![\"dec5-1\"](\"http:\/\/adjustedreality.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Dec5-1.jpg\")
<\/p>\nI have always longed for an urban existence.\u00a0 While other people dreamed of houses with white picket fences in the suburbs or lots of land out in the country, my perfect life envisioned was a sweet penthouse on the top floor downtown with an amazing balcony view.\u00a0 I would be able to use my own power to get anywhere I needed (walk, bike, good public transport), and there would be no sitting in a car on the freeway every day.<\/p>\n
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I’m going to have to get a proper cold weather cycle jacket eventually, but my 20$ Colorado hoodie seems to be doing just fine so far…<\/em><\/p>\n Where I live right now is a compromise, mostly because our JOBS don’t reside in the urban area, so we’d just be living downtown and commuting away from it, which is silly.\u00a0 I live in a house with a yard.\u00a0 Public transport here sucks.\u00a0 However, everything I really need, in general, is just a walk or a short cycle away.\u00a0 Unless you’re lazy.\u00a0 Or scared of traffic.\u00a0 Or let any little anomaly in the weather make you sigh and decide to just use the car this one last time and really, you’ll get on lessening your vehicle dependence soon.\u00a0 Promise.<\/p>\n That was me for the last few years.\u00a0 I loved the idea of using foot and pedal power, and I wanted to get there, but when it came to putting it into practice, it was just too hard.\u00a0 Too scary.\u00a0 Too inconvenient.\u00a0 It was one of those resolution-y things I wanted to change this year.<\/p>\n I can’t say that I’m completely on my own power.\u00a0 We still drive to group rides we could bike to sometimes.\u00a0 I don’t commute every day, heck, some weeks during season I wouldn’t at all because I had to get to the gym at lunch most days and I just can’t quite reconcile that one with work timing.<\/p>\n Riding with these peeps have really helped me this year!<\/em><\/p>\n However, the things I’ve gotten good at lately:<\/p>\n I have to completely credit this to resurrecting my cruiser bike from the shed for a lot of this.\u00a0 It’s so comfortable to just be able to head out in regular clothes (not bike shorts) and without clips and go do whatever.<\/p>\n But when I DO kit up,\u00a0 I have cool bike socks now. #sockdoping<\/em><\/p>\n I looked at my total bike miles for the year, and they’re not that far under past years, even with 6 months of not being a triathlete, and more of them being outside miles (than inflated inside trainer miles like previous years).\u00a0 This really was the year of becoming a cyclist, and I’m super happy about it.<\/p>\n While I’m not seeing the huge payoff in races yet, I am seeing other benefits.<\/p>\n And, most of all, I have this great sense of accomplishment.\u00a0 You may not have noticed, but around here, I tend to undermine my achievements where I didn’t hit my exact goal.\u00a0 For example, I rode 100 miles this weekend, but since it was just indoors on the trainer, I’m like, meh.\u00a0 I could do better.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 However, every time I get on my bike and go ride outside, it makes me happy and proud of myself.<\/p>\n I’m conquering demons I had even 6 months ago, where I would have maybe just ridden the trainer or took my car or did the thing that wasn’t biking outside (or even if I did, limiting myself to overly safe spaces like the Veloway).\u00a0 I set a goal this year to become a better cyclist, and I’m happy to have changed from this girl<\/a> to at least someone who’s on their way.<\/p>\n Bikes = smiles<\/em><\/p>\n Was this an excuse to just post a bunch of bike selfies again?\u00a0 Possibly.\u00a0 But I’m really happy that the bike love I found in the spring wasn’t just a fling.\u00a0 This is the first winter where my butt will be BFFs with my saddle and I’m actually really excited about it.<\/p>\n![\"Jul11-5\"](\"http:\/\/adjustedreality.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/Jul11-5.jpg\")
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![\"dec5-2\"](\"http:\/\/adjustedreality.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Dec5-2.jpg\")
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![\"sept19-2\"](\"http:\/\/adjustedreality.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Sept19-2.jpg\")
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