Temporary Home

 Early this morning we packed up, loaded the car, and left Omaha, NE on our way to Chicago. There were a few frustrating moments as we loaded things as items would shift and slide, the bikes wobbled while we moved them, and our patience ran thin. We also filled up the gas tank for the highest amount we have seen so far this trip and with the MPGs continuing to decline it is difficult to see the higher amounts. I admit, I was not in the best mood as we began the last leg of the roadtrip portion of this journey. 

Once on the road though, things quickly improved. After such a long and exhausting day yesterday, the miles seemed to fly by and even though the scenery was reminiscent of yesterday with endless fields of corn, it was still pretty to drive through. We stopped for gas and to top off the gas tank near the University of Iowa and then as we drove I pointed out a few other places I had seen on previous road trips through the area. We listened to music and some standup comedy as we drove but eventually conversation took over and we reflected on my dad. 

My father was a wonderful but difficult man. He kept a lot to himself emotionally which made having any kind of relationship with him a struggle. He rarely discussed things he felt or thought and he was blunt when he did have something to say. When I was growing up he would tell me to "walk it off" or "suck it up" if I was injured or upset about something. He wasn't cruel, it was just his way of trying to encourage me to push through the obstacle in front of me. With the ride starting on his birthday, the anniversary of his death coming around the middle of the trip, and the fact I carry a memorial urn of his ashes with me on my bike, I can't help but hear his voice in my head. I know he would think I was crazy for trying this but I also hope he would be proud. 

He never knew about my diagnosis of PTSD and while he heard bits and pieces of things, I wasn't strong enough to share my real story, what I truly went through as a teenager, until after he was gone. It is such a huge part of me but I was ashamed I had let it happen and I was never able to share that side of myself with him. I regret that. 

The things I do now, writing my books, riding on this journey, and raising money for organizations that touch my heart are all for the living. I want to reach those who are here fighting this horrible disorder like me and show love and support to those left behind when someone loses that battle. But I want to make sure that I honor those lost and hope that somewhere out in the universe my dad is watching over me. I hope he is proud of me and sees how much this means as I work to "suck it up" and push through everyday. 

With three days left until I start riding I have a number of things to do but I will also be taking some time to play tourist in my incredible starting city and share some experiences with my mom as a small way of saying thank you for joining me on this adventure. If you want to check out pictures and updates as we make our way you can find them on the Facebook page Ride 22 On 66 or read about the ride in more detail on my website www.writingforces.com.

Roadtrip Continues

 This morning started off with something I am not used to, wet and cold weather. It was just above fifty degrees as we made our way out of the hotel to load the bikes on my dripping car. Thankfully the manager had kept them in a locked safe room for us overnight so we just had to bring them out from the lobby after we put our bags away. It was a shock but felt great to have the refreshing chill kiss us good morning as we gathered ice for the coolers and got out on the road.

Clouds hung low and heavy with moisture, observing us as we wound through the mountain passes, enjoyed views of the Colorado river, disappeared into and reappeared from tunnels all along the scenic drive. At one point it dropped down to forty six and I asked my mom to stop for hot chocolate so I could warm up my hands. The cashier at the gas station we went to asked about my bikes and I told him about riding Route 66 for charity. He said he wished he could do more to help but he would at least like to give me the drink for free so I could comfortably continue on my drive. I thanked him and rushed back through the cool air to my car.

Just before we reached Denver the clouds broke up and the sun came out to dry the remaining drops on the car. We turned north, heading toward the I-80 and slowly progressed, making a couple stops along the way. We snacked on items we had with us in order to help our food budget stay down as well as begin to lighten the load in the car. We watched as the scenery turned from tree covered mountains to wheat filled fields then, upon entering Nebraska, the wheat fields became acres of corn. With the stops for gas and other needs it took us over twelve hours to reach our destination tonight and unlike the chill last night, tonight we stepped out into humid heat. With lightning cascading through the clouds overhead we quickly unloaded the bikes and bags and got settled into our room. Dinner was at a restaurant located in the same parking lot and now we are in, preparing to get some sleep and complete the first part of our journey to Chicago tomorrow.

We are grateful for all of the support we are getting, including a generous fifty dollar donation that came through this morning for the charities. Please remember you can find more information on my website www.writingforces.com or through the Facebook page Ride 22 On 66.

Beginning Of A Journey

 Today I set off on the first of many legs of the most intense challenge I have ever attempted. We traveled from Las Vegas, NV this morning, leaving around six thirty and made our way to the charming town of Parachute, CO. On our way here we attempted to stop in a town that was nothing more than shacks and trailers along with one gas station so small I couldn't get in because my bike on top of the car would have been damaged by the overhang of the building. We immediately turned around and found a much larger station to fill up and just down the road made our stop for sandwiches. 

