Long ride 2013

There is one thing we all can agree with and that is we all want to be a kid on a bike. Most of us have experienced this when we were younger. Our parents probably bought us that nice, fancy bike that we loved. We eventually took the training wheels off and experienced the freedom that comes with riding. I smile when I think of the thrill of riding for the first time without those extra wheels on. That smile gets even bigger remembering the experience of going mountain biking for the first time. Not being able to walk back to the car after that first ride is surely something I will never forget.
My riding has changed over the years and I know it will continue to change as time goes on. One thing that won't change is the riding itself. Whenever I go for a ride everything else doesn't matter. The only thing that matters is to just keep spinning. I plan to keep spinning as long as I can because there is so much you can learn from a simple bike ride.
The most important thing I have learned is to look where you want to go. If you focus on that rock on the trail you will probably hit that rock. This is really a life lesson in itself. We need to not get distracted with all the obstacles in life and just focus on the good things and try and help others avoid the rocks and pits as well.
I learn things on every ride cause every ride is different. Weather, the course, or your own mental attitude at the time can greatly affect the ride. You can't really change the weather and sometimes the course is laid out. The thing you can change is how you view things. Instead of cursing at that big hill you can view it as a challenge and embrace it. The effort and attitude you give far outweighs the difficulty. When you really apply yourself to anything no matter how hard you will enjoy it. As long as you have the right frame of mind you can accomplish anything no matter how daunting.
Over the years my frame of mind has had it's ups and downs just like any bike ride. I will continue to strive to have an upbeat, positive, and motivational attitude as I travel along. That all being said I have my yearly long ride tomorrow. Instead of having a lofty goal (which I usually do) I just want to ride. I still like the century mark but knowing I haven't been on e bike in a while I'm going to try and not push it. I really am my own worst enemy when it comes to goal setting. If anything interesting happens I'll write a follow up.
One final thing. It is important to know your bike because when you ride a bike it becomes an extension of you. Here's my extension.
Aluminum nashbar Reken 20''
Wtb rocket seat
SRAM X 9 front derailleur
SRAM X 7 rear derailleur
SRAM X 7 rear shifter
Shimano front shifter???
Forte city st 26X1.5 tires
Wtb FX28 Aluminum alloy 28mm wide rims
Race face evolve DH crank
Vuelta third front chain ring
Crank bros pedals
Chris King headset
Titec seat post
Truvativ stylo stem
Shimano deore XT tire (front hub)
Hayes mechanical disk brakes front and rear
Manitou black front suspension w/ lockout
Spanx royala 50 handlebar
Avid brake levers
Needless to say she's a Frankenstein. :)