Leisure Goals

I am Pondero, Leisure Consultant; specializing in bicycles, hammocks, and coffee outside. Since I care nothing about mileage goals, average speeds, or athletic achievements, it might surprise you to learn that I keep a cycling log. Or, if you’ve followed this blog for a good while, you might recall that my cycling log records none of those things. It keeps a record of…hours. Because, for me, duration is the key. Each year, I want to have the largest quantity of leisure I can make happen. Lollygagging done well requires a bit of goal-setting.

As many of you have done lately, I’ve reviewed my numbers from 2015. The good news is that I met (and exceeded slightly) my goals. The bad news is that my key to success in 2015 was my two touring experiences. I currently have no scheduled tours planned for 2016. Would I be able to meet my 2015 goal (or a larger one) this year? Probably not without an implementation plan.

My log from 2015 tells me that, on average, I was on my bike every third day. Since commuting by bicycle isn’t an option for me, it is a challenge to ride everyday, or even five days each week. But my 2015 record of every third day looks like it should have significant room for improvement.

So I’ve set a new hours goal for 2016. Like always, I hope to bag more S24Os, more tours, and more coffee outside this year. But my key approach to achieving my hours goal is not based on “events”. Instead, it simply involves throwing a leg over a saddle more days each week. What does that look like? Well, it looks like more rides in the dark, hot, and cold. It looks like more rides before/after work or during lunch. It also looks like more rides of just a few minutes. Short rides are worth the effort.

Short rides are also key to my 2016 goal.  Because every minute on the bike reduces the risk of Mrs. Pondero needing to say something like, “Go ride your bicycle, and come back with a better attitude!”