Killin’ it and takin’ passes. JK just chillin in the park.

The season of 2013 was my first cycling season. There was much to learn about the rules of the road, bike maintenance, bike equipment, routes to ride, etc. It was an amazingly fun journey that took me to the tops of awesome climbs and face-to-face with asphalt. I learned many ways how to NOT change a tire and many ways how to push through pain and brain to achieve amazing things. I learned that you should clip both feet in before standing up to pedal (FYI not doing so can lead to crashing, pain and shame). Probably the most important lesson I learned or relearned was that my body can do amazing things if I allow myself to override the negativity.

The season of 2014 will be that of growth and enjoying the journey. I just got this awesome, new bike for RTR. Compared to my bike last year, this bike is light. It fits me and I am just excited to ride. On my first ride out on my new bike I was giddy. I was pedaling as fast as I could. I was pushing my limits to see where me and this new bike could go. My mind began to wonder on all things RTR: how awesome this new route will be, how fun each of the towns are, how hard the climbs will be. Then it came to me, my motto for this year: ENJOY THE JOURNEY. Enjoy the hard parts of each ride, enjoy where you are at during each ride not focusing on where you need to be. Enjoy the company around you, my riding partner and sister Heather, my Timp Cyclery Womens Team, my in-another-state riding partner and father Greg. Enjoy the new eating habits, the cross training, the daily grind. There is no other journey more fun to endure than that of training to Ride The Rockies. There are no other stories more fun to tell than that of riding a bike and the crazy things that happen while doing so.

So sit back, or hop on your bike and enjoy the journey with or through me. Enjoy your own journey or live through mine. Either way its going to be the journey of a lifetime! Let’s get our ride on!