Ride the Rockies

Ride the Rockies 2011

Every time I get ready to tackle the challenge of  Ride the Rockies there are so many elements of emotion that accompany the experience.  Memories of relationships with riders that have ridden with us in the past, the fear of pain due to lack of training, the excitement of a challenge, the panic of bringing the appropriate gear for the elements, and the joy of knowing that no matter what.......memories will be created.  This trip was one of my favorites.  It was my fifth year completing the tour but in many ways it felt like my first.  We stayed in tents ran by a Sherpa service which was awesome slash not awesome at the same time.  It was great to feel so connected to the tour and the other riders and it definitely felt hard core but it was freaking freezing.  The first two nights we went without sleep because we were so cold.  I think the only thing that got us through was our sense of humor.  When you are sleep deprived, fatigued, and your butt feels like it is on fire what else can you do but laugh.   For those of you who don't ride you might be reading this and wondering why in the world would you get excited about taking a trip where the conditions seem miserable.  Well, I can tell you that every uncomfortable experience is worth the pain.  Cycling in Colorado is so incredibly beautiful,but that really isn't why I like it.  It is also an amazing workout, also not really that important to me.  I think I am addicted to the ride for a combination of reasons. 1). The camaraderie. When you spend a week with people sweating, laughing, and completing a goal together it is just special.  2). The feeling of living.  Pushing myself beyond perceived limitations is extremely fulfilling to me.  Spending time out of my comfort zone and taking risks makes me feel alive.  3).  The quiet.  Even though sometimes I am listening to music, I like the ability to tune out the rest of the world and just be.

This year, unfortunately, there was a death on the tour.  We actually rode up to the accident shortly after it occurred.  It has been haunting me quite a bit the last couple of days.  As I rode by I knew he had already past away.  When I saw him they were no longer trying to revive him, the were preparing to load him into the emergency vehicle.  When we approached the rest stop I saw his wife whom  he had been riding with sobbing.  She was riding in front of him so thankfully she didn't witness the accident but was waiting to hear how he was doing.  I can't even imagine how much pain she is experiencing now.  It is a nice thought to die doing something that you love, but it is still a tragedy.  I believe he was only 59.  He still had many rides that he should have experienced.  You can't help but put things in your life in perspective when you witness something so devastating.  Especially when it could have happened to any one  of us.  I am coming home inspired to take my life up a notch.  When I was riding after that experience my all consuming thought was that I wanted and needed to spend more time being active with my kids.  It is way to easy to get caught up in everyday life and forget to live life to the fullest.

I loved the ride. I love the people I rode it with. I love the memories. I will cherish the experience forever.