Signing Off

Life has a way of presenting us with opportunities to review and take stock of what we have done.  JustAnotherCyclist is at that kind of crossroads right now.  I’ve put a great deal into this website–and got an even greater amount back from it and my readers. JustAnotherCyclist will always be near and dear to my heart, but–like graduating from high school–all things must end.  In keeping with the analogy of graduation, however, this transition is not an end, but simply a change in focus.  I’ve agonized over this transition a lot more than I’d expected.  I first announced these plans back in April of 2011, with the post “JustAnotherCyclist and VeloReviews Join Forces.”  Now that day is actually upon us.

JustAnotherCyclist actually started waaaaaaay back in October of 2009 with a very simple post titled “Sunday Ride“:

Gearing up to head out to Folsom and back–along the American River Bike Trail.  Route is available on MapMyRide (link here) if you are interested.

The plan is to stop for food in Folsom somewhere–but where?  I’ll let you know how it goes after I get back.

I was actually somewhat surprised to find out recently that you can still find that original content.  It is over at rossdelduca.wordpress.com, and I’ve no plans of deleting that content anytime soon.  If you check the original site out you’ll notice that the “flying handlebars” image has survived all of the various incarnations of the JustAnotherCyclist blog.  That image originally came from a photo I snapped while riding on the American River Bike Trail in Sacramento, CA.  In retrospect, I realize that photo was actually shot on the very ride that I was writing about in the first blog post to JustAnotherCyclist.com.

I plan to continue to write the same types of articles I’ve written here at JustAnotherCyclist–they will simply fall under the VeloReviews Media umbrella going forward.  Immediately you’ll find all of the JAC content–both historical and current–over at http://veloreviews.com/blog/author/justanothercyclist.  And in the not-too-distant future http://justanothercyclist.veloreviews.com will be alive and well.  In a way you can look at this as more of a growing up than an end.  JustAnotherCyclist led me down a road toward real cycling journalism–something I hope to continue to grow into and learn about.  In that respect, justanothercyclist.veloreviews.com seems the next natural stage of growth.

There are so many folks that have helped me along this journey.  Dean Alleger and the Sacramento Valley Velodrome Association are in there. Cycle Folsom has been instrumental in the development of not only my actual cycling, but my understanding of cycling as a community of like-minded folks.  And there are two particular websites that I really must draw attention to; although they are probably unaware of it, both of these men and their websites have been a fundamental part of my journey to becoming a cycling blogger.  They have both been my unwitting mentors.  I’ve looked to their examples and styles to help me define what a “cycling blogger” actually is.  I will be forever grateful for their continued support and friendship–both virtual and literal. It seems unlikely that a reader of JustAnotherCyclist hasn’t discovered them as well.  These websites are, of course, www.cyclelicio.us andbikinginla.wordpress.com.  Thank you very much to both of you!

And last but not least, thanks you to you–my readers.  I write because I enjoy it, and I further write about cycling because it allows me to enjoy two of my favorite activities at the same time.  The continued visits from my readers, and your comments in response, have help me to stay motivated to continue blogging on those times when, quite frankly, I kinda just didn’t feel like it.

Thank you all, keep your head above the saddle above the pedals, and see you over at VeloReviews.com!