Today's my birthday! Which is sort of like a mid-year chance to make new resolutions all over again.

I've grown a lot as a cyclist in the past few months. I still have so many obstacles that kick my butt (or, ya know, toss me over the handlebars...literally), but it's crazy to be riding routes/trails that I did even just a few weeks ago and doing monumentally better than before. My goal for my 23 year old self is simply: if I'm scared of it, I gotta do it. 
This, of course, applies 98% to on-the-bike only. Let's be real, I'll never not be an anxiety ridden baby. And I'm alright with that!
Right now, my biggest challenges on the bike are just psyching myself out. I come up to a big hill or a technical downhill and my first instinct is to get off the bike. After that, it's nearly impossible to convince myself to get back on it.

I'm working on being able to concentrate my thoughts back into a good place even after I stumble over part of a trail.
I got the chance to go riding with a new trail mate today. It made all the difference being able to watch the lines she was taking and ask questions while we were out.

Last week was filled with very exciting news that I cannot wait to share publicly. Right now, all I'm allowed to say is that I'm more excited for cross season than I ever thought was possible. More on that real soon!!

Also, Patrick and I have decided to venture into something creatively new. I'm still working out the fine details and, as my new-found-adult-self, I'm not open to sharing every piece of our new project until I feel comfortable with the way it's going. But, just know, that I'm very stoked on everything that's happening right now. I'm really excited to see where everything ends up.

So yeah. Here's to 23! I hope I can convince people to like me this year.

New Bike Day (#3)

She is a Specialized Jynx Expert 650b

Meet Sophia - the newest addition to our constantly growing (bike) family.

I hadn't exactly been in the mountain bike market for very long...or, well, at all. Patrick and his friends have been almost exclusively riding their mountain bikes lately, but due to my work schedule, I was never off when they were going riding anyway, so it never much mattered to me that I didn't have one.

Naturally, however, there was that tiny part of me that saw how much fun they were having and envied not being out there too.
A couple of months ago, Patrick and I agreed that we were going to split the cost of a mountain bike for my birthday in May. We picked out the perfect one!
 Early last week, we found out that Specialized was extending their Spring Savings sale which make the bike we'd be scoping out incredibly affordable. Since the sale was ending about a month before my birthday, we decided to move up our purchasing date to as soon as possible.

& she has 27.5" wheels

Unfortunately, a couple of days after that decision, Pat comes home to tell me that the bike we were looking out was sold out. And the worst part?! One of their customers ordered one of the last ones in my size! I was heartbroken.
But, at least their was less pressure on my wallet and our time crunch was over...

Today, I went with him to work at the bike shop (the dudes there are nice enough to let me mill around on my days off and "help" work on bikes). Before we opened, I see Pat rolling down the exact bike I had my eyes on and he tells me that it's for that other customer, but he wants to see if the sizing would be what I'd need to get. So I halfheartedly get on the bike to test it out.
He then tells me that it's actually mine!!! I spend the next couple of minutes half-crying, half telling him to stop messing with me before I decide to believe him. But alas, she is all mine!

I'm impressed by Patrick's ability to keep a secret (and a straight face). My work schedule has also changed, meaning we have a day off together again. Hitting the trails early next week & I cannot wait! All the camping! All the mountain biking! Could not be more excited for summer!