Biking to Work

MAY-

Last year I helped Josh plan his bike to work route. I was so proud of him for doing it and jealous I didn't have a job away from the house to commute to also. I love driving up Washington Street, through Riverfront Park, and seeing all the joggers and cyclists, and I've longed to be one of them for some time now. This year I work at REI part time and have the opportunity to do just that. While I can hardly say I'm a regular bike commuter, I absolutely do whenever time allows.

I wanted to make some adjustments to the route we planned last year, so I spent the weeks leading up to my first ride scouring google maps for bike safe options and driving around scouting different route possibilities, and not loving any of them. The day before my first ride I finally found something I was comfortable with that didn't take me waaaay out of the way.

Here goes......

The first morning I set out on my commute, solo, and really nervous. I have ridden that distance before but not on the roads and not before work. It felt very different. By the end of my block I was aware of the muscles in my legs. I pulled out from my neighborhood street onto the main road with a bike lane. By the end of mile 1, the end seemed sooooo far away, and I was wondering if this was a bad idea.  The bike lane was then replaced by 2 lanes of traffic in either direction and I knew I was supposed to take a lane. I checked over my shoulder, causing me to swerve a little, before moving into the lane. I made a mental note to buy a rear view mirror for my helmet.

Yep. I'm that person now.

It was early on a Saturday morning so the traffic was minimal and the air was still cool. I flew down the first hill and remembered this was going to be fun. Then I slowly climbed over the 1st of 3 bridges on my route. My legs, that weren't yet conditioned to climbing hills, screamed at me, but I made it, and again sped down the other side. I glanced at my phone that was tracking my progress and I was already 1/3 of the way there.

I focused on pedaling and got into a nice rhythm. I felt great! I could totally do this. I rounded the corner leading to bridge Number 2. This one was a doosie. I pedaled my heart out. Up and up and up, just keep going, you can do this, don't walk I kept repeating to myself. When I made it to the top I stopped to catch my breath. That was the hardest part and it was over! Ok, feeling better.

I made my way along the road until I turned to connect with the Centennial Trail for the final stretch. 2/3 done! This is the best part of the ride by far. I slowed my pace to enjoy the surroundings, nodding and saying hello to others out enjoying the trail.

I went up and over the 3rd and final bridge without much trouble and was beaming with pride and excitement as I came down the other side and through the Gonzaga campus. I was about to be one of the people I admired passing through Riverfront Park. I had wanted to be right here doing exactly this for a year now and here I was. I appreciated the beauty of the river and the view of the city peeking up through the park. I admired the Pavilion and the clock tower that stood tall on the opposite side of the water. I grinned from ear to ear as I passed the big red wagon and the carousel.

Leaving the park I finished up the last couple blocks and pulled into the parking lot, 9 miles and a little under an hour after leaving my driveway. I was greeted by my boss (who has ridden her bike around the world) inside and we shared a really special moment of encouragement and support. I had been looking forward to completing this for a long time and I was a little overwhelmed. Again, my perception of myself shifted as I considered what I had done. I feel incredibly empowered.

I don't get to ride every day or even every week. Adding an hour each way of commute to my already long days is really tough. I ride when I can and I'm ok with that. Sometimes friends from work ride with me, and I'm grateful for their support and company. Sometimes I ride solo, and I'm totally ok with that too. Every time I ride a little faster, and I little more confident.

I am proud of this life I am living.

Cheers to secret squirrel routes and riding in the rain. :)

Plans For The Appalachian Trail

Some really exciting things have been happening and are going to be happening and I feel very strongly about wanting to document them. Since my chrome book died, and has looked like this for the last 4 months with the hopes of it being repaired, I took things into my own hands and replaced it.

RIP

In the next week I hope to do a few catch up blogs about the recent goals I've accomplished and the amazing places I've been, but right now I need to tell you all about what I'm preparing to do.

