How I Spent My Summer Vacation

     A year ago I never would have imagined myself riding in a 150 mile bicycle relay race.  Three months ago I never would have imagined myself riding my bike across part of the Canadian Yukon and Southern Alaska.  But that is what I just did.   Instead of saying "Why," I say "Why not," and give it a try.  You never know when a new experience will teach you more about yourself.  I am amazed at myself for what I just accomplished due to this outlook.

     The Kulane Chilkat International Bike Relay Race is a 148 mile road ride which starts 100 miles into the Canadian Yukon.  It travels into British Columbia's mountain ranges for about 70 miles of hill climbing, continues to ascend through alpine tundra and muskegs left behind by melted ice fields, drops into a temperate rain forrest while crossing the Canadian-U.S. Boarder, and finally faces a headwind for 30 flat miles while following the Chilkat river into the quiet fishing village of Haines, Alaska.  (Haines is also know for its high concentration of Heli-ski touring during the winter.  Note to self for future adventures)

     There were about 1200 riders in the relay.  65% of them were riding on 8-person relay teams.  53 Riders completed the race Solo.  Sarah and I tackled the terrain as a 2-person team (there were only 12 total woman's 2-person teams).  

     I really have Sarah Bisbing to thank for this amazing adventure!  Not only did she get me up here to ride my bike, but she also rocked the 70 mile hill climb!  She is so inspiring!  And of course, a huge thank you goes out to Blue Dog, who was the captain of our support squad!

     We scouted the ride the night before as we drove to Haines Junction, Yukon, Canada.  Certainly big mountains, big climbs, steep downhills.  As I looked around at the other racers during the Captain's Meeting the night before I felt kinda nervous.  I had played competitive sports before, but its been a while since I have been in a competitive situation.  We were just here for fun, and for the personal challenge.  I told myself "I will be OK, because I am on my bicycle."  

     When Sarah rolled into Checkpoint 4, she handed me our timer baton, and I handed her the car keys.  Very few words were exchanged.  I was anxious to get on my bicycle, and she had just spent 4 hours climbing mountains.  So, I was off!

     Mile 1: It's on!  No warm up.  Get on your bike and go!

     Mile 2 - 25: Feeling strong!  Pedaling as fast as I can.  Moving up hills, even passing a few folks while climbing.  But...the weather is different on the other side of the mountain pass.

     Mile 25 - 40: the downhill!  Wow!  That was flying!  And pedaling as quick as I can to go even faster!

    Mile 40 - 60: the adrenaline high kicks in.  I come to the Canadian Boarder.  I have to slow up and get off my bicycle.  The first time I dismounted my bike since I started.  I pull my passport out.  It feels good to stand on wobbly legs.  The standard set of boarder crossing questions rattle forth from the U.S. officer.  When asked if I was carrying any weapons... My first thought was of a quote on a Belle Starr Bicycle Gang t-shirt, from Ani DiFranco, which says "any tool is a Weapon if you know how to use it."  So,... yes officer, I AM carrying a weapon, actually I am riding a weapon.

  

     Mile 60 - 75: the mental battle.  I've started comparing past rides, thinking of all the miserable situations or suffering I've been through on my bicycle.  I made it out ok.  I can still do this.  I can't believe my muscles are still moving.  Did my training really work?  How much farther do I have?  How much farther do I have?

     Mile 75 - 77: How much farther do I have? Can I smell the halibut stew?  Why is my phone beeping?  After getting a flood of sounds from my cell phone, (which finally reached a point where it had service again) I decided to pull it out of my bag and take a look.  It was amazing!  Right at a point where I needed encouragement the most, my phone received all the messages from my friends back in Colorado!!  "Crush it!"  "Get it!"  "Pedal like the Wind!"  It was so awesome to feel their support.  

     Mile 77: A nice man and his daughter catch me and invite me to join their draft line.  They were on an 8-man team.  I did not feel guilty for using them as a wind break.

