2021 can be the seventeenth yr of my foolish annual biking challenges. Again in 2005, I used to be an occasional bike owner and challenged myself to trip 10,000 kilometres. Now I’m hooked on using my bike.

See right here for my 2020 Biking Problem outcomes.

I need to admit that I’ve come near ending this weblog after this miserable yr. Me on twitter just a few hours in the past. 🙂

I’m contemplating ending my weblog and easily posting photographs of “benches with a view” 🙂 pic.twitter.com/hiCNoBWGKV

— cyclingchallenge (@cyclingalps) December 31, 2020

However fuck it. Sure, 2020 sucked. However let’s have some hope. Plus, I want the motivation. Let’s begin over. I’m going to do the very same Problem as 2020!

So right here is my easy, but hopeful, 2021 Biking Problem:

160,200 Metres of Vertical Ascent

After I was a child rising up in Canada, we switched from Imperial to Metric. So I’m vaguely “bilingual.” 160,200 is a magic quantity for me.

• 525,600 minutes in a yr
• 525,600 toes = 160,200 metres.

So mainly climb a foot for each minute of the yr.

I like biking slowly uphill, typically unpaved. Personally, I favor monitoring ascent greater than distance or pace. And I reside in a hilly area.

20 New Climbs

I like exploring. I believe one factor folks like about this website is once I put up fascinating routes that aren’t well-known – paved or unpaved. I’ve had a lot of time this yr to plan just a few concepts. 🙂

In 2020, “La Route de la Soif through Col de l’Arpettaz” was most likely the trip the place I obtained essentially the most emails or messages from those who went on to trip the route after me (and cherished it).

BONUS CHALLENGE: Discover just a few new climbs that I can add to this favorite outdated put up: Forty of the Highest Unpaved Biking “Roads” within the Alps

Cycle 100 Totally different Cols

Selection is the spice of life. COVID restrictions prevented me from finishing this objective in 2020. Hopefully, 2021 will probably be higher. I like discovering new cols in addition to revisiting nice outdated pals.

No less than one nice dawn trip

Hopefully, with my good friend Tim. Half the enjoyable is brainstorming a very good possibility. It must be an ideal climb with excellent views in the direction of the rising solar. See right here for just a few favourites from the previous:

Extra Adventures with Doreen

I really like biking (and climbing) with my great spouse. She just isn’t a motorbike fanatic like me however has a protracted listing of accomplishments (Galibier, Ventoux, Iseran, Alpe d’Huez, and so on. and so on.) at all times climbed with a smile. Hopefully, we are able to plan just a few extra adventures.

Our greatest journeys have been exploring the infinite community of Burgundy canals (visitors free and peaceable). However hmmmm, I’ve at all times wished to indicate her Colle del Nivolet?!?

What Else?

I’ll simply repeat what I mentioned final yr:

I’ve a lot of different concepts. I’d prefer to get above 3000 metres once more. I’d prefer to trip at the least one of many many signed, multi-day, grande-traversée mountain bike routes in France. I’ve a by no means ending listing of cols I hope to go to. and so on. However I’ll depart all these concepts as potential upside for the upcoming yr.

I hope everybody has success with no matter biking challenges you’ll have. Pleased Higher New 12 months!

Will