It's been some time since I've written. Although I will say I've still remained committed to my journey.  As I prepare for my upcoming races, closest one planned the PMRR.  This year it is considered an official NYS road race, YEAY ROB!!!! Although with saying that the challenge becomes a bit more intense and the competition is the same.  The length of the race now becomes 40 miles verse the 20 miles.  It is a double mountain loop.  I rode the loop the other day and had a few malfunctions, slipped 3 times off my ring going up the climb.  Do you have any idea how hard it is to lose the momentum of the climb fix a chain and then get back on and push at a 16+% grade... Alright well maybe it is not impossible but... hehe... The route is hard but "easy" to me. I don't want to cry half way thru the climb and give up, like I did the first time I ever rode the climb... hahaha..  The first climb the longest and at time the hardest seem only difficult in one particular 1/2 mile stretch.  I logged at points in the climb about 9 mph... which is amazingly excellent for me on a climb.   Considering I despise climbs!!!  They keep getting easier every single time...  I only wish hurdles in  life got easier after repetition... They just don't seem to... Anyway...  The climb on 55 was a piece of cake!!!  Really amazing... Although I had a near tragic moment that drop me to a stop, first time ever.  I was at about the top of the hill, starting to slow down a bit, I would say I was going about 7 mph. At that point in the climb my lane moves to a double and the shoulder is still very generous! I hang on the shoulder where ever possible. Well an 18 wheeler comes flashing by and I thought it was over for me.  I could feel the heat coming from him tires on my arms... I could hear him behind me, so I was prepared, but what I was not prepared for was that he entered into my comfort lane over my white line. I caught myself starting to jiggle a bit on the handlebars. OH shit! Too close for comfort.  As I look to the right to see if the best way is to bail to the right. But I held in there and although he passed in little than a few seconds it seemed to me to pass in slow motion.  Although I should be afraid making a statement out loud " YOU DON'T SCARE ME BIG WHEELER MAN"  Stay on your side next time..... Okay... so just between you and I...those types of drivers do scare me... but none the less... they won't scare me off the road.. I just have to be smarted than them.

( oh was that a paragraph I just made???? hehehe)  That would be a side joke as I have a tendency in all walks of my life to go on and on...... no purposeful pauses!!!  So onto the last climb... this one I have to say is killer, it is shorter than the first climb but the grade is killer, I believe it hits 21%... oh and YES I have a grannie gear! Once I get the go pro back.. I will be taking you for a ride for sure... and no helmet cam... I finally got the bike attachment... hehe :D.

Okay well onto today's ride which is where I wanted to note on the blog in the first place.. haha..  Headed out for a short 20 mile ride... Wasn't going to do the mountain, just wanted to ride with momentum and strength.  Perhaps in a way to get my week going although it is already Tuesday. The weather was overcast, yet the feel of the air is not moist so I thought it would be fine.  Who's afraid of a little rain... hell not me... I hit the point at which I would finish the loop of 20 but today I chose to go right... I rode             and I rode.... today was a ride filled with emotion. Ups and downs, in a way it took me over... I started my ride though with harsh understanding of where my life is right now...   I chose to stay on the road because I needed to think.  I talked out loud, I shouted at time and for a few moments I cried, and I cried hard...

 I'll leave you with that... but please don't get discouraged.  That's the special thing about riding and crying....  In the end your tend to figure it out, or at the very least feel better about it.    As someone dear to my heart said once... You just need to ride it out...  And there you have it... I'm riding it out!

  Where is my journey going from here.. I do not know... I suppose it is up to my destiny... Although I have ultimate control over my life... destiny guides me ...

Side note:  any followers that would like to continue to join me on my journey... I'll be moving to tumblr, details to follow  -