2% of the people think, 3% of the people think they think and 95% of the people would rather DIE than think” ― Bob Proctor

This is one quote that really struck a chord with me in the past few years. The first 38 years of my life were spent riding the waves of whatever came my way, be it things, people, or thoughts….and then an opportunity came along that has taught me how much fun it can be to live life on your own terms.

What part of your day really allows you to think about life? Do you ever take the time to think about who you really are? Do you ever take the time to write out what you are more thankful for having in your life (and what is to come into your life)?  And in those times what is it that you tell yourself that “I am”?

This time for me is when I am out on my bike. Maybe that’s part of the reason I have taken on this huge challenge called Ride The Rockies! How do I know it’s a huge challenge?  Because everyone that I share my excitement with says the same thing “are you crazy? – do you know about the climbing (you’re from Dallas), how are you going to handle the altitude (you’re from Dallas), how are you going to get there, where are you going to sleep”….and on and on.

No, I’ve never climbed mountains on a bike, I don’t know how I will handle the altitude, but I do know that my family will be there to support me at the end of each day. My parents are going to follow me in their RV with one of my sons, and the rest I will figure out as we go along. Believe me, I’ve read the blog posts from past years and have been inspired by my cousin Kathy, who has conquered the ride before. It will be challenging, it will be hard, I will do things that I have never done before, and I plan to meet the 1,999 others who are on the same journey. The one similarity with all the blog posts was that Ride The Rockies brought a sense of overwhelming accomplishment to each of the participants.

Probably the most important lesson that I have been learning (and continue to learn) is the power of visualization, the power of breathing and the power of striving out of our comfort zone and into the unknown. Visualizing this ride as with everything else begins with the end in mind.  The attached picture is Kathy and I finishing my first multi-day ride (the MS 150 benefitting the National Multiple Sclerosis Society), which was 188 miles from Houston to Austin. That is what I visualize every single day of training for Ride The Rockies as I get back home (VICTORY).

Training for this ride consists of a minimum of 10 hours on the bike every single week, so one of the best parts is having that much time to think about where “I am”, who “I am” and where “I am” going in my life.  

In those hours on the bike one can think a lot of things, but the one thing I always come back to is that “I AM THE FLATLANDER DAD”!