Goals Challenges

While I didn't begin the year with any kind of intentions, I feel like I have grown anyways. When I was young I used to write New Year's resolutions on a nice white piece of paper and tie it with a red ribbon. I used the same ribbon year after year.  I was writing down things I wished I could do or would like to accomplish. I think I wrote "Stop biting finger nails." every year for about 5 years. I continued this tradition until I was in my teens. Then, I realized that it was futile. I wrote what I wanted and then didn't look at it again until the next NYE.

I gave up resolutions all together after that. In 2012, I wrote out my intentions for the year. I thought using the word intentions would make them softer, more flexible. Once again I wrote them out and never thought much about them. I realize now that even though I am super goal oriented. When you write out resolutions they are usually good ideas but not super important. Real stuff I get done. Good ideas happen if the mood/time/money works out just right.

So let me indulge myself in reflecting on some things I feel like I've become better at over the past year. They weren't resolutions but things that I've found joy in.

• Bike Touring. I feel like I became a real cycle tourist in 2013.  We hit the road several times with our gear on our bikes and a map. 5 days of self supported touring across KS were some of the best days I had.Our trips in 2013 validated that we have what it takes to be vagabonds and enjoy it!
• Commuting. I've been commuting for a few years & each year I extend my commuting season a little bit longer. This year I've commuted in every month. Some years I give up at the end of October. Allergies & cold shut me down. I owe my blogroll to keeping me motivated to cycling in the winter. Seeing people all over, in all kinds of weather & gear riding to work has been inspiring. I've become SO MUCH better at layering that I can get to work without freezing to death! 
• The Great Outdoors. I feel like my husband has opened up the great outdoors to me. Before we met I was a single parent who was doing everything and had little time to go adventuring. Now that the kids are older (21 & 16!) and I have more time and someone to explore with that has changed. I find that I crave the outside. I didn't see that one coming! I've always enjoyed nature but to actually lose my mind because I needed to go outside was a new one for me.
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I don't have 2014 all planned out nor do I have a list of intentions that I'd like to perfect. I do know it will be full of family, good times, bad times, & hopefully a ride or two around Leavenworth, Hawaii, Spain, or Germany!

Happy New Year!

Holidays

Our holidays have been full of food & family.

We not only celebrate Christmas but 3 birthdays in December! Mine on the 10th, Lance's on the 24th, & Janai's on the 25th.

So our Christmas is full! There has been little cycling because of the ice but we did walk to Christmas dinner at Gran & Papas. Today promises to be a great day for a ride but we will pass because we don't want to miss out on visiting with family. We hope that you have as much fun celebrating the ones you love.

Lighted Holiday Parade

 This weekend we participated in the Lighted Holiday Parade. We decorated our bikes and road a few blocks in the freezing cold. Our bike club was supposed to participate but they all chickened out! It was about 19 F and dropping. It's hard to get good pictures when you're frozen waiting for the parade to start and when it's dark.

Lance road the Unicycle

Bundled up!!

Lighted bike. Super hard to capture.

We ate out afterwards and our pile of coats & warm gear was almost as tall as Quentin who is 6'6.

KC Riverfront Heritage Trail

Sunday we found ourselves with excellent weather (mid-50s) and a few hours of daylight on our hands. We decided we would explore a little bit of our own area that we don't get to via bike. The KC Riverfront Heritage Trail. This trail is relatively new and is still in progress. It's all paved and most of it is in the urban area of the east bottoms of KC.

We parked close to KCK Chamber of Commerce and road over the Woodsweather Bridge which was the big draw for me. I didn't get any great pictures but the bridge is beautiful with art sculptures just under I-70. You continue on in the east bottoms, an industrial area that is kind of dodgy but seems perfectly ok on a Sunday afternoon. Follow the Bike Route signs and before you know it you've crossed to MO river and are now in the urban chic Rivermarket.

We picked up the Riverfront Trail at the Rivermarket area and followed the large paved sidewalk all the way to the Isle of Capri Casino where the trail ended. It appears more trail is in the works and it seems that most of it is geared for commuters which is a good thing because downtown KC seems overwhelming to me on a bike.

Dodgy part of East Bottoms

It was fun learning a new way to get to an area we like. We road for pleasure not for sport. Don't we always!

It was the day for bridges! We saw a ton of them.

More bridges & the Mighty MO

Coffee break at the Rivermarket Coffeehouse