Sustained from lunch we were back on the road and passed some of the amazing scenery this part of the country is known for. We made great time through Nevada and the fast pass through Arizona. Utah gave us some breathtaking sights such as Devil's Canyon where we stopped for a few pictures before heading on to Colorado. We made another stop in Palisade where I was fortunate enough to be interviewed over the phone by a reporter from the Las Vegas Sun. She talked to me and my mom about how we are feeling and preparing as well as what we are most nervous and excited about for the trip. Once that finished we set back out and got checked in for the night, even having the manager offer us a locked safe room for my bikes so we didn't have to drag them upstairs with us to our room on the third floor. 

I am looking forward to continuing on tomorrow and see more of Colorado as well as making our way across Nebraska. But as I lay here in my hotel bed tonight the main thing I keep thinking about is the surprise send off this morning. My wonderful husband called friends and had them come by my house at six in the morning, even though they live on the opposite side of town. They waved a purple flag, my brand color, and gave me hugs before my mom and I drove away. It was such a sweet gesture and it meant everything to me to have that kind of love and support. I am excited for him to join us later on in the journey and for my friends to hopefully be there to cross the finish line with me in a few weeks.

If you would like more information about the ride and charities you can head over to my website www.writingforces.com or visit the Facebook page Ride 22 On 66 for more updates.

Monday Motivation - Bo Jackson

 "Set your goals high and don't stop until you get there" - Bo Jackson

I am not in the best physical condition, at least not when it comes to doing a long distance, multiple terrain-crossing bicycle ride. Someone trying to take on this ambitious ride should be in a similar condition as those who compete in the Tour de France. I could maybe survive a stage or two of that ride. Thankfully my ride is not a race and the only time limit is the 22 days, not a time trial every day.

I have created a ride that will challenge me mentally as well as physically and while I am terrified, I am also looking forward to it. I've been tested in my life as everyone has but I have rarely had the opportunity to test myself on such a large scale. This will be a real learning experience for me and a chance to see what I am made of for perseverance, determination, and grit. I know I will have to dig deep within myself and push beyond my current limits to achieve this goal. Doubt will creep in, most likely on a semi regular basis, but I know how much I want this and how important the cause is to me. That should be enough to keep me going. 

While there are days that are distances I have already conquered, they may also contain climbs or terrain I have never faced. I do my best to train and think of the best way to prepare but the fact is, some things I cannot go out and accomplish easily. I cannot get used to riding in multiple types of weather because I am faced with a very static climate. It is hot and sunny in Las Vegas almost all the time. There is virtually no humidity, at least compared to mid-West states such as Illinois and Missouri. I have some mountain climbs around me but few would be like the ones in New Mexico or Arizona. I can ride through the city but that won't prepare me for following a path through cities I have never visited.

But I will make it through. I will pedal and push until I cross the finish line each night and when I finally come across the end in Santa Monica I will know I gave it my all and achieved something that seemed impossible and that I did it for reasons important to me as well as doing it for myself. Each mile ridden is another I never thought I could do. Every milestone accomplished will be a reason to push for the next one. Finding that inner strength is not only about riding across Route 66 and being successful in a bike ride but about proving to myself I can do what I set out to accomplish and being proud of myself for reaching that goal.

Today Motivation - Elon Musk

 "When something is important enough, you do it even if the odds are not in your favor." - Elon Musk

Riding a bicycle over 2300 miles in 22 days seems like an impossible task. There are a number of elite athletes who would be able to do it and at a rather quick pace. Those who compete in events like the Tour de France wouldn't blink an eye at this ride. But I am not one of them. This is a ride I could condition for over the course of several years and still wouldn't feel like I was ready. I train but I am sure it will not be enough no matter how much I do over the next couple of months. But that isn't going to stop me either.

I am unknown, and in average shape at best. I struggle emotionally because of my diagnosis with PTSD and that puts a horrible amount of self doubt in my mind regularly. All of these are reasons I want to do this ride. It would be a good cause if I were a top tier athlete and I would still want to do this but my being average, and having the struggles I do makes me closer to those I want to help. It is my goal to bring awareness to those struggling like me. Those that feel like just getting through the day is impossible sometimes and no matter what they do they feel like the world is overwhelming. When PTSD attacks you can feel alone even if you have a support system. That is exactly what this ride represents.

Route 66, depending on the stops is between 2300 and 2500 miles. I will not be following the path through Santa Fe, NM which makes it the shorter of the two versions but it is still an average of over 100 miles per day. No matter how difficult the physical side of it is though, getting out there to raise money and awareness for the organizations that do their best to help people like me. It doesn't matter how difficult the terrain, I will summon my reserve energy and use whatever assistance I need to cross the path. No matter how alone I feel I will know I have my chase car and team supporting me. Regardless of how tired I am I will simply think of the days where it felt impossible to get out of bed and remind myself of how far I have come. I am out there representing so many like myself and I want to give them someone to believe in and cheer on.

