How much do I need to hold up my reputation as a bicycle tourist?

Nice autumn rains are back. I was thinking of doing a several day bike tour, but the long range forecast turned wetter. That trip could have been just to uphold my image as a bike tourist. A rainy forecast is another excuse to cancel that plan. Instead, I did my day trip to Birch Bay as the weather was sunny on Monday.

People keep asking "Do you have any long trips planned this year?"

I keep saying that there are so many social things to do in Bellingham, not to mention all the stuff I want to do online, that holding up my reputation as a bicycle tourist gets more difficult. It's like juggling a lot of things, motel reservations, weather, routes with less traffic and so forth. I still plan to do some long distance trips in beyond my 71st birthday, but doing it just to prove myself isn't that appealing anymore.

It could be old age, but my legs and my lungs are still fine. I am getting tired of riding alongside all that traffic. These days, I plan routes carefully with bike trails and lightly traveled, or better shouldered, roads. I take transit with the easy to use bike racks on buses. This can skip me over less desirable areas. In years past, there were no County Connector buses. We have them in this area now, but they are very rare in areas like Eastern Washington.

In past years, I wanted to prove myself by pedaling the entire way, such as when I took 2 1/2 months off and ended up in Massachusetts. Even with my ability to take a bus, with my bike, to Mount Vernon for just 1 dollar (senior citizen rate, $2 general), I still prefer to bike most of my distances, mostly because I take so many pictures. My trip to Birch Bay was all from pedaling my bicycle and I got over 100 photos. I used to pride myself riding all the way to Seattle, but now I take buses at least as far as Everett. Most roads, in North Snohomish County, are pretty bad.

In the past, there was less traffic, but I also got through North Snohomish County by riding on the wide shoulder of I-5. I could still do that, I guess, but traffic is flying by at over 70 mph. I still remember the days of the 55 mph speed limit due to the 1970-80s energy crisis. Snohomish Centennial Trail is wonderful, but getting to its north trailhead is a bit challenging. I might as well take buses to Everett, in south Snohomish County, and then ride in the more friendly urban areas around Seattle. Those urban areas have bike paths and quiet residential streets galore.

Long trips and leave of absence was great while I was working. My night shift job as a custodian was a bit mundane and the trips were a good excuse to take time off work.

That job was a good job, however. Nice people, low stress and a good cause. I was on the custodial crew of the YMCA.

My avocations of bike travel, writing, and the gay community life were more interesting than just the job, itself. Now that I am retired, I still seem to have a life filled up with gratifying things to do.

I'm glad I did those ambitious trips during my younger, working years. Many people wait till retirement to follow their dreams. I may have been living in my dreamworld all my life.

I may have been in a dreamworld, but I did work. I wasn't in a high end position. Rents were quite affordable back then. Now I am in subsidized housing, but I still pay (I think) around 2/3 market rate for my little studio apartment. My subsidized rent calculated based on my income.

Meanwhile, I'm enjoying life in Bellingham.