Time Trial

Today I rode the Kampeska Classic Time Trial. It was a nice fun 14 mile ride... This course has a few hills, but nothing to the likes of Nebraska. I had a time of 45.21 which I was hoping to break 44, but I had a major error as I turned a corner and almost crashed. It took me a lot to regain my speed of 23 mph, but I'm glad I didn't crash. I won my age division and broke the course record today for my age group, but I got beat. I'm kinda disappointed about that. I didn't even know that there was another women ahead of me that I was competing with. She had a time of 42.57, so I'm pretty sure I couldn't have beaten her, but more props to her! It was fun to work that hard and have a lot of speed. I've had some challenging riding this spring already and can only hope for more this summer.

43 miles

I went for a 43 mile ride today. It was nice and chilly out there... After I rode, I came back made me a whole box of Annie's Mac and Cheese (Organic, good for the Environment, 25 grams of protein, 560 calories.) Pretty sure it was one of the best things I've eaten ever.

Lewis and Clark

Today I went hiking at Lewis and Clark lake with Eric. It was beautiful! My new plan is to ride my bike to the park, run the nature trail and swim in the lake. Maybe a tri or two would be a fun thing to do this summer. (A mini) I have been training for a half marathon, but, I'm going to have to get up earlier because it gets warmer and my runs are taking longer... So, I'm excited to maybe get some swimming in too! Life is good right now. Love my Job, Love where I live, Love it... Life is good.

I've been running lately trying to build up my miles so I can kick some butt in a Tri this summer... But I've been riding too... On Friday, Eric and I took a spin on the Twin Schwinn. This bike has it all. The bells and the whistles. If you saw us riding the twin schwinn around in Vermillion, Pretty sure there would have been a smile on your face. We brightened the day of countless people. Hopefully this picture will make you smile.

Monday I went for a LSD ride. Long Slow Distance. Long= the amount of time it took. Slow= the speed at which I was moving. and Distance= to Elk Point and back. Sort of a recovery ride I guess. It was nice and relaxing and I felt very strong going into the wind because it was only blowing 12 mph. Yesterday I went for a 4 mile run, which was also Long and Slow. But I'm ok with that. It gives me time to think. I started my first day of work yesterday and I think I have found my calling... A waitress/bartender. Ha. Just kidding. Although I did have a good time. It is a lot of work and although one may not realize it, I'm too short for the job. :) I can barely see above the bar and reaching into the cooler I just about fall in. All is good though. Maybe I'll be stretched out and get taller out of the deal. I gave away my pet Gecko's to Jaimie last night. This was a little sad, but I think they will have a better home. Now at Pete and Jan's I live with 3 dogs and 2 cats. It makes for a busy but fun house. I'm going to like it. So I'm off for another morning ride. It sucks that most of you have day jobs and can't join me! But I always get the best weather!

We are still talking about it...

I had a friend stop by while I was blogging and finished my post early, but after the Bob's to Bunyan's to Bob's ride, Eric, his parents and I all went to the Chinese Student Association's benefit for the Earthquake. (Yes we rode our bikes there) It was amazing to me that Saturday morning I was riding my bike and my only cares in the world was finishing the ride and having fun with those who rode along with me. Yet, some of the Chinese students that put on the benefit for their country probably had family that died, or were buried under rubble. And maybe some didn't even know anyone that was there, but they felt an allegiance to their people. It is interesting to me that people will band together in times of difficulty--Thats promising to me because I think we may have a tough time ahead of our country and our world. With climate change, rising prices and food shortages things are going to be difficult, but maybe if we all work together--African Americans, Native Americans, Caucasians, Chinese, Europeans, Iraqis, Arabs, Jews, Muslims, Africans--the entire world, maybe then we can co-exist in peace. I guess I think that until we find a way to have renewable resources, we will continue to fight resource wars unless somehow we can work together and solve these problems together. Its simple, I know. But does a solution have to complicated? Can't we just put our differences aside and learn to love people for who they are? Maybe I'm dreaming, but why can't it be a reality?

