Errandonnee 2017

It was with only 5 days left in the Chasing Mailboxes 2017 Errandonnee that I realized it had started and decided to participate. This challenge requires you to ride 12 errands from at least 7 of 9 categories totaling a minimum of 30 miles and only being able to use a category a max of 2 times. Thinking back to the previous week which fell within the Errandonnee date range I had ridden a few errands but did I have the photo proof? Well I did have video proof for 2 errands so I’m counting those. That left 10 more errand rides to get in the 5 days. I also hoped, as I have in the past, to ride a different bike for each errand. Will I complete this year’s challenge?

Date: March 20th
Category: Social Call – To a favorite restaurant/bar for some human interaction.
Miles: 13
Observation: On the way I also had lunch, did some shopping and observed a makeshift grave for what I assume was a dead animal in the trash sack. These gravel roads are littered with animal carcusess. I’ve seen dogs, deer, coyote and others.
Bike Ridden: Heavy-Duti

Date: March 23rd
Category: Personal Care – Rode just to be outside.
Miles: 7
Observation: Having been holed up in the house for the past couple days I started to feel like a prisoner in my own home being held captive by the wind. I decided to force myself out despite the 25mph wind. The beer was a prop for something else that I remembered I had in my bag after I had remembered I didn’t bring any water. Something interesting I observed (actually heard) was when I stopped to visit the cows as I often do, a mother protecting it’s calf made a growling noise at me.
Bike Ridden: Monarch Ratrod

Date: March 25th
Category: Store – to the store for something green for supper.
Miles: 2
Observation: Knowing this would probably be one of the shortest errands, I chose to ride the swing bike which I rarely ride. Riding the swing bike is just as fun as it ever was. I observed people observing me as I took this photo.
Bike Ridden: Swing Bike

Date: March 25th
Category: Non-store Errand – Chinese take-out.
Miles: 3
Observation: It’s probably good for me to ride Nova’s bikes every now and then to check for any issues with them. By my observations all seemed ok with her bike.
Bike Ridden: Nova’s Schwinn

Date: March 28th
Category: Entertainment – To the casino.
Miles: 16
Observation: I’m not big on gambling I mostly just enjoy observing the other people there.
Bike Ridden: Dumpster Bike

Date: March 29th
Category: Personal Business – To the post office.
Miles: 2
Observation: Less people out when it’s rainy therefore I observed less people gawking at me on the tall bike.
Bike Ridden: Tall Bike

Date: March 29th
Category: Store – To the grocery store for a red bell pepper and the dollar store for a t-shirt.
Miles: 2
Observation: Each time I visit the dollar store I observe the door that doesn’t close properly and lets the conditioned air escape outside. I can’t recall when it ever worked as it should. I don’t understand why they don’t get it fixed.
Bike Ridden: Electra New Belgium

Date: March 30th
Category: Social – To visit my parents.
Miles: 3
Observation: I took a couple of bags to discuss with my mother doing some embroidery and/or placing patches on them. Ate both breakfast and lunch while there. We generally alternate between our houses for visits/coffee but lately I’ve just been inviting myself over to theirs. I enjoy both their company and getting out of the house. I observed how my Dad is progressing since his recent surgery.
Bike Ridden: Tall Twenty

Date: March 30th
Category: Wildcard – To get video for a project.
Miles: 16
Observation: Along the way I observed an abandoned building that I’d photographed before had burned. I stopped to photograph it again.
Bike Ridden: Schwinn Typhoon

And the results…
Errands: 9
Categories: 7
Total Miles: 51
Bikes Ridden: 9

With a little creative paperwork I probably could have completed the challenge but that would have meant counting multiple errands that were just one ride and on the same bike which I didn’t want to do.
Oh well it was still fun and I hope to participate next year from the beginning.