It’s fast approaching, that little trip that I began planning about eight months ago. It’s hard to believe that in exactly six weeks I’ll be clipping in to start on the most challenging adventure of my life.
Hmmmm. Start list is 127 men, 9 women. NINE?
I’ve been riding as much as I can lately. I ride alone a lot, for a number of reasons. Not everyone likes to go out as early as I do, but on the weekends I would rather get out early for long rides and still have some day left. Lately, I’ve been feeling a bit like I work and ride, and not much else. I’m not complaining…just stating my current reality.
Man that sky is blue today. Which way is the wind blowing?
When I’m riding alone I can change course or direction as often as I please. I love my Sunday morning rides through the naked streets of downtown Chicago. Streets that I would never ride at any other time. I weave my way east and west, north and south…and see Chicago in a way that is not possible during crowded rush hours or from the back seat of a taxi.
I’m alone, like the heroine on a post-apocalyptic movie set.
There is also a part of me that still feels in limbo between the confidence it takes to roll up to an established Saturday group ride and feeling out of place in a strictly recreational group. Until I can come to terms with that, I’ll keep riding solo.
Where’s my mojo? If you find it, return it please.
A couple weeks ago, I did ride with someone else after work. A relaxed ride on Chicago’s lakefront. That was a great ride, actually. No pressure, just a nice easy pace and conversation, in spite of the fact that we got rained on. I need to do more of that. Those laid back rides are good for the psyche.
Coffee calling…
The past few rides have been strange for me though. Nothing particularly bad, but nothing great either. Just feeling sort of blah while I’m in the saddle. I need to quickly figure out how to un-blah myself. I don’t have much experience with knowing if this is normal or not; I’ve never had this many miles at this point before nor have I ever had to prepare for this type of challenge. What I do know is that my gut is telling me to stay on the bike, ride easy for a while, and try to remember what riding does for me emotionally and physically. Tonight I went for a ride that won’t go in my “training” log, but it will go in my “that was a really nice ride” mental log.
Dear trees along the path, thank you for blocking the wind.
And I still stop to snap a photo of something that catches my eye on each ride, or sometimes it’s a photo of me just starting out or finishing or moving while trying not to break my neck at the same time. Through these pictures and my words I’m documenting a journey that I never could have imagined a few years ago, and I’m more excited than I know how to express here. But seriously…
NINE?