Lucky 13

This is the real secret of life--to be completely engaged with what you are doing in the here and now.  And instead of calling it work, realize it is play.

-Alan Watts

Each road leads to a new playground--this was the top of a roller coaster

Not all who wander are lost.  Well, uh, that wasn't my case yesterday.  Okay, so I wasn't "lost" per se, but I did take a wrong turn on what was supposed to be about an 85 miler, and because I was a bit blitzed out by the beautiful landscape, I didn't realize it for about four miles.  When I finally got back on track, I chose to take the hard way home--just because it was there.  I'm not sure if I was fueled by sheer determination to complete my thirteenth century of the year or because I just had a wonderful lunch with a cycling friend, either way, it felt great being out in the crisp autumn air all day long.

So now that I have reached my stupid little goal, with the added miles of riding down to the Saris gala (Mark Maffitt--thanks for giving me my goal for next year!), it's time to play.  No more of this numbers game, training, or subjecting myself to wind riding when I don't need to.  Nope, it's time for pancake rides, halloween rides and all around shenanigans.  Not that most of the other rides I did during the year didn't have serious elements of play, but there was always the word "training" looming over my head.  Well, I am happy to say, I can set that mindset aside for a few months and just goof off (when I say this by no means do I mean I'll be stationary).  Oh, it's also coming up on running season.  The time of year when I can go out for an hour, without "gearing up" much, and get the same intensity as a three hour ride.  You'll see me hobbling around like a broken woman for about two weeks, but then it will be "fun"...really it will be!

More pancake rides please!

What I really look forward to is more social rides.  Rides to pubs/breweries, rides to breakfast, rides with others when it's -20 windchill and I need friends to drag my ass out of the house and hold me accountable.  Yes, it's a shifting of seasons and a shifting of the mind.  As they'd say in Cajun country, laissez les bon temps roulez!