Day 8 - Stick A Fork In Me

Trip Start Jun 02, 2008

Trip End Jun 26, 2008

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Flag of United States Sedona, Arizona, United States
Monday, June 9, 2008

And so it ends. Barely got any sleep last night because of "stomach issues". I am not a doctor, but I have watched some on TV, and I think it has to do with my new diet, which has consisted of gallons of gatorade supplemented by countless trail mix bars. Along with truck stop food for dinner. Yum. The "issues" continued into the morning. So, I decided I would have to take another off day. Which gave me time to think about my first week. Made a decision. First, I can not wander aimlessly around. Just like when my eyes first open in the morning, I have an overwhelming sense that life is passing me by and if I'm not moving toward a goal, I'm wasting precious time. Crossing the country under my own power seemed a worthy goal; one I would be proud to tell the grandkids about. An affirmation that, while I may be getting older, I can still accomplish grand things. Wandering around the West, while my family is home without me, feels like an embarrassing act of self indulgence. So, this will be my last post, I will be heading home

.

But, first, I would like to share with you some of what I have learned. Actually, "learned" may be a stretch, reminded of is probably closer to the truth. So here we go;

I am an incredibly fortunate guy. I said that in my introductory statement, so I knew it going in, but it is true in even more ways than I thought.I am fortunate because I have the good health and physical ability to get on a bike and drag it (albeit slowly), and me, through a desert, or up the side of a mountain. I continue to wear my yellow Lance band long after it is no longer cool, because every time I realize I have it on, I say a quiet thanks for my health. Too many people only miss it when it's gone.

I am fortunate to have a wife and family that was OK with the idea that I was going to take off for 3-4 weeks to try and accomplish something that I said was important to me. I am fortunate to have a collection of friends, neighbors, and acquaintances who took their time to follow along, laugh with me, or at me, and send messages of encouragement. Thanks for that.

My real life is so good that I miss it more, and sooner than I thought I would

Sedona

. If you go away on business, or whatever, for a couple of days, you can appreciate the change in routine and solitude and say to yourself, "Boy, this is nice". But add just a couple more days to it and that can change. A bunch. I am fortunate to have an unbelievably satisfying "real life" that I can return to.

And finally, maybe something for us all to think about. One of the themes that kept running through my head as I rode was how a cross country bike ride resembles life itself. As I rode, I could typically see just a small portion of the road ahead. I was fairly confident that I understood what it take for me to cover to that bit of ground. At the same time, I was unsure of what lay ahead. What challenges would the road throw at me, how would I handle them, and even, how much road would I have to cover? There were a lot of unknowns. Seemed to me the best way to deal with it was to enjoy the moment, even if it was a tough section, because you never knew when
the road would get even tougher. Not always easy to do. But boy, after you survived the hard parts, and the wind finally turned to your back, it was those tough sections behind you that helped you realize how good, good really was.

So, until next years attempt (that's a joke), thanks to all, see you around.