On this vacation of mine, I decided to use some time to reflect on the progress I've made. I'm not one for mushy gushy feelings and emotions, so this is the best I could do. Enjoy.
Like all aspects of my life, I got ahead of myself in planning this trip. I foresaw mountain biking, endless exploring, and the ability to see everything. Although some of this has come true, it was ultimately a misguided assumption.
For one, mountain biking with a trailer is a near impossible thing to do. The Parsons Branch Road in the Smokey Mountain was the most technical trail I would ever take a fully loaded trailer on, and it was only a seasonal gravel road.
Second, exploring takes time. Biking 70 to 90 miles a day doesn’t leave a ton of time to frolic in the woods. Some nights I barely want to cook dinner, let alone hike a mountain. I will try to be better about this though, especially moving into Colorado and Utah. There’s a lot to see out there, and I certainly don’t want to miss it.
Lastly, I expected more of myself than is realistically feasible...namely the Colorado Trail. Traversing an extremely technical 500 mile mountain biking route along the Rocky Mountains in the middle of a cross-county bike trip is a heck of a task. Doing it alone is another story all together. For that reason I am putting this goal on hold, and sticking to the more traveled (paved) roads through Colorado. Perhaps another time, when I have more time to plan, I will conquer the trail. Until then...
Most importantly though, this trip has far exceeded my expectations in every respect. I have met more people, been treated with more kindness, and experienced more than I ever thought. Every mile brings something new - whether I learn something about myself, someone else, or the area I’m traveling though.
I still have a long road ahead of me, but I can honestly say that this has been the experiance of a lifetime. I can think of nothing else I’d rather be doing, and I have stories that ’ll be telling for the rest of my life.
There have been challenges, moments of fear, and times when I thought I couldn't go on. I’ve grown because of these difficulties though, and my successes have kept me pedaling on. Everyday brings a new obstacle, but it’s the people, the progress, and the ultimate goal that pushes me forward.
It’s been an incredible experience so far, and I’m excited for all that lies ahead.
--Keep Reading! There's a new post below too:
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