Bunyan's to Bob's

Yesterday I went on a great ride and learned a TON about myself and uncommon friendships. A group of us road from Bunyan's to Bob's and a smaller group of us made if from Bob's back to Bunyan's. The night before I hadn't been feeling well and threw up once, but I drank a lot of water and put on my big girl panties and rode anyways. That may not have been the wisest decision. I really wasn't feeling well for quite a while on the ride, but I tried to stay in good spirits and learned that cycling is a mental sport. But then I learned that I was insane. Who in their right mind would ride thirty some miles to go to a place that served huge burgers? Who would ride when they were a Vegetarian? So getting to Bob's was really enjoyable and I had fun meeting new people and getting to know old friends better. The 7 miles into the wind when we turned on to highway 9 were foreshadowing what was to come on the return trip. It wasn't easy thats for sure but it was a character builder. So at Bob's I enjoyed cheese balls (A HUGE AMOUNT!) and a free grilled cheese, but better than anything was drinking water and telling the war stories of the ride. It felt good being among friends who experienced something else that no one in the world could experience if they weren't there. After learning that Bob's didn't have a sink in the bathroom, we watched people who left the bathroom without washing their hands (GROSS) and laughed at them. After our bellies were full, we hopped back on our bikes hoping for the wind to changes directions. Our hope was wrong and for 7 miles we went with the wind but for the remainder of the trip we battled the wind sometimes going at turtle-crawling speed. There was times that I hardly keep my bike vertical as I battled the intense 25 mph wind. For a few miles the sag wagon drove in front of me letting me take the draft. It was excellent and it helped me out so much! As I arrived in New Castle I got a second wind. I took a little rest and hopped back on my bike. As we were biking we caught a couple of other riders who were stopped. A derailleur had exploded. My friend Ed caught me and we peddled together for a ways. This was really fun for me because the uncommon friendship that Ed and I have had for the past year from Carey's and Church was solidified a bit more through biking.He encouraged me and we kept our spirits high and soon, we were over the bridge. Even though e peddling downhill, and were still working hard, we had a good time. The last two miles of the trip were the hardest. Our speed dropped to less the 7 mph at times and I struggled to keep pedaling but as we rounded the corner to go up Winery hill, the wind's force finally was in our favor and pushed us up to Bunyan's. Our ride was complete. I celebrated with a beer. I was happy. I learned that despite all odds, I could finish even when I doubted myself. It was tough but it was a character builder.

How about riding my bike from North Vietnam through Laos, Cambodia, and Thailand. Then fly to South Africa and hang out there for a while and then to Morocco and ride to Portugal. Then take the train to Spain and Paris. And from Paris fly back to the states. Sounds like a plan an excellent plan.

I need an adventure...

I want to do something crazy... absolutely nuts... Maybe like going to Papua New Guinea and working in an aids clinic for a while... Or biking across Japan? Maybe Loas? I just want to learn and live and see and do and help for a while... Change people but mostly change myself.

Done...

Isn't it funny that when one thing is over it affects something else so much that something new starts? I'm in need of adventure. Maybe something like this beach outing? I'm thinking something really crazy... Absolutely nuts. Extreme. And why not? I would rather live to day and take advantage of my youth, health, and freedom... I want to do something that is risky, dangerous and UNCERTAIN EXPERIENCES! I really don't want my life to be boring nor do I want to miss out on exciting opportunities I can dream up! Part of me wants to do these adventures for me but a much bigger part of me wants to do these adventures to better where we live... The world. Joining, uniting, loving, caring, helping and learning... thats what I want my adventure to entail. Life... as we should aspire to live it...

Sometimes life has its downer moments... Today I had mine... Even though I tried and gave something my best, I still failed... And that feeling of failure sucks... But what sucks worse is disappointment. Because I failed I disappointed my parents and myself. Even though I gave it my best shot. Yes, I'll try again. I have to... But, what happens if I fail then? I gave it my best shot... I prepared as much as I could, but still failed. And unfortunately it effects so much more than it should... Just one failure... My friend said it will all work out, well, it might, but what if it doesn't... It very well might not work out too... Then I guess something else will work out and even though I've worked so hard for one thing, I'll end up getting something less than what I wanted. My heart is heavy with this burden and it sucks because this is the time in life I shouldn't be burdened by anything... I should be soaring and flying and living life with no strings and nothing holding me back... But unfortunately thats not the case.

combos.

Yesterday I went for a bike ride with Ben... I love when I get the chance to go out on a really nice day and spend it outside and its even better when I get to be in the company of one of my friends. Right now, its close to Thunder Storming outside... I do enjoy a good thunderstorm and a book. Together there is no better combination. Bicycling with friends, books and Thunderstorms, life is great with all the endless possibilities of combos.

"So many people live withing unhappy circumstances and yet will not take the initiative to change their situation because they are conditioned to a life of security, conformity, and conservatism, all of which may appear to give one peace of mind, but in reality nothing is more damaging to the adventurous spirit within a man than a secure future. The very basic core of a man's living spirit is his passion for adventure. The joy of life comes from our encounters with new experiences, and hence there is no greater joy than to have an endlessly changing horizon, for each day to have a new and different sun." --Chris "Alex Supertramp" McCandless

Today was my Senior Flute recital... Next week I graduate... Life is going to change... I don't know what will happen in the next months ahead. But I do know that I don't want to lose my adventure.

I have to make some decisions soon, and unfortunately, either decision I make will make someone unhappy... And that is never easy... I have to wonder what the best decision is for me... It isn't clear cut, it isn't shouting out to me, and I just want to be happy... But what is happy?? It seems that I can be happy with whatever situation I am presented with, but could that mean I haven't found true happiness? Maybe because I don't know what happiness is?

Or maybe I do know happiness... Maybe I know it better than other people that I'm not willing to sacrifice it for something I don't love...