Goal Accomplished

I accomplished a goal yesterday that I have worked all summer for. I bought a road back this past May and started biking with a couple of girlfriends. My neighbor and friend Leslie Hickman and I made a goal that before the riding season was out, we were going to do the Clodfelter Loop. This is one of the top 50 bike trails in the USA and happens to be in our own backyards. It was 34 miles long which isn't what is impressive. It's the rolling hills that make it difficult. I have to admit, when I woke up yesterday morning, I was silently dreading the ride. I was a little nervous that I wasn't going to make it. The ride was either less than I expected in my head, or I'm a better riding that I thought. Whichever it was, I thoroughly enjoyed the ride. My body was feeling it the last couple of miles but it felt so good to finish something that I had worked hard toward all summer. Les and I are now thinking we should do it once a week. It took us just shy of 3 hours of riding time. Next time, we'll do it in less. If there is something you want to do that seems out of reach, all you have to do is baby steps and work. If you had told me a year ago that I was going to ride that loop, I would have told you that you were crazy. Things often times seem overwhelming but if we step back, make a plan, and work on it gradually and consistently, we'll surprise ourselves.