The birth of a cycling enthusiast

How it started

Push, pull, push, pull. The command rings through your head, echoing over and over and over. It was July, 2020 and I just bought my first road bike was getting used to pedaling with “clip-less” pedals. These are pedals that, intuitively, require a rider to clip into the pedals. You got that? You clip into your bike with your clip-less pedals. The owner of the bike shop that sold me my bike had just told me to remember to “push, pull, push pull.” “Any other advice?’ I asked, looking for a bit more detail. “You’ll fall over a few times and get the hang of it real quick.”

Pause, freeze frame. You might be wondering, “how did you end up there and why are you telling me?” That’s a great question! I’m so glad you asked. Let me rewind the clock a bit and set the scene.

The year is 1776, a nation is born. What’s that, too far back? OK, let me try again.

March, 13th, 1991. The world holds its breath as Kevin is born to the world. Nothing would ever be the same. What’s that? I’m overstating things and still too far back? OK, I got it, third time will be the time.

It’s mid-March, 2020. New York had just entered lockdowns for covid and were start week three of “two weeks of lockdown.” I had been an avid swimmer before covid, going to practice for Team New York Aquatics 3-5 times a week. Swimming was how I found my peace and took out my anger from the world. Want to remove the pain? Try and swim 4 200 IM’s on 2:45, that shit will make you see god. Now, all of a sudden, swimming indoors with 4 other people in the same lane, in a pool with 50 other people, was considered a bad idea. What was I going to do?

“Why don’t you get into biking?” My cycling enthusiast friend cheerfully took another swing at converting me to the cult of cycling. He had tried a few times before but I was perfectly happy with swimming, thank you very much. “I don’t own a bike.” “You don’t need one to start; just take a CitiBike out and ride around. Do you live near the West Side bike path?”

He….had a point. There was a dock across the street from my apartment and the bike path was a couple blocks away. I was living in Hell’s Kitchen (#gaystereotype) and could easily give it a try. I had a yearly CitiBike membership the started when I lived in Brooklyn and kept after I moved to Manhattan. On a spring day in March, ignoring the paranoid screaming of people who thought anywhere outside was dangerous, I set off on a CitiBike.

How it's going

I biked down to the Staten Island Ferry, docked, and took a break. “This is pretty nice,” I texted my friend. “You’ll never look back,” he responded, sending me links for bikes I could by and routes I could do. By June, I was ready to graduate and bought my first road bike, a red Felt. I dubbed her my “Trusty Steed”, with my first long bike ride being down to Coney Island and back.

My first century

On September 4th, 2020 at 5:15am, I set out alone to attempt my first one day, 100+ mile ride. A century for a cyclist is a like a marathon for a runner. Why do you do it? Because you want to prove something to yourself. I wasn't trying to win a race or set some new record. I didn't promise someone I would do it for them; it was going to be me and my bike against the world.

I decided on West Point, NY as my turnaround destination. Why? Because I didn't know any better, it was 50-ish miles north of where I started, and everyone would know where I was. Is this a sound thought process? Not really! Did it work for me at the time? It sure did!

Have you ever biked north out of Nyack, New York? I decided my route should take me up Old Moutntain Road. I've found a solid visual of what it feels like:

It goes up, steep and fast. You shift into the easiest pedal you can do and try, with every fiber of your mean, to make it up the hill. Alternatively, since you're clipped in with your "clip less" pedals, you fall over because you can't un-clip fast enough. You know how, in a professional cycling race, the riders sometimes weave from side to side while going up a hill? It's to try and make the gradient a bit less steep. If they can do it, so can you.

Once up and over, I continued onward, eventually reaching my halfway point. "What can I take a photo with to show I'm at West Point" I pedaled for a bit and eventually found a statue of a tank. That should do it. Smile wide for the glory of American military might.

There comes a point, somewhere around mile 65 to 75, where you realize you're still a long way from done and, oh boy, your legs are tired, huh? But you keep going. Eventually, mile 90 comes along. You will, on your first and honesty every century thereafter, think to yourself, "holy fuck, am I actually going to do this?" You sure are! Gotta take a picture though, lest no one believes you.

There's only one thing left to do after you finish a 100 mile bike ride. Say it with me now, "eat a lot of food!" Louder for the people in the back. "EAT A LOT OF FOOD!"

Century 2.0: a video representation

In May 2021, I finished my second century and brought my friend out on his first. He took this video for me, which captures the experience.

Century [ ] and beyond

Once you do 1 and 2, the rest start rolling off.

Trusty steed, 2.0

On March 14th, 2022, my baebae bought me a new bike for my birthday. This is a bike I had been eyeing for a few months: a Trek Emonda SL6 eTap. She has eletric shifting, which was the only thing that would make me switch bikes after only two years with my previous one.

On March 23rd, 2022, I tested positive for covid. I didn't realize it then, and it didn't really start to hit me until August of that year, but my life and my relationship with cycling was about to change forever. When I did the rides below, I was starting to experience some lingering symptoms but, based on what doctors (falsely) told me, I thought I had nothing to worry about.

On April 30th, 2022 I completed my first century with my new trusty steed:

I was starting to train for Cycle for the Cause in fall 2022 and so was doing longer rides more consistently.

On August 11th, 2022, I snapped this photo from the George Washington bridge after a relatively short 38 mile bike ride. It would be my last time riding outdoors for 30+ miles until January 3rd, 2023. After this photo, I didn't ride outdoors again at all until October 14th, when I did 5 miles. My relationship to cycling had changed forever.