Share The Road - Training #8

So it's a plus-minus deal being out here for maybe longer than I intended. I got called back on the audition I went to (plus) and the callback is on Monday (minus). The real minus of the situation is my lovely Bella already paid for a ticket to fly out here on Friday 'cause I drove here a day early and now either needs to fly out on Sunday or early Monday AM or I have to drive her back, then drive right back...

I think I'll bite the bullet and buy her ticket. I hate doing that, but it just seems that's the best solution.

Why I mention it here? Training-wise, I'm getting adjusted to different conditions. It is a bit odd riding in the desert after riding by the ocean for all my training up until now. It's a good thing that I'm doing this because the continued factor I just hadn't had to the degree I have these first two days is the wind. It was much less a factor today, but still very noticeable.

I pulled about 36 miles or so today -- best guestimate off the google maps. Not bad, but I was lookin' for more and tomorrow I'll go that way. Can't believe they want to charge me to ride my bike through a campground! What kind of freakin' joke is that?! Same with Red Rock, I understand. That is enough to pull bikers off the road. It's not like it's a lot of money -- $20 for the season -- but that only goes further to validate my point: It's not like it's a lot of money! And it's not like bikes are high-impact like cars. I'm in and out like a double-double.

Anywho...went to the gym afterward, lifted a few weights then took a yoga class. MUCH needed. It was an excellent class and something I need to start making more of a regular practice out of. It also opened my mind to more elements of this story.

The driving force of the piece is the bike ride of course. Whenever I tell people about it, their eyes really light up. You're going to go ALL that way? Good -- it's got the "Wow" factor. Where the meat for those bones is going to lie is in the human element. I want to find fitness heroes -- people who have overcome tremendous odds, ailments, etc. and have made a committment to fitness in their lives, having seen the other side of things and knowing how limited they were without it.

This speaks on so many levels -- there will certainly be the stories of those who have battled weight-gain, and they are valid. However, they're only part of the picture -- partially because the stories are so done on everyday talk shows. I want to feature people who may be "handicapped" and special olympics children, too. People that make those who have the excuses (e.g., "too busy", "too tired", "don't get it") take a hard look at their blessings and say, "maybe it's time for me to get off my ass".

I agree.