A test of resiliency
2020 has been the year of unexpected change.
Anyone else feel me on that?
It has been a struggle, y’all. One thing after another. I don’t think much of anything has gone right this year.
At least, that’s what I want to say. The truth is that there has been a lot of consistency, too. Just not in the areas I really want there to be consistency.
We have been consistently stuck at home, staying safe with no events to attend. We’ve been consistently enjoying all sorts of webinars and online concerts and horrible social media posts. For some of us, we’ve consistently upped our training load, for others, we’ve consistently lost that drive.
What’s been wildly inconsistent is the things we usually rely on: The world still turning, events still happening, people everywhere doing what they do at work, home, school ...
Nothing is feeling very normal right now. And sometimes, in the blink of an eye, everything changes.
In what was going to probably be altered anyway due to smoke from the raging Colorado wildfires, I will no longer be riding my Coast to Coast route for Athletic Brewing Co. Instead, we will be doing the mileage in a safe manner, off-road (or possibly gravel roads).
One of the organizers, Mason, was struck by a truck in Iowa. The driver side-swiped him on purpose, smashing a side mirror across his back and shoulders. It was an intimidation tactic that literally almost took his life.
It’s terrifying to think about this happening to one of our crew, and even more terrifying to have it actually happen. The good news is everyone is OK, and everyone is safe, and we are collectively celebrating rather than mourning.
I love getting out and riding as much as anyone. The truth is, though, that just one careless person could make for your last ride, could reduce you down to just a memory. One asshole could end your days and drive away and never look back. Or even one mistake on your part, or a fellow rider’s part, could be a life-altering experience.
So while I am bummed about not being able to answer the question I had from the beginning — can I really do this? — I am happy everyone is safe, and that we are still going from coast to coast, we are still riding, we are all still healthy and alive.
My fundraiser is still rockin’ and we have hit 32% of our goal so far! Amazing, amazing, amazing, and thank you to everyone who has donated. ABC is still doing the 100% match with the Two for the Trails program! Let’s do more for our trails — our SAFE areas where we don’t have to worry about jerks like the one that tried to take out Mason, or who have yelled at us, tried to intimidate us, and refused to share the roads that belong to all of us, regardless of how we use them.
Keep on going!
True happiness means it’s not always about the destination, but finding joy throughout the journey. I love my friends. Me, Leslie, Laura. Photo taken by Laura on Friday, Aug. 14 in Cheyenne.