Epiphany Ride: Europe

Col du Petit St. Bernard (FRA)

It's been a while...I know. Believe me...I know. I appreciate all of the "where's the update?" mail. I have missed writing, it's just...well...I needed a break to get my shit in gear and time to think about the meaning of what I was doing. It is quite emotional to end a career, even if it is on a high note. But all is good.

I have not really had a chance to actually sit down and just breathe for quite a while. I got scared the other morning as my alarm went off. I actually woke up in this weird place that I sort of recognized...my own bed. It's true. I had a hard time remembering where I was. I have really not been around since I left for Mt Washington Hill Climb back in August. I was home for a couple of days then it was off to Worlds in Canada. After that I was home for a couple of days then it was off to Europe for a couple of weeks. Upon my return (of one day) I boarded yet another plane and went to work at Interbike in Vegas for the week. I finally got home ...and decided that I couldn't stay at home. I needed to get away from the pending pile of duffels and bikes that sit piled in my living room, so I left for the weekend. I needed it. I managed to sit by a lake, without my bike and just breathe. It probably sounds weird, but you should try it sometime. It feels great.
Since then, I have done a lot of reassembly to the other parts of my life. When you spend as much time on the bike as I did, a lot of things get pushed aside. So now I am in the process of doing all of those things I set aside reluctantly or not. Lately, I have reunited with friends and family, managed to get in some epic riding in the Sierras before the winter sets in, and worked on my new career at Clif Bar. Many of you have asked me if I have had a problem settling in to my new job and my new life. Do I miss what I was? The simple answer is no. It was time. I was ready to give it my all and then be satisfied with the results. I loved EVERY second of my time training and racing. There was not a pedal stroke that went by that I did not appreciate. But as the saying goes, "Life goes on." I still love riding my bike, and that is the way I always want it to be. But I love a lot of other things too.
My travels have given me so much perspective on life, and it is the bike that has provided me with these opportunities. To sum up what I have seen and learned would nearly impossible.
I will provide stories and pictures as time warrants, but for now let me just share a defining moment...
As a ride leader on MS Global, I was able to share in many personal victories as we rode around Mont Blanc in September. The third day of MS Global, the skies opened up. Rain and wind with the possibility of snow were the forecast. We were to climb the highest and longest pass of the entire trip, Le Grand St. Bernard from Switzerland to Italy. The last 15k was some of the toughest stretch of road I have seen on a bike.
I rode with a strong group of riders, of which a few had MS. For one person in particular, it was her first time riding in Europe. She had no idea what was in store for her coming from Houston where the highest point there is the pitchers mound in the Superdome. We were riding over the shoulder of Mont Blanc. No easy feat even for a seasoned rider like myself. She had it in their mind that she was going to conquer the climb of the day no matter what. With me riding in support…every pedal stroke of the way offering words of encouragement, I caught a glimpse of a Serono rider ahead. It was at that moment that I had an epiphany. In front of me was a Serono Rider. Without Serono and the MS drugs they produce many individuals with MS would not be able to ride a bike, go for a hike or just maintain a quality of life. Right behind me was one of the fundraising cyclists. Without fundraising efforts of the cyclists MS research would not be funded. On my left side was the van with the staff. Without the Tyler Hamilton Foundation and the staff we would not all have come together. And on my right was an individual with MS, determined to reach the top. We all need each other, one depending on the other. MS Global is about community, working together in the fights against MS.
I highly recommend doing something like the MS Global. It is a life altering experience in which you will not only challenge yourself physically, but you will enrich the lives of many in the process.

More to come soon, I promise. For now...

Enjoy the ride.