After suffering through a motorcycle accident and the grueling effects of long-distance running, Rob Goodenough turned his head toward the art of cycling. His doctor pointed out that cycling would be a great form of rehabilitation for his injured right knee.
Since then, however, Goodenough has adopted cycling as a way of life—not just for enjoyment, but as a way to keep physically fit and healthy.
And he’s not a weekend warrior: one who buys a bike and tosses it in the rafters of a garage, or only rides for a charity event. No, Goodenough went all in.
“I usually ride in a couple centuries a year,” Goodenough said, “and I used to compete in road races and mountain biking, but I don’t anymore.”
Not familiar with the terminology? A century is a marathon of 100 miles. Goodenough also commutes to work at Vandenberg Air Force Base, which, for him, is a 32.8-mile round trip—and he’s been riding it for 22 years.
In addition to commuting to work on his bike and riding in centuries, Rob loves to ride the strenuous 40-mile trail at Figueroa Mountain, where, among other professional cyclists, legend Lance Armstrong practices.
Goodenough has also been active in the cycling community of the Santa Maria Valley. He’s been a member of the Tailwinds Club since 1987, when he picked up cycling, and the Cutters Cycling Club in Orcutt.
This article appears in Oct 8-15, 2009.