Future Plans

This seems like a topic that comes up a lot. As of now most of my plans are up in the air, but I am certain of a few things.

 

I’m fairly certain I’ll be moving again soon; Moab, Durango, and Chattanooga are my top considerations. Telluride is great, but it’s too expensive, too remote, and too cold.

I also want to step up my mountain bike racing. I can consistently place in the single speed category, which is essentially Cat 2, so it’s time for Cat 1. I’m pretty excited about it, even though I expect to be mid-pack at best. I’m also building a new bike for this. I’m aiming for a geared carbon hardtail but will have to borrow some parts from the single speed for a while. I recently bought a 1x10 drive train and put it on the Inbred for now to step up my training.

After more than a year of menial labor, I know that I want more in life. My brain has been turning to mush, and I plan to reverse that. I may just make it a hobby to study things that interest me, or I may end up taking classes. That largely depends on my next job.

I still have a goal of living on a sailboat someday. But, it’ll take at least two years to save up for a good one. In the meantime I’ll focus on racing and education.

Winter Doldrums

I finally understand the definition of winter. It’s cold. It’s snowy. It’s dark when I get to work in the morning, and it gets dark again before I leave. It’s good that I work outside; otherwise, I wouldn’t see the sun for four days. It’s difficult, though, to make myself go outside on my days off. It’s much easier to be lazy (and warm). Last weekend, however, we had an unusual high of 45, so I felt obligated to venture out for a road ride.

For the first eight miles, I questioned why I liked riding so much. It had been so long, I honestly couldn’t remember. My legs haven’t lost much strength, but my cardio fitness has plummeted. It was around that eight mile mark, that I finally warmed up and started the climb up Lone Cone Rd. I shifted into a low gear and zoned-out for four miles before the road flattened and the pavement ended. There, I stopped to rest and take in the complete silence of the country road. The sun was warm, the ground was covered in snow, with the exception of the road, and the stillness of the surrounding land was incredible.

I speed downhill at +35mph, the cold air of the shaded hill biting my face. When I got home, the “runner’s high” effect lasted until I went to bed. I felt the best I have in weeks and not at all guilty about drinking a beer while grilling pork shoulder. I road just over twenty-six miles; my longest ride since October!! Getting out to ride in the winter can be tough, but it still beats not riding!

One Year in Colorado

Happy New Year! A year ago from today, I arrived at my new home in Fort Collins. Five months later I moved to Telluride. Six months after that I moved to Norwood, thirty miles away. That’s a lot of moving for one year, but it’s been a good one. I set out from Mississippi with specific goals in mind. Some I met; others, not so much. I can’t say I’ve had any big revelations, but there have been some small ones.

Two of my goals were a decent job and financial independence. For the most part, I’m there. My job in property maintenance can be mind-numbingly boring at times but is great in every other way. I like that I get an upper body workout from shoveling snow. I’m also glad that I’m not in customer service; though, it is annoying when people think their dog’s poop is recyclable. I find it ironic that I went to college so that I wouldn’t be a ditch digger, and yet, I dug three last summer. We don’t have to work THAT hard though; it is government after all.

Through my jobs here I’ve learned that while I do like some interaction with people, I don’t want to deal with their problems. I’ve also learned that I’m project oriented. I like starting and finish things rather than doing routine tasks. Another thing I’ve realized is that “doing what you love” is crap. Do what you’re good at, so long as you don’t hate it.

Another goal was to make friends. I was just starting to make friends in Fort Collins when I moved to Telluride. Here, I was instantly friends with my roommates, but then they moved. I’m friends with some coworkers now, but recently I had to switch to the opposite schedule. So, kind of a bummer there. I definitely don’t fit in with the typical snowboarder crowd; though, I do find them amusing.

I also had a goal of dating more. Moving to a ski town certainly didn’t help with that. I had one date in Fort Collins that was awful, and two dates (with the same girl) in Telluride. But, that didn’t go anywhere either. Kind of failed to meet that goal. An adequate female population will be a priority when deciding where I go next which, by the way, will be sooner rather than later.

While Telluride is an awesome place geographically, I’ve developed a strong dislike for rich people while living here. You pretty much have to be a millionaire to own a home here; however, a lot of those are merely vacation homes. Meanwhile, there’s a housing shortage for average folks, forcing me, and many others, to commute an hour or more each way. Also, it’s too cold here. I’m ready for summer already!

I didn’t think it was possible, but I’m even less certain about what I want in life now. I love travelling to new places, but I also miss home. I see no way to have a good balance of both. The paradox here is that one must travel know what home is. Another paradox I’ve discovered is that nobody really wants to mountain bike in the mountains. There’s not enough oxygen, and the climbs are brutal. Rolling hills and low elevation are much more conducive to biking.