When Fraser Cunningham stepped outside of his Cincinnati home on Friday morning, it was still dark. It was very cold, too. His Garmin told him it was -10 degrees. And, just like he's been doing every single morning at 5:30 for more than 18 months, the 56-year-old engineer rode to work.
Cunningham hasn’t missed a day commuting by bicycle since July 22, 2013. Hoping to beat out his personal best continuous streak of one year, eight-and-a-half months, he's been counting every day. In fact, he's been counting every mile. But that's what you do anyway at a certain point in the ride, when you can no longer feel your toes. Ten miles to go. Nine miles to go. Halfway there.
His route, which was on side streets and between parking lots to avoid traffic, is 16.5 miles each way. Last year, Cunningham commuted 5,049 miles. This year, it should end up being more since his offices moved to West Chester, a bit further away.
"I think I like winter better than summer in Cincinnati. I can always stay warm in the cold by putting on more layers and pedaling harder." On snowy days, Cunningham rides his fatbike — a heavy bicycle with tires so wide that they look like they belong to a motorbike. In summer, his ride takes about an hour. But in winter, that can double to two.
Choosing to bike to work seemed to be about choosing how to grow old. He's been at it now for 10 years. But at this point, it's not a choice at all. "It's a lifestyle." Cunningham says he will bike to work until the day comes when he works no more. And when he retires, he figures that he'll just bike somewhere else instead.
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