2020 Recap

Want to make Mother Nature laugh? Just tell her your plans! Bicyclists certainly know this adage, and it adds to the adventure of unexpectedness while on two wheels. 2020 was to be leg 3 of my coast-to-coast bicycle trek, but with closed borders and restricted travel, the planned segment from Sioux Falls to Niagara Falls would not happen this year due to the COVID pandemic.

Instead, a visit to Fish Creek Falls near Steamboat Springs served as a beautiful in-state proxy to Niagara Falls as Jackie and I resolved to hike, bike and boat all 42 Colorado State Parks (another multi-year challenge!)

I still managed to log 3500 miles in 2020, mostly within a 50 mile radius of home, criss crossing over paths and trails teeming with others seeking outdoor solace. It was great to see so many people using Denver’s fabulous network of multi-use paths. In fact, during the early height of the pandemic, it seemed the motorized roadways were less crowded than parks and bikeways. Kinda eerie, and I actually thought about bicycling down the interstate highway. People walking in the streets rather than sitting in traffic. Crisp air and the blissful sound of singing birds and playing kids. Briefly had me dreaming of a North America with more bikes than cars. Ha!

Mother Nature’s wicked 2020 curve ball put the coast-to-coast challenge on ice. But that’s alright, we’ll just dig in and try again in 2021 – with renewed determination and extra appreciation for the ability to experience America from the seat of a bicycle. Stay tuned for more coast-to-coast adventure!