Happy Friday folks. I hope today’s journal entry finds you all doing well. I apologize for the delay in writing this 3rd and final post on taking my life back. I have been a bit pre occupied and tired. As an update, I had a small but important surgery two weeks ago. I am doing very well and starting to do some longer walks. No bike riding or cross fit yet. Also, I have been busy finalizing the details of my next adventure regarding a new brand & business I officially kicked off this week.

But before we get too far, just a recap and a little bit of sharing. For those new to the blog here, I quit my job of 25+ years just over a year ago. I joined The Great Resignation and focused on re-creation. Over the past year I have focused on my health, new learning and re programing parts of my brain. As I shared in the previous blog post about taking my life back, I have been traveling a lot too! Part 1 can be found here and Part 2 can be found here.

During this time, I have had lots of ups and downs as well many starts and stops. It’s been an incredible and positive journey thus far. As I prepare to tell you about my new business venture, I want to share that the build up to this has been incredibly challenging. Many many thoughts going through my head with two prevalent questions being “What if I fail?” and “What will others think?”

In the spirit of this series, I am sharing these openly in hopes to encourage others. I am also sharing a few quotes that help, or helped, me along the way. Here’s an important one and has come up quite frequently in the past week, both in my own life as well as in conversations with a few friends about what is going in their own lives, with social media and with creativity.

Just be you.

And if people don’t like it, well, fuck them.

Unknown Author, but this quote is taken from Fuckology

Yep, it’s true. You be you. Don’t let anyone or social media tell you otherwise. Speaking candidly, so many people fear what others think. I know I am guilty of that fear and feeling. This fear keeps people in their homes, stops artists from creating and chips away at many people’s ethos and self confidence. If this is you, you need to hear this. Remind yourself to ignore it and go on your merry way doing what you love, doing what you want to and creating what you want to create.

Which brings me to my new business. I am sharing today that I have started a new business and brand. But before I tell that story, I have one more quote. As I look to the future and let go of my now 30+ years in the bicycle industry, I have sometimes wondered if I am too old to start something new? Do I have the energy needed to start something new? I took this quote from Facebook friend, Mary Metcalf. I have followed Mary for years after watching her in Ride the Divide. I find her inspiring in so many ways. Here goes.

NO. 42

Fucking start over.

You don’t need to cling to your accomplishments. Everything you did before was just practice. It’s already used up. It’ll never grow beyond what it already is. It’s static. It doesn’t define you. The best you ever did is holding you back. Let go of the past. You create the future. Everything you need is right inside of you. You choose how to use it. You’re always getting better. You’re never the same. You’re dynamic The best you’ll ever do is still out there ahead of you, waiting for you to catch up

Mary’s social media post referenced @CFDA.CO

This past year has taught me so much in so many ways and in so many areas. I am so thankful for this experience and grateful that I had this opportunity. It showed me that deep down I love brand, product design, development, and connecting with people. I love making things with my hands. I love to create. I love to try and fail. I love getting back up. I love riding my bike and being in the outdoors. I love photography.

With all that said, let me introduce you to Iceworm MFG. Iceworm MFG is a brand focused on handmade, carry solutions and accessories for adventurous photographers. Please, if you are interested, click here to go to the site and subscribe to follow along (Thank you!).

This is my next step. The online store opened up yesterday. I have my first products available. I sold my first products yesterday! I can’t wait to share the next round of products with you all.

Thanks for all the support and love this past year. For those of you that matter, I have felt the love and am eternally grateful.

Lastly, what about pictures? Well…..I haven’t been out much the past few weeks due to recovery so I am just going to share some old pictures from the late 90’s on my bicycle tour from Alaska to Utah. It was on this trip that I wrote Iceworm down in my journal. You can read the origin story of the name here.