Jill said it best, “December is a cathartic month, because it’s the time of year most of us reflect on our experiences and accomplishments during the past twelve months. ” I’ve been finding myself focusing a lot on the negative that occurred in 2012 and I don’t like it. I like the idea of focusing on positives rather that negatives. While 2012 had a copious amount of yucky in it for me, it also had an amazing amount of good. Really good. While I realize that I’ll most likely remember 2012 for the complete implosion that was my life, I also want to take a moment to celebrate the good that happened. So in the spirit of magnificence, my Top Moments of 2012, in no particular order.
Arrowhead 135
Arrowhead was a funny little trip. The race memorable because it’s definitely the hardest I’ve ever been able to push myself in a single day event. I finished the thing with a completely empty tank, I couldn’t move for days afterwards. But what was really neat about the Arrowhead was the preparation that went into it, the countless commutes down 135 in the freezing cold, gear collection and testing, finding another winter sport besides skiing in CB. It became a fun project to learn how to deal with the cold. And now I’m signed up for the Iditabike…yikes.
Seeking Joy
There are people in this world who are really good at asking the hard questions, hard questions that you maybe don’t want to think about, let alone answer. Beautywild is one of those women and we spent a glorious weekend together in Salida this spring, watching sunrises and sunsets, cooking over an open fire in a cast iron pot, riding trails, and talking about joy, love, and happiness. The weekend shifted the kaleidoscope of my world view to where things became much more clear.
Stagecoach 400
I had a pretty good spring trip planned that involved a lot of riding with Chris, a trip down to Gallup for Dawn to Dusk, a trip to SoCal for the Stagecoach 400, back to Fruita, and the 12-Hours of Mesa Verde. Shit hit the fan about 3 hours into Dawn to Dusk and one could argue that things went pretty downhill after that. But after some negotiation, and being the stubborn SOB that I can be sometimes, I headed out to SoCal by myself to race Stagecoach. There are few races that I’ve executed with the grace that I pulled that one off with. I’m proud of it. Not only the race, but getting everything together for it, getting there, and getting home. By myself. Independently. And having the time of my life.
St. George Pit Stop
On my way back to CO from CA, I made a pit stop in St. George to visit the the Crackheads. Still buzzing off of Stagecoach, I was somehow able to pull off a ride. Anytime I get to ride with people who inspire me the way these two do, I feel pretty stinking lucky.
Annual Girls Trip to Fruita
Part bachelorette party, part luxury camping, part mojito drinking goodness, this girls trip is a highlight ever year. I came into it pretty worked over from Stagecoach and had to bail on a couple of rides, but I love these ladies with all my heart and I hope this tradition continues on year after year.
Tour Divide: Chance Encounters
I was riding along, minding my own business, wondering how long it would take me to get to Steamboat when a truck passed me with a Waltworks on the back. ‘I KNOW that bike!’ was my immediate reaction. When Beautywild jumped out, I was thrilled. It was a completely chance encounter as she was on a work trip and saw me pedaling down the highway. Then she took what is quite possibly my favorite photo of myself ever. It was magic.
Tour Divide: Pie Town
Tour Divide: The final mile
I can say with a fair amount of certainty that this was simultaneous the happiest and saddest I was on the Divide. The completion of a dream. The end of an adventure.
Girls in Durango
Sometime shortly after TD and before CTR, LW and Jj made it down to Durango and I couldn’t resist joining them to visit Cat. We went on some fun rides, but it was much more of a weekend of spending time with amazing souls in an amazing place.
Scarps
On one sunny morning, Scott and Chad, in full bromance mode, showed up to our campsite on Slate River wanting to ride Scarps. I was more than happy to show them them way and after decking it fairly spectacularly on Gunsight Bridge, it turned into a magical ride climbing into the sky, dancing with wind wisps, and soaking in all that CeeBee had to offer. It’s the single ride that really sticks out in my brain from CB this summer.
While I know the year technically isn’t over, it is the winter solstice, and I’m calling it good. We’re moving back towards light after tomorrow and a whole new chapter of life is about to open up in a very short amount of time.
2012: It’s been the best of times, it’s been the worst of times.
2013: Welcome to the Year of the Unicorn.