Members Corner
 

8,800 in 2011
 

Jay passes 8,000 miles on an NYCC ride

By Jay Jacobson, NYCC Member since 1992

Although I have been cycling since about 1980, I started keeping track of my miles in 2002. That year I rode from Memphis to Minneapolis (950 miles in 10 days) and cycled an annual total of 8,166 (my previous record). The fewest annual miles since then was 2004 (6,000 miles). We were busy buying and selling homes and moving that year and the average for the 2002 to 2010 period was 7,074.

On a Club ride I led on 11/11/11, I passed my 2010 total of 8,000 near the NJ-NY state line on 9W. We briefly stopped to mark the occasion. Much of this mileage was on about 60 NYCC group rides. In fact, over the 19 years I have been a member, I enjoyed most Saturdays, Sundays and some weekdays riding with the Club (mostly B rides). I met hundreds of other cyclists and saw many nooks and crannies of the NY metro area. For me, these rides were between 30 and 95 miles. I have bailed out by train or cutting the bike route short on some of them if I had scheduled social, family, business  or cultural events, etc.

About 900 of the miles were on about B-18 Club rides, which I led. I schedule one weekend and one weekday: “Jay’s LoHud Series/West Bank Vistas” ride each month. About 300 members were on these rides in 2011.

My 2011 mileage was done In Rockland, Westchester, Orange, Putnam, Dutchess, Suffolk, NYC’s five boroughs, Bergen and Hudson counties in New York and New Jersey. In Connecticut, I cycled in Fairfield and New Haven counties. (BTW, I just discovered that New Haven county has no county seat or government.)  

Included in the total were 1,150 miles during 10 weeks in Europe and Asia. I was on three wonderful Backroads group bike tours. On each of these tours I met and rode all the miles with interesting and congenial co-riders. In January, I was with them in Vietnam and Cambodia.  The remainder of my 300 Asian cycling miles were in Myanmar and Laos while I was with Joan before I started the Backroads tour. In June, I cycled 650 miles in Europe. That trip started with two short tours in the north of Portugal and in Spain, near Barcelona. After those I joined Joan in France where I cycled 20 to 30 miles each morning on the French Riviera and in Corsica. I also did 200 gorgeous miles in Sicily in seven days with Ciclismo Classico in late September.

Although 2011 will be remembered for its unusual weather − a wintry Jan.-Feb. (which I

largely missed by being in sunny Asia); Hurricane Irene (two days without biking!); an earthquake (I didn’t experience it on my bike!); and an historic October snowstorm. There was also plenty of magnificent weather the rest of the year, including balmy and sunny weather with gorgeous foliage in October and November. The October snowstorm missed our village of Piermont − I think because we are surrounded on three sides by water the temps were just about freezing and the precip here was all rain. I was able to cycle 20 miles on the day of the storm before it started and another 20 or 30 the day after − there was no snow accumulation and the roads were plowed in surrounding towns. I can recall riding in light-to-moderate rain for only five or six times the whole year − most of that was in Spain.

I rode between 95 and 105 miles a day five times. I did my favorite (five-county) century twice.  Starting in Piermont at dawn (5:30am or so in May), I cycle  north along the Upper Nyack riverside path, a spin around Rockland Lake, into Haverstraw (it will be much better now with

the new cloverleaf!) through the marina districts of Haverstraw and Stony Point, past Bear Mountain and West Point, the stunning Route 218 corniche into Cornwall, the Newburgh-Beacon bridge, and turning south: Cold Spring, Garrison (lunch), Bear Mountain bridge back on 9W. I am usually home by around 2:30pm.

I did another 95-mile ride round-trip from Piermont and Goshen, N.Y.

On May 8, I rode the exciting 105-mile Gran Fondo. Embedded in the route were four timed (by computer chips mounted on the bikes) steep climbs, including Perkins and Little Tor. I didn’t set any records or win any prizes, but as I was driving home I saw hundreds of cyclists still on the road. A few hours later, I was able to see my total climbing time (by age group) on the Gran Fondo website. I met and rode with a couple of friendly cyclists for long stretches, which enhanced the experience. I also ran across a few other NYCC members along the way.

For the past six or seven years, I participated in the NYCC Spring Training Series (B-STS). We have a friendly nucleus of several dozen members who have participated for a number of years.  We were fortunate to have Dave Sabarese and Victor Baruh as leaders and we hope they will continue in 2012. (Tory has also been very helpful to me on the rides I led.) On one of the STS rides, I rode back to Piermont (total of 95 miles) from Bear Mountain when the group came home on the train from Cold Spring.

Much of the mileage was done on solo rides or with a friend close to home, north to the Nyacks and Rockland Lake, south on 9W and 501 towards Englewood and West to Tweed, Bradley, and the rail trail to Orangeburg and from there Sickletown, Pearl River, etc.

Some of the most enjoyable miles were cycling with my granddaughters, Jackie and Amanda on the Orangetown and Rockland Lake trails.

Almost all of the domestic miles were on my Cervelo model RS bike with Armadillo flat-resistant tires. The Piermont bike shop frequently checks my bike and I have a had only a few mechanicals and flats. At this point in my life, these and a little rain are expected minor inconveniences − the thing I want to avoid is an injury to myself or a fellow cyclist on a ride.  I did fall twice in 2011. On a ride I was leading, I fell in Closter as I was giving instructions to the group. In Croton Falls, I crashed into another Club member as the group stopped short. Fortunately, in both cases no one was hurt. I am also thankful that the only sickness I have had was a cold or two, which didn’t keep me from cycling.

When it became apparent in the fall that 8,000 or more miles were attainable, my behavior and attitudes changed a bit. Any errands in the Rockland/Bergen area were made by bike. I avoided short cuts and opted for “long cuts” to squeeze out an extra few miles. When I returned home, falling a bit short of my 20 or 30 daily objective,  I might go around in circles in my cul de sac to get another mile or two. The neighbors thought I was crazy. However, I didn’t ride in dark, heavy rainy or icy road conditions.

8,800 miles may sound like a lot. If I was ever told in 1975 I’d be cycling that much, I would have said that’s insane − I was an “un-athlete” in my youth. However, there are folks who are doing twice that a month, including NYCC member Scott Wasserman, a neighbor and a few other metro area residents. Another Club member Lucia has well over 10,000. But for ME, that’s a lot.  In fact I think it will be the most for a year in my life, but I’ve said that before!