Are you ridin'? Or are you hidin'?

For the better part of five years now, I have had the privilege of riding with some of my best friends. Every morning, rain or shine, before the sun rises often times, at least one of these guys has accompanied me on training rides. I ride because of them. Without them, I would have flaked on myself a lot of those cold, rainy, windy mornings. I went because they were going. We rode regardless and they were some of the greatest moments in my life.
Each one of their strengths challenged me in different ways. They were my self proclaimed punching bags. Every morning I would tell them my workout, and for the next 30 minutes or so it would take to warm up, they would always lag behind me, conspiring on who was going to do what to me and when. In fact, one day I showed up for a climbing workout and Seth arrived with two 20 pound bags of kitty litter and some backpacks. He wanted Josh and I to know what it was like for a larger, Sprinter like rider like himself to ride in the hills with two spindly little climbers like us. So we gladly wore the backpacks while he attacked us on every steep climb. My legs still hurt...three years later. But I would not have missed it for the world.
The pinnacle of our training season each year was a retreat to my family cabin nestled in the Central Sierras on the West side of Sonora Pass. We would ride the 88 mile round trip to the top of Sonora Pass climbing arguably one of the hardest, steepest roads in the country with sustained one mile stretches of 26% grade in two places on the last nine miles to the top.
All the while we knew that these great times on the bike together would not last, which made the times that much sweeter. And so it is that those times have passed, happily.
Seth and his wife, Heather brought a beautiful girl, Eleanor into this world a couple of months ago. Just mere moments ago, I got word that Josh and Nicole gave birth to healthy twin boys, Baby "A" and Baby "1". As they have yet to choose names, Seth and I are lobbying to have them named after us.
Seth and Josh, you guys mean the world to me. I am riding because of you. I would not have accomplished the things I have on the bike if it were not for your support. There is not a kilometer that passes that I don't miss you. I miss the morning coffee sessions, and the city limit sprints. I will miss looking over my shoulder on Sonora Pass just to make sure that you are hurting as much as I am. If I find myself standing on the box one more time this season, just know, that it would not be...without you. That being said, I could not be happier for you guys. Thank you for the gift you have given me, and congratulations on your new families. I can't wait to watch them grow up. I dedicate my season to your lovely children.
Enjoy the ride!