what I need

I took my dogs for a walk this morning, as I do every morning, and one thing I can say with certainty: it's cold! Near freezing this morning, not much warmer now. A high predicted for the mid-40s with rain moving in. The leaves are changing colors and starting to drop from the branches. I love warm fall days followed by cool, window-open, good-sleeping-weather nights. What I don't care for is winter trying to take the stage before her cue.

The last couple of months have featured only a handful of rides. It's been work, weather, and other obligations. But those are all excuses. As much as I enjoy the trips I've made to Colorado to ride in the mountains, when I get back home, the farmland of eastern Kansas pales in comparison. There's nothing wrong with re-living the past, remembering people, places, and feelings of accomplishment. Nothing wrong with eagerly anticipating re-visiting adventures you've enjoyed, and tackling new ones.

But, I don't want to forget to live in the present, enjoy the ride for it's own sake. Even with this weather, I'm sure we'll enjoy several more weeks suitable to riding, layered as it may be. Then it will be indoors, on the trainer. I'm looking into a training DVD to help make the trainer more enjoyable: http://www.epicplanet.tv/catalog/ , but they had to postpone filming in Colorado until next year. So, I need to get out on the road while I still can.

Maybe I need to find some new places to ride. I mean, the scenery in the mountains is spectacular, but part of what I love about riding there is seeing something I haven't seen before, the joy of discovery. If I can find some routes that I can reach from home, and maybe an organized ride to look forward to and train for, maybe I can re-ignite my spark.

Don't get me wrong, I'm still going to spend an inordinate amount of my free time reading about and planning for my next trip to Colorado. CRMBT will visit a few of my favorite places before moving on to some new ground, and giving me a second chance at Mt Evans. And I want to find another ride I have not done; BAK, CANDISC, RRIBT are a few, among many, that I would like to try.

For now, though, I promise to take the next chance to ride, and get on the bike. I'll take the camera with me, and share anything new I can find. And, if you happen to find my mojo, please leave a message here. There is a reward!