2021?

The great cancellation of 2020 put a huge damper on a year in which my goal was simply to “do bikes”. Now, with cooler weather and that niggling fall feeling of wanting to briefly put the bike down and look ahead, I’m left staring at a blank calendar speculating about 2021.

Certainly, there will be more events, right? The only two for which I’m confirmed are Unbound (Kanza) and The Garden State Fondo, with this year’s registrations deferred to next (add Castell Grind to that list as of a few days ago). Will the local crits and road races take place? Is the early-January gravel grinder still on? At this point, there’s no way to know, especially considering the haste with which many smaller races seem to be announced.

As much as I want to copy-paste my TrainingPeaks for a do-over of all that was missed in 2020, proceeding as though this all never happened, it simply isn’t possible. The idea of “eventually back to business as usual” that we all accepted as truth seems to be wearing thin. Some areas are reinstating new lockdowns and, from a personal standpoint, my employment situation could be pretty shaky by next summer.

Careening toward unemployment while participating in an expensive and possibly injurious sport feels irresponsible, especially with so many other interests, such as running, which I left behind for cycling.

At the same time, if events do return in full force, participation in each will be made all the sweeter by its prior loss in 2020.

It’s a Catch-22. Plan or don’t. Optimism or crushing reality…

Wait…

…no it isn’t. This is a false dichotomy caused by the internet and too much time alone. A depressive mope from looking backward rather than forward. A child who gives up after someone beat him to the first piece of candy that fell from the piñata.

Sure, things can seem pretty bleak when contemplating the dreariness of it all whilst doom scrolling through one’s newsfeed, but the thing I’ve noticed about bikes is that, after kitting up and dragging yourself outside, the weight of all that negativity falls away like…well, it just falls away. I think this is because bikes are a great way to launch oneself out of rumination and into reality. They’re a reminder that life is more your actions than thoughts, that doing something is more powerful than giving in to doing nothing, that things are gon’ be alright.

So, 2021…worth planning for? Absolutely. I just bought my Unbound bike, and if it doesn’t happen, so what? Things may not be perfect, it may be necessary to trade Rapha and carbon for cotton tees and steel, but that’s 1000x better than sitting home and waiting for perfection. Even if 2021’s calendar falls far short 2019, there will still be unofficial events, epic solo rides, unsanctioned races and group rides to enjoy. It’s going to be fuarking awesome, because bikes.