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!