   Mile 78: The finish line.  Really?  Is that really it?  The course turns into Haines, toward the fairgrounds.  There is one last hill climbing up to the finish.  Amazingly I find enough energy to push strong up the hill, pull ahead of the group I had been riding with the last three miles.  And cross the finish line!  78.7 miles total.  The farthest I have ever ridden on my bicycle.  The most beautiful bike ride I have ever taken.  

     I cross the finish line.  I hand in our time stick.  I stand there, in a daze, not knowing how I feel, not realizing Sarah had been calling my name.  She takes my bike so I can focus on just walking.  She hands me a beer.  It's delicious.  I already know I will do this again next year.  

   As one Canadian put it "The Beavers and the Wolverines are whopping it up!"  I came up here for the challenge.  And, I did it!  I can only hope to remember: the rain, the wind, the mountains, the tundra, the miles... 

     The view!  

          The downhill!  

               The feeling of the last hill to the finish line!

Remember:  I did it!

Welcoming the Unknown

     It hasn't quite hit me yet.  Where I am going or what I will be doing...  In fact, other than the bike race, I have no idea what is in store for me.  I think I like it that way!

     Sitting here, in the Denver Airport, I finally have a moment to think about this.  Welcoming the Unknown. Leaving day-to-day life behind.  I traveled a lot in my past, whether for business trips, or personal road trips.  I couldn't sit still then.  But ever since I fell in love with my bicycle, I haven't left my little community, traveling no farther than my bicycle could carry me.  A week ago, I packed up my bicycle.

     Adriene's bicycle actually.  I decided to take a real road racing machine!  Broke it down to its smallest form.  Wheels, pedals, brakes, handle bars, front fork, derailleur,... Uhhhhhh.  I hope I can put this pretzel back together!  I meet back up with the bicycle on Wednesday in Juneau.

     Until then, I will take it all in.  What ever "it" is.  Right now, that would be the unique culture of Denver's airport.  It's not like downtown fort collins.  People don't smile back, however they do sit around staring at each other.  I try to play a guessing game to figure out where they are traveling to based on what kind of clothing they are wearing.  You can always pick out those silly Californians.  They fly in flip-flops, even to Alaska!

When It Is Written in Flesh

     When It's Written In Flesh:  A Girl must ride her bike.  But,... Does the girl etched on my back define me?  Or did I define her?  

     I've never been very good at New Years' Resolutions.  They're fun for a week, but my lack of discipline has never seen them through to an end.  However, on the eve of 2011, I vowed to complete the spirit animal totem tattoo on my back.  After four 3 hour sessions, it ended up looking more like a scene I would one day find myself in, than a northwestern animal totem.  Still, it contains the inspiration I wanted to draw from.  It speaks of my past and it illustrates my future. 

     The spirit animals within my totem scene are the Bear, the Raven, and the Wolf.  Although, the girl is the one representing the wolf.  Predator is sometimes Prey, and Prey is sometimes a Girl who is stronger than you might realize.

      I did not ask for the mountain and moon elements filling in the background.  However, I was merely a canvas for Ish, my amazing skin artist.  As soon as I saw the mountains my first thought was... Alaska! I did not realize what would follow... Three weeks after the final session on my back, I was invited to ride my bike across the Canadian Yukon and Southern Alaska!  Now, I am two weeks away from departing to Northern Territories.

     The ride is an 8 leg relay race starting in Canada, traveling 148 miles up over the Canadian Rockies, across the U.S./Canada border, then down the Chilkat River into Haines, AK.  Teams consist of 8, 4, 2, or solo riders.  I will be riding on a team of two.  Count em... One.... Two.  That means we will each be riding 70+ miles, consecutively.  I haven't ever ridden my bike that far, consecutively...

Would I have agreed to take this challenge if the Girl wasn't on my back?  Who knows.  But now it is written on my flesh.  Now I always carry her strength with me.  Now... I better keep riding my bike!!  Cause I got some training to do!

