Wiggle wiggle wiggle wiggle wiggle, yeah!

(This was supposed to be posted yesterday night, but alas, I never made it..... I just went to bed instead!)

Hello followers!  Good grief, I am exhausted!  The past 48 hours have been non stop.  I wouldn't change anything, but I am ready to get my clothes out of the dryer then fall asleep.  Since this is a weekly blog, I should start at the beginning of the week.

Over the past couple of weeks, I have spent quite a few days thinking and reflecting.  This week especially, I have spent time with myself to reflect on me and what also was. I must say, I have answers, and questions, but tonight I draft the email that is wanting to be sent but not hitting send.  I am keeping space to allow feelings to be sorted out.  It is funny, I like the likes, and enjoy keeping up in that medium, but I also miss the dialogue that accompanied the prose. My journey of me is starting right now and I am so incredibly blessed, lucky and so joyous for what these two weeks of riding have brought into my life.  I enjoy telling you followers about it through here. I enjoy telling my friends and watching their reactions.  And I miss that as well.  I so want to share this experience with one of my greatest supporters, but have not had the opportunity yet. I know that I will have that moment in the future and I do look forward to that.  Is this vague to you followers.  Sorry, that is not my intent.  It makes sense to me and I will still write it as this is the documentation of my ride and the highs and lows that go with it.  When I reflect at the end of the ride, it will make sense to me, and for some of you, this may make sense.  I digress.  I am more a black and white person so it is not easy for me to write in script that has allusions.  But wow followers, I am so incredibly happy and fortunate to have this incredible chapter in my life.

I must thank Nicole and Danny for this past week.  Both have provided a unique insight to me that I may have known before, but they provided it in a new light for me to appreciate the strengths or errors of me.  And I thank them for that.  Again, private discussions so I wont go into what was said, but I will thank them for giving me insight that allowed me to later have private time to figure some things out about me.

So followers, in a nutshell, I am truly blessed. Riding gives you valuable time to yourself to figure it out. It being you, life, work, your grocery list :) Nothing like the outdoors can be such a zen spot to put you in a place where internal reflection can be had.  And riding has such cadence that it lulls you to an internal moment of peace. It is hard to describe.

Though I am going to try to do that now for all of you with my descriptions of this weeks rides :)

Saturday; After staying out till 11 or so at Wine Steals for some coworker bonding, I made it home for bed.  But, I was up at 7 am to go riding.  Yuck.  Though I actually do like the early AM.  It is peaceful at my place, lots of birds.  I digress, I woke up, got ready and David came and picked me up.  We went to Solana Beach and on the way had more fabulous conversation.  I really like David.  He is such a passionate person who is fun, funny and a good motivator.  We talked about rides, life, our upcoming century ride, and more.  He has fast become a good friend!  At SB, there were roughly 15 ish of us for the ride.  It was great.  We went up the coast to a Starbucks for a break, then back down the coast to Torrey Pines.  I must say, riding gives you a unique perspective you will never ever get in a car.  It was BEAUTIFUL and GORGEOUS.  The day was perfect.  At one point, I came around a bend and the smell of sea hit me like a brick.  Such wonderful air, crisp with a hint of salt.  Loved it!  All the people I met were just great.  The ALC family is very welcoming and ready to say how are you, welcome, how can I help you.  The TRL's are still oh so great.  I feel so safe with them.  They call out every potential hazard, every shard of glass and most bumps :)  And if I fell down and got hurt, I am sure they with a bunch of the other riders would be on my in a hot second to ensure I was taken care of.  But they are just good people.  And surprisingly, a great mix of people.  I think I thought it would be a ride of predominately men, it is not.  And within the group, there is different ages, skill level, gay, straight.  Just a good mix of the best of us out there.  But yeah, feels like a family.  Moving on, we circled back and then went up to Torrey Pines.  That is one long ass hill.  And I thought at one point, I am near the top, but nope, around the bend was more hill.  I felt like I did great.  It was nice though at the top because the ALC team was there waiting and cheering on every single person as the reached the crest of the hill.  It was so cool to have that and experience that.  But oh, the best part??  Going downhill!  Yeah! Crazy fun and fast.  I think we went 36 mph.  Each little bump you thought you were going to fly out of your seat.  I really like downhill!
Link to the ride. 31 miles.
http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/67698622






Me at the top of Torrey Pines!

After the ride, David and I had lunch at Kensignton Cafe.  It was a nice little place with a good chilli.  More good talks, a lot about past and how we got to where we are today.  We both opened up to each other quite a bit and I am glad to have not only a friend but also one whom I feel comfortable opening up to.  So thank you David for great food and dialogue.  I look forward to the Century Ride in Palm Springs!

Then I went out dancing..... Till 1 am.

Today was right turn with a twist.  So after yesterdays ride and 1 am dancing, I woke up at 7 to go on a ride.  I really need more sleep before a ride.  Today's ride was just as great, but I think due to me being tired, I was not in my zenish spot.  The TRL's again were great and I met new people, all whom were super cool.  We did a route that actually took me by my place, which was great. In the past, I avoided the hill near me because I thought it would be hard.  It wasn't.  So it is nice to know that I can do that hill.  Jen, got a flat tire.  So I stopped to watch her change it.  I have never done it myself or seen it so I thought why not.  Todd was great (TRL).  He helped her change her tire and educated us both in techniques on how to do it.  There were 4 hills total, all pretty decent.  The one that killed me was Presidio.  Almost everyone else said it was easy.  It kicked my ass.  I was sooo tired after it. Oh, and I almost got hit by a van.  My fault.  Even after Carin called it a "??" light (the name escapes me).  But essentially, I went with the green and started going left, because, green means go.  But in reality, left hand turns yield to those going straight. Luckily the van was smarter than me and slammed on his breaks. I told my coach about it, and he said rookie mistake, and luckily the driver saw you, but please don't do it again.  After the ride, Todd and his boyfriend (whose name escapes me, I am sooo tired) went to Luna Grill and I joined them.  They are great people.  Todd has done this ride 7 times and his boyfriend is doing it for the first time.  He had lots of insight to the workings of the ride, showers, camping, food, Starbucks.  It was nice to hear an insiders take to the ride.  Yeah, more quieter of a day for me in my head, but it has been a long couple of weeks and I think it has caught up to me.  Still crazy fun though.

Link to ride. 40 miles.

http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/67853456

Danny and Kira from My Birthday Party (October)

Nicole and I from my Birthday

 So followers, I talk so fondly of this riding and the ALC team.  Why? You know what it is.  The past two years (since the install of Blue Horizons), I have been tired.  Work was killer and has been killer.  But now, I have a new boss, an assistant supervisor to help me out, and some time to myself for once.  So I think to have the friends that I have and now such a kick ass group of riders, I cant help but gush over how wonderful this feeling is.  That, and I am tired so I get more emotional :)  No, just kidding.  I am so happy and loving this.  I am sure I will have some bitchy days, and some days where I still question what I got myself into.  But I know that this is an amazing moment in my life and I am glad I get to share it with all of you.

Till next time
~Ricky