Seems that lately I have finally had the time to think. I won’t say rest, but I will say think. I’ve been riding my bike too. In fact, I’m feeling pretty good.  For me, time in the saddle is the best time to think. This time I’ve had both on the bike and off the bike to think has been good for me. I am setting some goals. Personal goals. Challenging goals. Things that I both need and want to do.

Right now I need to declare some of my goals. This isn’t all of them and I have personal goals for me and who I want to be for my family but I don’t feel I need to share everything here. The goals I’m sharing here are because I need to say them out loud so that I have some accountability.

– 200 lbs – I need to get below that threshold again. It won’t be easy with how much I love food. Frankly, I’ve let myself slip badly with my eating habits. However, I have hope and the occasional feeling good on my bike right now is feeding that.

– 200 miles – Again, riding related, but I need to break that barrier for a single day. This could mean that I am headed back to Kansas for the DK or it could mean that I plan something else entirely. We’ll see. Right now I am just saying it out loud. This may be my new Salsa Warbird speaking.

– Travel – Quality, not quantity. Overall, I plan to cut back next year but make my trips more meaningful. September will be my last board meeting for Adventure Cycling Association so that will mark the start of traveling less. More on that at another time, but if you look at my last 12 months of travel, it’s been both exciting, exhausting and challenging.

When I look back to a few years ago, I did these things and my life was full and rich and I was healthy. That is my goal. I am not dwelling on the past. Nope. I am just looking back to find my way forward.