by Betsy Finley
My imaginary bike ride continues. I’ve gone a total of 257 miles and have crossed over the Colorado/Wyoming border into Cheyenne. My intent is to ride to Chadron State Park where this whole idea started, then backtrack some so that I can head to the Black Hills.
I’ll meander through the Hills, as they are known in that area, throughout the winter months. The nice thing on this trip is weather is not a factor. I’m able to ride whenever and wherever I feel like going. My goal is to ride through every state in the United States. I’m sure this will take me years, but then it took years for me to get into the bad shape I was in when I started this trip.
The good news is I’ve managed to drop some weight and my eating habits have improved. I find myself not eating out of boredom or stuffing myself when I know I’m full. It’s a nice feeling to put on winter clothes that were slightly tight last winter and are bagging on me now. And I know that I’ve strengthened my leg muscles as my knee is not hurting as much.
Saturday mornings are the best day for riding the distance. I turn on PBS and watch all these how-to shows without commercials. The time flies by as do the miles. Last Saturday I rode 13 miles, which is the longest I’ve gone on any given day. I usually ride at least 5 miles, but am hoping to increase that to 10 miles per ride. My focus stays on “riding the distance” and not on losing weight or getting into better shape. Those things happen because of “riding the distance”. I know me, if my goal were to lose weight and I wasn’t losing weight fast enough, I’d quit figuring the bike riding wasn’t helping me. But staying focused on “riding the distance” keeps me coming back for more.
I have so many co-workers that are behind me and will stop and ask where I am on the trip. Some will even say things about the town I’m in or getting near like “you’ll have to eat at this restaurant because they have fabulous food.” Now we all know that I’m really not in these towns, but it gives me the motivation to continue moving forward.
God has truly blessed me with this desire to ride through all 50 states and to realize that taking life one day at a time allows you to enjoy life. I’m not fretting over how much weight I haven’t taken off; instead I’m happy with the weight that has come off. I don’t worry about not riding every day because if I were truly on this ride I probably wouldn’t have the energy to ride every day. It’s on my non-riding days that I imagine taking in the sites of the town I’m in, meeting new people, experiencing new retail shops. This all helps me in my everyday life for I allow me down time to rest and rejuvenate my soul.
I highly recommend each of you who have followed me along my journey pick a journey of your own and give “going/riding the distance” a try. It could be life changing for you. May God bless you all and thanks for your support and enthusiasm.