By pushing forward and remembering the people I will ride for each day and the charities I am trying to help, I will have the motivation to overcome obstacles that may feel too large to face. It is that important to me to step outside myself and put my own comfort and desires to the side in order to do something representing so many more who are fighting so hard just to make it through day to day. I feel them in my heart and I will find my strength through them as I pedal across the states. The name of the event is Ride 22 On 66 but the part that means the most to me is the secondary part. Pedaling Through, Strength Driven. I am sharing my determination with all who understand this fight and taking my strength from their perseverance.

Preparation Nation

Nine weeks. That is all that stands between me and taking off on the ride. This time, nine weeks from now, I should be asleep getting a solid night of rest before I take off on the first day of my ride. In all honesty, I doubt I will be sleeping much that last night. I will be running through all the items I need to pack up, the route we will drive to the starting point, all the the rest stops and meal stops the next day, how long it will take to load, and of course I will be thinking obsessively about all the things that could go wrong. It is the last thing I want to focus on but human nature is to overthink all the bad while trying to think about the good.

I want to think about what it will feel like coming across the finish line that first day. I can't wait to take pictures at my rest stops and hopefully meet other cyclists and new friends along the journey. I plan to blog and share things as I travel but it will undoubtedly be a learning experience each and every day. 

Right now I am starting to make all my packing lists, practice loading and unloading everything, and going over everything adding and subtracting items as I think of what I need. I am thrilled that when I practiced loading the car we found I have more space than we originally thought I would so if there is anything I have forgotten currently I will have room to add it. I still need to run through the packing of my duffle bag with my clothes and go through my gear box to see what all I have, what needs to be restocked or purchased and then how best to put it in the container. 

I am beginning to schedule things like the bike tune up I will be having done a week or two before I leave as well as the physical checkup my driver insisted upon to make sure we are aware of any medical concerns I may face while out on the road. It feels like a lot because it is a lot but the biggest concern I have at the moment is simply raising money for the charities. I am hoping people will understand and relate to what I am doing, and more importantly, to why I am doing it. I hope they will visit my website www.writingforces.com to check out the Ride 22 On 66 page or the page on Facebook under the same name.

The organizations I am riding for and the people they support mean everything to me. It is groups like them that quite literally kept me alive during some of my darkest times with PTSD and it is my mission to help show just how grateful I, and people like me, are for what they do everyday.

Monday Motivation - Arthur Ashe

"Start where you are, use what you have, do what you can." - Arthur Ashe

This quote has stuck with me for awhile. I first found it back in 2019 when the concept of the ride was born. For those who don't know, I came up with the idea originally while doing a camping road trip with my husband a few years ago. We stopped in Seligman, AZ and were eating at a cute place called Delgadillos. As we sat out under the awning I looked back and forth along the road and commented on how it would be a great place to ride your bike through. My husband looked at me and asked where on Earth I would be coming from or going to since Seligman is not close to any other town. I shrugged and said I didn't know but maybe if you were riding your bike across Arizona or maybe even along Route 66.

He laughed off the idea. It was way too much of an undertaking and I wasn't exactly in Tour de France condition. He was right but I couldn't let it go. As time went by I kept thinking about it and I was working on my Sharing Strength series at the same time. I wanted to do something big to celebrate the conclusion of the series and I couldn't shake the idea of the ride across Route 66.

After researching for several months I decided that no matter how difficult it seemed I had to try and make the ride happen. With the books all being connected to charity and the theme being PTSD I knew I wanted to incorporate that into the ride as well. One of the best known statistics about PTSD is that on average 22 veterans commit suicide everyday. That gave me the 22 day focus and I chose to create a single GoFundMe that will have the total split evenly among the five organizations. It has taken on change after change and I have had to work to keep learning each and everyday as this concept has come to life.

I began with just an idea. That connects to the "Start where you are" part of the quote. It was a crazy plan that I couldn't let go of as time progressed. The "use what you have" was the base but I have definitely had to add to that. When the idea first came about I had a decent road bike and a car that could follow me but I had almost no gear, my helmet was a cheap one from a big box store, my clothes were worn and not ready for any kind of weather other than simple and sunny. Everything I had was basic and a number of things were missing. Since then I have added rails to my car so I could add a cargo carrier and top bike rack, I got a better bike rack for the hitch, I have gone through a number of trips to the bike store for gear and even had to switch some of what I already had when I changed over to tubeless tires. I even purchased a steel frame touring bike with bags but after talking to some experts I learned I would be much better off with a lighter bike with a different kind of bags so I traded in the touring bike for the gravel bike I will be using for the trip.

The final part of the quote is the one I am working on the most. "Do what you can" is something I struggle with because there are a few ways to look at that. One is to think of it as doing what feels comfortable, accepting your limits, and not beating yourself up if it isn't what you hoped it would be. The other is to think of it as wringing out every ounce of energy you have and giving it everything you've got. Both have their advantages and disadvantages. If you accept your limits you lower risks but never grow beyond where you are. If you give it everything possible you will make it farther than you thought you could but it is very possible you will burn yourself out. This will be the battle I fight everyday on the ride. My intention is to give it all I have but I need to accept help when my body calls for it to sustain my health. Life is about learning and I am open to the lessons it has to teach me.