A little humbulness goes a long way to get you to PBP.
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The last qualifier for Paris Brest Paris--------DONE! Now let the work begin!
And, oooohhhhhhhhh, was it a painful ride for me. I guess I would say it is kind of bittersweet. I had to work hard for my final PBP qualifier. I would love to say I enjoyed myself throughout the day but it was a very difficult day for me. A little humble pie seemed to be served at every control and every hill we rode up. Most of the hills are between 7 and 11 %. (Garmins have great purpose).
The Black Forest 300KM is one of the most beautiful Brevets. It takes us on rolling roads through horse farms and past huge houses nestled against the foots hills west of Denver, and south down to towns with names you only hear about when there are major snowstorms; Larkspur, Palmer Lake, Black Forest and Elbert. This 300 KM is mainly above 7,000 feet and has just under 10,000 feet of elevation gain. You hope for no rain throughout the day, as it will turn to snow (as we found out last year) but this usually means good stiff headwinds for most of your scenic riding.
I am so very lucky to have Steve at my side for all of my rides. Mentally I'm not quite ready to ride all of the Brevets on my own and physically not quite ready to pull my own butt around. So many thanks for a loving and strong and patient husband and best friend. I could not and maybe would not be willing to chug along to get my butt to Paris if you were not helping me so much. Not to mention the many friends, like John Lee, who also help me reach my goal of riding in PBP this year.
A great finish well before dark and a perfect pre-ride. with a good message for the actual day of the Brevet-the dirt road section on Hodgen is short and ridable. Please buy a lot of food at the control in Black Forest. The BBQ and hospitality are awesome and they are looking forward to seeing all of you on Brevet day. Eat eat eat!
A not so pretty photo of me at the finish. It IS the finish and with all of my whining about how hard it was and what things hurt more than I would have liked...I can still smile. I am now qualified!
The day after: A little humility goes a long way.
Woke up in a not so good mood. Yesterday just didn't go as I would have liked. I didn't feel much joy. Hmmmmm. Then I started to think about everything. Everything about the last 23 months.
I am so very fortunate that I can still ride. I can still go after my dreams. That I can actually see how very hard this is for so many people. That I still have a gift. I still have two legs, two arms, hands, a brain. For goodness sake! It may all be much harder than I ever expected but doesn't that show me how very lucky I was for so long? I was so able to do so much? That I could do so many things? And now, to still be able to go after my goals/dreams, to be able to look at this all and realize how lucky I was and how lucky I still am. Yup, learning a little humility today. To be able to look back at what so many people said after the accident, the cancer and the fires. "How lucky you are to be alive!". I couldn't quite get "it". I only saw what I'd lost, not what I still have. Hmmmm, I think I'm beginning to see what I still have. I have a lot. I have love, a life, friends and family. Yup, I DO have a lot. I also have a lot to learn-humility/humbleness.
The Black Forest 300KM is one of the most beautiful Brevets. It takes us on rolling roads through horse farms and past huge houses nestled against the foots hills west of Denver, and south down to towns with names you only hear about when there are major snowstorms; Larkspur, Palmer Lake, Black Forest and Elbert. This 300 KM is mainly above 7,000 feet and has just under 10,000 feet of elevation gain. You hope for no rain throughout the day, as it will turn to snow (as we found out last year) but this usually means good stiff headwinds for most of your scenic riding.
A not so pretty photo of me at the finish. It IS the finish and with all of my whining about how hard it was and what things hurt more than I would have liked...I can still smile. I am now qualified!
Woke up in a not so good mood. Yesterday just didn't go as I would have liked. I didn't feel much joy. Hmmmmm. Then I started to think about everything. Everything about the last 23 months.
I am so very fortunate that I can still ride. I can still go after my dreams. That I can actually see how very hard this is for so many people. That I still have a gift. I still have two legs, two arms, hands, a brain. For goodness sake! It may all be much harder than I ever expected but doesn't that show me how very lucky I was for so long? I was so able to do so much? That I could do so many things? And now, to still be able to go after my goals/dreams, to be able to look at this all and realize how lucky I was and how lucky I still am. Yup, learning a little humility today. To be able to look back at what so many people said after the accident, the cancer and the fires. "How lucky you are to be alive!". I couldn't quite get "it". I only saw what I'd lost, not what I still have. Hmmmm, I think I'm beginning to see what I still have. I have a lot. I have love, a life, friends and family. Yup, I DO have a lot. I also have a lot to learn-humility/humbleness.
