DRAFT Magazine

Celebrating 3,000 bike miles at Romans Pub

Five years ago, Jeff Bedel ditched his car, picked up his bike after a 12-year hiatus, and started setting goals to ride longer each year.

First 1,000 miles. Then 2,500 miles. Then 3,000 miles.

This year he reached his goal 34 days ahead of schedule, despite a crash that left him with bruised ribs and lungs.

“July was a tough month,” he said, “but I still squeaked out three or four hundred miles.”

How did he get the mileage in? Must have been all those beer runs on the bike.

“I’ve biked a many miles to and from bars,” he says, “and carried several 6-packs from Blatz Liquor on my way home from work or bike trips.”

What are your beer runner credentials?

I was first introduced to craft beer back in college. It’s the longest relationship I’ve ever had. I used to collect all the bottles of the different beer I’d ever tried, but after moving so often it got be a hassle. I’m a huge craft beer and cycling advocate so I’m always ranting about how people should stop drinking macro beer and find a more efficient and healthy way to commute around the city. Milwaukee and Wisconsin are very bike friendly, especially compared to Indianapolis where I moved from. So doing more miles has been easier/safer commuting to work, running errands, Bomber Burgers, beer, and getting across town or the next county over (or two).

Tell me about your 3,000 mile biking goal. How and why did you set that?

After completing a mini-marathon 5 years ago, I wanted a new challenge. I did a 1,000 miles my first year and have gradually increased that goal every year. In 2006 I was unemployed and did over 2,500 and set the goal for 3,000 miles the past two years, but failed miserably. This year I trained inside over the winter which made it easier to do longer rides out of the gate.  Also that large of a number can be overwhelming so I set out to do a 1,000 by June 1.  Once I accomplished that I broke the last 2,000 into “goal days” to reach by Nov 1. From there it was pretty easy.

What was the biggest challenge to achieving your goal?

Being a Beer Runner can leave you sloth like and incapacitated (hungover) for a long ride the next morning.  Meeting lots of people on Twitter hasn’t helped either. I’m very destination oriented, and I pretty much (even though I’m fairly new to Wisconsin) ran out of new places to check out within a 50 mile radius of Milwaukee. A bike crash back in late June while doing a ride up in the Michigan U.P. was also the first time I was ever injured significantly.

What did you do to celebrate mile 3,000?

Like a good Beer Runner should; biking to his favorite craft beer bar! I set a Tweetup to do the 3,000th mile at Romans’ Pub in Bay View. I celebrated first with a Dogfish Head 90 minute IPA.  Had several beers thereafter.  Many couldn’t make it since it was a Wednesday night, but I was going on vacation the next day. I’ll still accept late celebratory beers.

What’s your next biking goal?

Naturally I want to think about 4,000 miles (I’m currently at 3,200 already this year) for next year, but more importantly I want to drive (via Zipcar) to new places and see a bit more of the region/country and maybe even bike into Canada. Ironically when people asked me why I got rid of my car 5 years ago my answer was to “travel more”.  I’ve achieved that and want to do more.  I’m really inspired to by @follownathan on Twitter who did a coast to coast ride this past summer. Now there is a fun challenge/goal!

Ever think about creating a similar goal, but for beer consumption?

Yes, less actually.

Anything else to add?

I’m very knowledgeable and passionate about craft beer, so someone listening out there should get me a job in the industry.