From My Old Website...

2003 Ride the Rockies symbol memorialized at the 2009 Quilts at the Capitol

14 March 2003

I rode my bike to work today, showered, then sat down at my desk to begin working on a couple of projects left over from yesterday. My friend Mike brought the mail. We chatted for a few minutes about snowshoeing last weekend and the best lakes in Glacier Gorge. He asked what I plan to do this weekend, and I told him I might go back up to Rocky Mountain National Park, but that I probably ought to start riding my bike every weekend, just in case I get drawn for Ride the Rockies.

I’ve been checking my mail every day, but nothing yet. There’s still another week before the news is supposed to be delivered.

I got a phone call, and Mike had to leave while I took a message. When I got off the phone, I started to go back to work, but I noticed a Denver Post packet on my desk addressed to me.

I knew what it was. My heart soared, and then stopped dead cold. Without even opening it, I knew what it was, and I was so excited, I wanted to jump up and down and scream for the whole building to hear, but I also wanted to die of a heart attack. I knew there was no way I could make the 107-mile-day. I don’t have what it takes.

I slowly tore open the envelope and pulled out the verification packet. I’m in. I’m in Ride the Rockies. I finally got drawn for Ride the Rockies!!!

I am in utter shock. I am terrified. I am so intimidated. And yet, I got what I wanted. I wanted to do this. This is my chance to prove I can do something hard. Something very physically demanding. I can prove I can take a beating and still survive. I can prove it to my kids. I can prove it to myself.

It is going to be so hard. And I really am terrified that I’m in over my head.

But I’m going to give it my best shot. I’m going to try to condition myself and get my knees stronger. I’m going to try to be able to ride up hills without getting off my bike to walk.

The adrenaline rush powered me up Fatal Hill tonight. I know that’s nothing compared to the mountain passes in Ride the Rockies, much less the ones I plan to tackle to train. I’ve always wanted to ride Trail Ridge Road. I wanted to do Ride the Rockies so I could do Trail Ridge Road. Now I might do Trail Ridge Road to get ready for Ride the Rockies.

Go figure!

I think I will do Mount Evans and Independence Pass, too, as well as Guanella Pass. If I can do those, I can do the Ride the Rockies.

And I get the jersey.

Woohoo! Not on ebay, not at Velo Swap, not at a thrift shop. I’ll get the jersey, and the training T-shirt, because I EARNED THEM.

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