An odd fantasy I've had for years has been bicycling to work. The idea is that I could gradually build up to world-class power and make the daily commute at speeds comparable to those achieved in flat reaches of road races—say, 20 MPH.

When this delusionary thinking began, work was 60 miles from my door. Over the years it has increased to 75. Rumor has it that in February we will move to a location that is about 80 miles. So even if I reached international status and coud maintain the pace day-to-day, I would still be on the road about 8 hours per day.

It's so cruel to have your dreams crushed by physics, geography and kinetics.