Ride Into The Wind

     I choose to ride into the Wind.  Its not easy.  But I don't want the easy road.  Is that wrong?  Today there was a headwind.  Today there was a long hill.  A hill with a headwind!  Yay!  I torture myself to gain strength for bigger rides to come.  A battle between my mind and my body's rhythm will surface.  My mind attempts to convince my body that its finished, that I should turn around.  Yet, my feet still revolve as my heart and breath beat like the whole notes of a heavy reggae song.  

     It is this rhythm that moves me forward, both on my bicycle and in my life.  Sometimes, in life you must also choose to ride into the wind.  For me, this equates to building a life that is different and unexpected.  A life that is shared immensely, but also contains a secret space for myself to escape to.  A life where I can inspire others by pushing my limits, frequently stepping outside my comfort zone, and continuing to connect the world around me.  None of this will be easy.  I am not a rider who drops into a low gear ratio and spins up a hill.  The quick pedaling speed doesn't suit my personality.  I prefer to stay in higher gears, take the weight, and with my mellow beat feel each step of the way.  

     Then, will come the downhill.  Why is speed such a satisfying feeling?  Whether on my bicycle or my snowboard, bombing a curvy mountain path makes me just feel...Beautiful.  Maybe its the graceful body movements as I tuck and drop into fast curves.  Maybe its the way the air feels moving over my bare skin.  Maybe it is self-satisfaction and confidence for achieving the top of that hill I just climbed.  For a moment I am like the Raven, riding the air currents with out effort....

I push back, 

     release my hands from the bars, 

           and straighten my arms out to each side.  

Flying.

     When I started my ride today, Green Day's "21 Guns" kicked off my thoughts by asking if I "knew what's worth fighting for."  As I rode back toward town to end the ride, the low sunlight added an extra orange hue to the already red rock cliffs, and "Don't Stop Believing" by Journey kicked up on my ipod. 

"working hard to get my fill

everybody wants a thrill

paying anything to roll the dice... just one more time

some will win, some will loose"

...

"but don't stop believing, hold on to that feeling"

     So I won't Stop... Believing in what I'm riding for.  Because if I keep on riding my bike, things will fall into place.  And I believe that, because it has already started happening.

How To Build A Life

     In Four Simple Steps.

     Step 1:  SURROUND YOURSELF WITH INSPIRATION.  Decide what you want in your life, what inspires you, and make those things visible. I have wandered enough in life to know the elements that draw my attention, challenge me, and inspire me to fall deeper in love with life.  I do not sleep under the stars every night, but the moon is painted on my ceiling.  I am not a competitive athlete, but I still ride my bike everyday.  When my soul says "its time to get away," I find adventure.  When my life is too routine, too settled, I step outside my comfort zone.  These are constants in my life.  These are the elements that inspire me.  And, of course the people in my life.  They all have different experiences to build on, and new ideas to explore.  Listen to their stories.

     Step 2:  VISUALIZE YOUR COMMUNITY.  Be a dreamer.  "If you build it, they will come."  It's amazing the wisdom that is stored inside you.  Intuitively, you know right from wrong, what feels good verses what feels bad.  Community, family, creativity, love, all comes from what feels good.  For ME, being able to grow food in a garden, ride bikes, exercise creativity, physically challenge myself, and nuture the people in my life is what feels good.  So this is the base for my community, the foundation for my life.  

     Step 3: LIVE LIKE YOU ALREADY HAVE IT.  Yea.  Do exactly that.  

    Step 4: WAKE UP AND REALIZE YOU ARE ALREADY LIVING THE LIFE YOU WANTED TO BUILD.  I realized this one day... I actually have (most) all components of the life I wanted for myself.  Certainly the accomplishments and dedication from my earlier years have helped me get a jump on resources, but I had to actually start living the life I wanted, not just talk about it, or think about.  And now, each day it is all around me.

