Have you ridden on a Citi Bike?
If the answer is yes, we're guessing you pedaled a couple laps in Central Park. Maybe you rode your bike to and from work a handful of times. Maybe you ride Citi Bikes a ton, we don't know.
We're guessing, however, that you haven't covered more miles than Jeffrey Tanenhaus. Yeah, you've probably heard of him.
Jeffrey Tanenhaus is the guy who rode his Citi Bike across the country. To be precise, he rode 2,700 miles across 17 states.
It sounds crazy and exhausting to us, too, but we weren't that surprised when we heard Tanenhaus was a New Yorker. Isn't that so New York City of him to set out on, and then accomplish, a seemingly impossible feat?
We know. The whole thing is just so delightfully NYC. Here's what happened.
On August 6th, Tanenhaus began his cross-country journey, leaving his job as a corporate event planner in Manhattan, according to NBC.
[anad]
Why'd he do it? Well, Tanenhaus's daily commute brought him from downtown Brooklyn to Times Square, and Tanenhaus said it was the best part of his day.
"I was always expecting my job to get better, or to get a different job or for something to come along. When it didn't, I ended up leaving in early August," Tanenhaus said.
The answer to the question you're wondering about? Yeah, Tanenhaus did have to pay $1,200 in Citi Bike late fees for exceeding the 45-minute limit.
Would it have cost Tanenhaus much less to buy a bike? Sure, it certainly would have, but that would make the story much less interesting, wouldn't it?
countribike A 59-mile day pushes me into the Lone Star State. Today is another 50+ miler with an hour less daylight to do it. #Texas #citibike #bikenyc #route66 #bike #crosscountry #stateline #bordercrossing #lonestarstate #welcometotexas #daylightsavings
"It's been the most amazing thing that I've done in my life," Tanenahus said. "On a bike it's been incredibly rewarding and I've had to go slow so I've been able to go places that travelers wouldn't normally stop."
That's right; he had to go slow. Those Citi Bikes only have three gears, whereas an upscale road bike, one that would cost less than Tanenhaus's Citi Bike fees, would have more like 30. On his journey, Tanenhaus rode between 30 and 65 miles a day.
countribike New meaning to riding on rims. Thanks @brennazumbro for the sunrise photo shoot. Check out her great work at brennazumbro.com. #citibike #grandcanyon #arizona #sunrise #bikenyc #biking #crosscountry #roadtrip #stunning #nature #travelinspired
Tanenhaus does plan to ride the Citi Bike back to Brooklyn. He's replaced the tires, pedals, and seat, and now he wants to pay it forward.
"I've spent enough time on this bicycle - it's someone else's turn. I'm happy to return it back to the bike-sharing system," Tanenhaus said.
Yes, he's made it to California, but his journey isn't yet over. He plans to finish the journey at the Santa Monica Pier, the official end of Route 66, in mid-to-late January.
Rock on, Tanenhaus. You're an inspiration to us all.
Check out Everyone But You Got Engaged This Christmas.
[via NBC] [Feature Image Courtesy Instagram]