New resolve

I cannot say enough about Jill, from Up in Alaska. If you haven't read her account of her six days two hours and twenty minute journey through 350 miles of Alaskan trails on the Iditarod Trail Invitational, you should. Now. Go on...




I'll wait.




Trust me it's totally worth it.






Ok, then. Not just completely inspired by Jill's adventures (though I am) but also with the harsh reality that I'm now two months and five days behind on my goal to ride a "century a month" and qualify for a Larry Schwartz award...I need to start riding. (I can still qualify,I just now must ride one century in March, April, May, June, July, August, September, November and December. And in two of those months, ride two. Or in one of those months ride three.

I'm going to have to find my own century route to ride (and a way to track it) this month and in November and December. And honestly, probably in April (since managing to get down to St George for the Cactus Hugger may not be realistic, I have to convince Robyn that she wants to go down there with me since we just have the one car between us...)

I'm not worried about the two a month, since there are two I'm planning to ride in May, July and August (one a double!) but I've got to seriously make myself start riding now to avoid missing March as well and blowing the whole thing, all because I'm lazy or bored or something and can't seem to get out and ride 100 miles on my own. (In my defense, it has been a cold winter. With lot's of snow.)

But I have to do it. And it's not like the months getting any shorter either. I've already let the 1st weekend go by and we'll be down in Texas the last weekend. So, that means that I have to ride 100 miles next weekend, or one of the two following. No problem, really. I just have to do it.


Can you tell I'm trying to pump myself up? It's not working much. In theory, I'm all over this. In reality, I let every little excuse keep me off the bike.

It's not like I'll have to sleep in a snow bank along the way. Really. I should harden up.