Tom, new high performance camshaft?

I was thinking that as the universe expands, it also flattens out.

Congratulations! A great personal achievement, and it's good to hear about some old bikes getting miles put on em instead of sitting in a shed!

I rode around the block today. Where's the love?

I love you fender1!
Seriously, I put 1100+ miles on the only bike I finished at the start of the year. I have no idea how many miles are on the other bikes. One has about 500 since I got it in May. The other three ???

Nice job Dallas........

Yeah, yeah.

Okay, then, here are some numbers that will facilitate comparison.

commuter bike 2353 miles
other bikes 1889 miles
______________
total 4242 miles

Where did these numbers come from? I keep a spreadsheet on which I log the hours I spend at work, so I can get paid, and this has proved a good place to record expenses and repairs to my commuter bike; so I also log the miles I put on it. So in the last couple years I have also started logging the miles I put on other bikes, at least for longer rides. A lot of short rides --grocery runs and the like-- did not get logged.

Nah.. I'm still waiting to see that Butler put together. C'mon- something for the girls in the audience! (Hmmm... maybe I should rephrase...)

Dallas,

Somehow I missed this thread until now. I am frequently off for weeks at a stretch, I guess.

I still remember our first meeting while waiting for a Velo-Orange sale to open. You were a delight to chat with from the start.

Man, I can't even begin to compete with any of the mileage numbers here, but I'll bet my grin is just as big as anyone's when I am out there!

A great year, Dallas. Many more to you, too.

Owen

Except for short distance bicycle commuting, I've been off the bicycle since 2003, due to a chronic back injury. Things got much worse earlier this year. Traditional treatments did nothing. However, I recently discovered some stretchs (on Youtube of all places) that are giving better results than all the prescribed physiotherapist stretchs, massage, chiropratic adjustments, etc. I'm hoping to be back on the bicycle for longer than 15 minute stints, in the spring (fingers crossed).

About a thousand miles logged so far this year, had not done much biking for a couple or three decades, but a couple years back, my almost 12 yr old found a roadbike in the back of the garage, that was his size....and it started. We got the old Takara road-able with tires, chain, wrap, an RD, and cables....and did 25 miles. Him on that and myself on a Magna MTB....I think he was trying to kill me. SO, found a $25 Scwhinn LeTour and fixed it up....rode it....bought a used FELT-85, sold the Schwinn, bought an 87 Bridgestone....and a few others wandered into the garage....

Slowly rebuilding my cycling toolkit and knowledge base (things changed a bit since the 70's when the corner hardware store carried cotters, axles and cones for my 10 speed!) Have started in on an OLD Italian IRON Torpado....my first "Exotic" vintage, though my Bridgestone is probably a sweeter ride. Will have to get it done and compare. My wife now ROLLS her eyes everytime we drive past a garage sale and she catches me looking!

Lost 10 pounds since restarting cycling, did a 50 mile solo ride on my 50th birthday this year. Spend some quality time with a sometimes surly teenager, who is in love with his vintage 86 Team Fuji....Priceless!

I feel your pain, T. If it weren't for the chiropractor, steroid injections, surgeries, and stretching, I'd be in the same boat. Ironically, I can't take any bike ride casually, have to go full tilt the whole way. I guess my younger days keep me thinking that the intense pain is only temporary. I wish that they offered disc replacement surgery in the US! I've heard that the only country that will do multiple discs is Germany. Wouldn't that be nice to be able to afford that?!

On October 31 I hit my 2011 total miles, 1850. I had planned to be at that point by the end of September, but missed it by 50.

October riding was a bust. Between bad weather, a 2 week virus, and a hurricane, I only was on the bike twice. Oh well.

Now that Daylight Savings Time is over, and depending on the snow, hopefully I can sneak in at least another 150 miles to make it an even 2000.

There are so many forms of personal achievement. Truth be told, I feel fortunate. I've picked up several nice bikes. We've been healthy, did not lose power during Sandy, have logged many miles, over 2000 on the tandem alone, plus my first century (a solo ride). I feel especially blessed to be able to count all of you as friends and supporters.

T-mar and anixi, I wish you well with your back problems. I've had occasional sciatic-related and scoliosis-related back issues for a years, usually piriformis syndrome. After one episode I went to my orthopedist. She took some x-rays and told me she was surprised I hadn't had problems for years because I had bone-bone contact between some vertebrae. Physical therapy helped and I came away armed with an array of stretches and, most importantly, knowledge. But believe it or not, the one thing which helps a lot is biking. When I stopped doing yoga and especially started biking more my back issues mostly disappeared. Of course everyone's mileage may vary. But knowledge is always good. I've concluded that as you get older, the day you stop doing something is the day you start not being able to.

RubberLegs, way to go losing weight! Your wife should support your yard sale interest for that reason alone!

In under two weeks I'll turn 64. (Dang, I wish I was retired, but that's a whole 'nother story.) If the weather is good and I can take the day off I'm going to try and do another century. And if it doesn't work out, I'll still feel lucky. Here's hoping all of you can say the same regardless of your condition. We have much to be thankful for.