I found out a few months ago that I was going to have the opportunity to travel to Maine this summer. My family has a lake cabin near the small town of Rangeley. A cabin that my family literally built by hand, and this is the 100 year anniversary of that cabin. So most of the family are coming together to celebrate.

She's so pretty!

It wasn't long before I made the connection that the Appalachian Trail runs right through that small town of Rangeley. In case you'e not familiar, it's an approximately 2,200 mile long hiking trail that stretches from Georgia to Maine. It's one of the triple crown of long distance hiking trails, along with the Pacific Crest Trail and The Continental Divide Trail. Right away I knew I had to fit in some time on the AT. The plan has evolved quite a bit from my initial far fetched hopes.

I thought maybe we could drive across the country, stopping in national parks along the way to explore. Then have someone meet up with us to take our car the last stretch to the cabin so we could hike the AT practically right up to the cabin door. This was going to take waaaay too long so was quickly scrapped in favor of flying, hoping for more time on the AT and at the cabin and maybe a layover in Boston.

I became really attached to the idea of walking 100 miles for the 100 year anniversary. I was thinking I would do the 100 miles leading up to the cabin, or the last 100 miles of the AT, or 100 miles in Vermont that coincides with the Long Trail (the oldest long distance tail in the US), or 100 miles including the White Mountains. Every option had its pluses and minuses.

I was able to get approved for the long amount of time off of work, but husbands changing work situation wasn't going to allow him to be gone as long, so we had to shorten the distance and the overall trip and I had to give up my 100 mile goal, for this trip anyway.

I pouted for a while.

I had to pick a new smaller section. The one I want to do most, is arguably one of the harder sections according to many websites and guidebooks claiming to know about the subject. I looked to easier portions but kept coming back to the Whites. People kept telling me it was gonna be really really tough and I should consider if it was going to be too much of a challenge for our lack of experience.

I pouted some more and considered more options.

I want the view from Franconia Ridge. Nothing else was giving me the same feeling. It's  like it's calling to me.

Then during a overnight trip to the Cabinet Wilderness in Montana (I'll tell you all about this in one of those catching up blogs I'll get to later this week), we were struggling a bit and I had decided we weren't up to it. That the Whites and Franconia Ridge were out of our league. I was even mostly ok with having to surrender defeat. The next day, on Instagram, REI posted this picture of my ridge!

Is REI teasing me or unknowingly cheering me on? Call it a sign? I don't know. I feel like I have to at least try. So we are going for it!

The plan as it is now: Franconia Notch to Crawford Notch. I got my maps the other day. The feel of the waterproof maps gave me goosebumps. I'm simultaneously more excited and more nervous for this than anything else we've done so far.

My Mom, Katie, Bear dog and our backpacking gear are driving across the country, following the Oregon Trail, and meeting us in Boston next Saturday, they left yesterday in fact. We arrive late, so they will have already set up camp for us, and we will have a quick turn around, with some serious jet lag I imagine, as we get dropped off the next morning, IN FRANCONIA NOTCH, in New Hampshire. (EEEEEEEK!!!)Then my parents will take the kids up to Acadia NP while we are hiking. It will be a short first half day, followed by 3 full days, and another half day. Then my brother and his girlfriend will have just flown in and will pick us up, armed with clean clothes and deodorant, on their way to the cabin.

We will get to spend 8 wonderful days at the cabin. From there we will have easy access to many day hikes on and off the AT. I especially look forward to hiking Saddleback Mountain. It's kind of ironic, since my grandparents tried to get me to hike it on a previous visit as a teenager and I refused to go since I resisted anything that required any effort. How things have changed!

Every moment on the trail will be cherished. I am beyond grateful for this opportunity and to get a chance to be a part of this community of hikers. Seriously, I would be THRILLED if I get to chat with a through hiker in action! So far, it's teaching me to me flexible and willing to adapt my plans, on and off the trail.

And when I'm not hiking I will most likely be relaxing right here. So, yeah, it's gonna be amazing.

See you soon!