rode. But I always love the three bridges in Frederick County, Maryland.
BEST LIGHTHOUSE
BEST BRIDGE JUMPERS
I did a birthday ride in July – miles for years – and came upon three teens jumping off the bridge into Leeds Creek. They made it look fun so when I went with friends six weeks later we tried it. The kids won. By a lot.
NOT SELLING THE BIKE
In August, I decided that I would sell my Trek Checkpoint because I seldom ride it. When I looked for a selling price, I saw that it was worth much more to me than to someone buying it. It’s a gravel bike, and I don’t enjoy gravel roads, but it is perfect for unpaved trails. Since I decided to sell it, I’ve used it to ride the Great Allegheny Passage twice, the New River Trail, the Pine Creek Trail, and some on the C&O Canal. I will be keeping the bike.
BEST FERRY
A bike ride is better with a ferry and when I needed a break from life I would head to Easton for the Oxford-Bellevue Ferry. The Millersburg paddleboat ferry on the Susquehanna River was really cool but my heart was with the Oxford Ferry which traverses the Tred Avon River in Maryland. The river is 17 miles (27 km) long. The Susquehanna RIver is 444 miles (715 km) long and has been called the world’s longest non-navigitable river. In August the Millersburg Ferry suspended operations because the river was too low.
BEST TIME MACHINE
On July 4 in Washington, D.C., I met the Commanding Officer of the U.S. Navy Ceremonial Guard. I told him that 50 years I served in the Ceremonial Guard. Where did that time go?
FINDERS KEEPERS
And that would be 24 golf balls. And all given to my grandson, Aiden. And one softball. Given to my granddaughter, Annabelle. Weirdest find: A roll of crape paper. My golf game improved by three balls this year. Best day was May 10. I found five golf balls that day.
COOLEST TOWN
That would be Jim Thorpe, Pa. My ride on the Delaware and Lehigh Trail was partially ruined by one of the Jagoffs of the year, but that didn’t stop me. It’s a beautiful place, and I would like to go back and possibly do the train and ride option on the Lehigh Gorge Scenic Railway.
BEST DAY OF THE WEEK – MONDAYS
Or at least the first Monday of the month where we meet to ride and sometimes they join me at Foster’s.
LAYING THE LUMBER
On April 23, I went to Hancock to do a mountain and trail loop. First was Sideling Hill (3500′ gain in the first 16 miles) followed by a trip back on the C&O Canal. I first came to a tree that hit a railing and didn’t think much about it. I noticed there were no trail users except for me. A wicked storm had toppled many trees. I counted more than 50 stops to dismount and carry my bike over, under, and through trees.
THE MILEAGE SECTION
Ugh. It was like an end-of-year evaluation, and I dreaded the meeting. I knew I would fail. If failing meant being in the top 96% of all Strava athletes, then yes, I’m a failure. But I don’t want to be defined by what others do. I want to be defined by my own ambitions.
I always said that one’s mileage total should reflect the fun you have on a bike and not be a goal. But after six straight 10,000-mile years, this seems very hollow. I feel empty today, looking at these numbers. And I could put them on Facebook, and people would ooh and ah that I rode almost 7,000 miles in one year. For me, this sucks.
I doubt that I will look in-depth at this. I know the drop off was in the second part of the year. Having France (plus Switzerland, Finland, and Sweden) fall apart on me killed a lot of my desire. But I also had some health issues. I proudly rode 113,000 miles cancer-free, and now I don’t know or haven’t decided if I should reset the counter or keep counting. And if I reset it, should I do it once or reset it twice?
I am a bit down right now. My total has grown to 68,083 miles (109,569 km) in seven years, which is 9,700 miles (16,650 km) per year. But I’m missing just a little bit. With good health and good luck, I will do better next year.
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