New Chapter: The New England Journey
This fall seemed to steam roll into
focus quickly this year. Not that I was initially focused at all on racing CX
or expected anything out my rebirth into skinny knobby tires on a race steed as
light as my road bike but more nimble than my mountain bike. Actually, I hadn't
really been thinking to hard about CX since I last raced the discipline with
any integrity back in 2009. That was prior to studying for a Master Degree,
moving across the country to Maine and our kids were just babies back
then.
I had been dabbling in long 100 mile
mountain bike races and really at a cross roads (pun yes, not intended) over
the past few seasons meanwhile searching for the balance in our family and
business lives. Flash forward a few years and and through a lot of chaos we end
up setting up shop and stabilizing in Maine. Here I find myself dreaming of my
passion for the Tetons and missing friends made over what was my entire adult
life up until now.
However, the Portland area has led
us to prosper for our family in ways that we really were searching for. Our
kids are in great hands at a great school, our business is seeing proper growth
and no matter how much pressure being a business owner is, it is very
rewarding. Oh yeah the story about cycling. I found myself being wound thread
by thread into a small community cycling scene here and ultimately on a road
focused team with a bunch of hedonists with the same passion for two wheels as
I have burning inside of me. This team, Downeast Racing and its exploits can be
followed here: www.facebook.com/downeastracing. I found a home with some
like-minded souls looking to simply work hard and produce. I guess I find the
focus and physical demands that training provides, whether on a bike, on skis in the
backcountry, scrambling scree up a peak or backwoods trail running with my kids is what provides the opportunity to disconnect from everything chaotic to simply be in
the moment. Essentially it really doesn't matter where, what matters is who
you’re with and what you choose to do with your time that provides the
sustenance of life.
Getting side tracked again with the
philosophy, or is it really all intertwined and part of the journey as much as
the journey of the sport of cycling. I have realized that what it really is
about is the journey and not the destination. Much like the holidays that are
upon us. As children we cannot wait until Christmas morning right, but really
what makes Christmas the bees knees is the buildup of getting to Christmas. You
know the stuff like picking out and fetching the tree in the woods,
hauling it home, standing it up and all together sighing "aaw"
its perfect. Putting the lights up and creating a festive atmosphere in your
home. Sharing with friends, neighbors and family. Going to the Christmas party
and playing the dreaded white elephant gift game, only to realize that was
fun.
You see it's
really all about the Journey, not the destination.
So here's to wishing all of you a
very happy Journey through 2016. Cheers!
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