     So, once again... keep riding that bike girl.  Short, long, fast, slow, no matter how you go, keep on rolling forward.  Ride on!

Safety Tips: Biking with Ice Cream

     Here's what I learned today about the safety considerations to take when eating ice cream while commuting to work on my bicycle.  Not to be attempted by beginner cyclists.  An ability to ride with no hands is key.  Unless you are eating an ice cream cone.  However, this "glutard" must eat her ice cream out of a bowl...

     

     The use of a SpokeStyles Handlebar Bag can be very useful for holding the ice cream container.  The one handed spoon scoop is effective for consuming the ice cream while riding through traffic.  Still, be sure to choose the road or trail you are traveling on carefully.  A busy road, such as one near a university at 4pm on a thursday afternoon, is not ideal for biking with ice cream.  Neither is a winding bike trail that is badly in need of being re-paved.  Sloshing of melting ice cream may occur onto your handle bars, your pants, and your face.

     Another important safety decision is what flavor of ice cream to chose if you should be wearing white pants.  Chocolate ice cream with chocolate sauce on top is a very delicious choice, however, the bumps of the road may launch droplets of that liquid goodness onto your white pants.

   

     Strawberries, although they are a great compliment to the chocolate syrup, can be a dangerous choking hazard.  Be sure to cut them into smaller pieces, or just stick with the marshmellows.  The "Bicycle Heimlich" maneuver is quite humorous for passing cars to witness, however it is inconvient to stop your bicycle in order to clear your air passageway.  

     Riding bikes and eating ice cream are both enjoyable activities.  However, I found that they might be better enjoyed separately

 
     Lastly, be sure to WIPE THAT DAMN SMILE OFF YOUR FACE.

Love: The Tandem Story, part 1

This is not a love story.  This is a bike story about a Tandem named Love.

     Originally, the Tandem was parked in front of my neighbor's house.  Whenever I would pass by, the purple fender and contrasting rusty brown frame would catch my eye, and I would long for a tandem of my own.  There is just something about a bicycle built for two.  After a few months of watching her from a far, I ran into the neighbor.  A few drinks at the bar later, he had mentioned giving the tandem to someone who would give her the attention that was needed.  I wanted that to be me.  And before the conversation could be forgotten, the immobilized tandem was leaning against MY house.  

     I have always believed that the day I feel like myself, is the day I can let love into my life.  Well, I have certainly discovered myself over this last year through various bicycles.  The bicycle has helped me face the many challenges life has thrown at me.  My spirit is strong.  My community is established.  My soul is happy.  And now, into my life comes "Love," my well weathered tandem.  

     Her front handlebars won't stand up.  The seat is missing something comfortable.  The wheel spokes are unstable from corrosion.  One down tube has gone awol, the other still grips tightly to the bike, but its opposite end is trying to jump ship.  The chains are just done.  The chain rings are dull, bent from abuse.  The tires are trying to biodegrade, quite a feat for rubber.  Yet, she is still so beautiful to me.  I can see that Love needs love as much as I need something to love.  

     So the journey begins... Before rebuilding Love, I first have to strip her of everything she may have carried before.  The wheels will become a structure for sugar snow peas to grow on in the garden.  The chains will be part of my rain gutter down spouts.  The cranks I'm still deciding on.  But that purple fender... I still can't keep my eye off that  purple fender.  

     So, I carried her naked frame to my favorite bicycle welder and fellow Cache La Gaucho Society rider, Mr. Zach Yendra.  Frankenstein-Bike-Builder-Extrodinaire!  Custom-Bicycle-Saddle-Sewing Man!  Tall-Guy-With-Long-Blonde-Hair!  She is in creative hands.  Now the rebuilding begins...

     ...The story will continue...I have bigs plans for Love.  Love will carry me on new adventures.  And one day soon, I will finally get to take Love for a spin!