2013: Year in Review

Time to face the music. 2013 was a down year for me. Here are the goals I set at the beginning of the year:

"My bike goals for 2013 are simple. (My life goals are a little more difficult to achieve.)

• Ride a century per week.
• Complete the California Triple Crown Stage Race and finish in the top 10.
• Ride a century in 3 new states.
• Ride a century in a new country."

I was only 1 for 4. I did ride a century per week. As for the second goal, it ended in April when I didn't finish the Devil Mountain double (Week 17). I only rode a century in two new states (Montana and Idaho), so I failed on the third goal. I didn't even make it out of the country this year, so the 4th goal wasn't even close. It was just a bad year for me, plain and simple. The funny thing is that I had a better year off the bike than on the bike. Usually it's the other way around.

The Lows

The biggest disappointment for me in 2013 was the Triple Crown. I DNFed DMD and the Alta Alpina Challenge (Week 26). The DNF at the AAC was probably the low point of the year for me. The only double I completed was the Terrible Two (Week 24), but my time was very slow on that one. I did finish the AAC route solo (Week 28), but I don't really count that one.

The Highs

August was the best month for me. I took a week off and did some spectating at the Tour of Utah; did a 5-day, 500-mile ride from Bozeman to Salt Lake City; then got back to Reno just in time for the Jens & Schleck Brothers ride. I sacrificed riding in a few new states to do the BZN to SLC ride, but it was worth it. I ride a lot and I love my bike, but after averaging 100 miles per day for 5 days I felt more at one with my bike than ever. I can joke that my life revolves around cycling, but for 5 days it was actually true and I loved every minute.

The Most popular Posts of 2013

Spectator reports:

• 2013 Amgen Tour of California, Stage 4
• 2013 Amgen Tour of California, Stage 5
• 2013 Tour of Utah, Stage 1
• 2013 Tour of Utah, Stage 2

Other Posts:

• I got dropped by the Schleck brothers and Jens Voigt
• Soleus Draft GPS Cycling Computer Review

2014

2013 wasn't my best year, but 2014 has the potential to be a big year for me, both off the bike and on. I'm still trying to narrow down my goals, which I hope to have posted by this time next week at the latest.