Week of Tough Decisions #2 - Summer Cycling

I'm selfish. I readily admit that. Last year I selfishly went after a goal of riding 10,000 miles and I put far too many things in my life on the back burner to make that goal. Although I didn't miss a single game my kids played, except when they played at the same time, I still put biking ahead of far too much in my personal life. This summer, while I will still be selfish and bike my fair share of solo or group rides, I also intend to have more family rides. However, there will be some concessions made to my cycling this summer, one of which will undoubtedly be a shock to some, but I feel it has to be done.

1. Tour de Kota is definitely on for the full week. Laura told me she needs the vacation away from the kids AND we are taking the tandem so we can put in 30 miles or so a day together after I'm done riding from town to town.

2. MS Bike Tour - Pedal the Plains is definitely on. I could never give this up. I'm too passionate about the cause now. A new passion will happen this year on the MS Bike Tour as this will be the target of Laura's first big group ride. I'm very proud of her goals and will do everything to get her ready. Laura will join me on the Tandem often this summer and I look forward to riding more with her.

3. Hwy 212 Gut Check - with apologies to Snakebite - is off. Mr. Bite, I'll still work on getting you and your bike to the start as I'm going to be out that way for another purpose (see below). CDV and I both have too many events that are happening this summer to make enough training time for this year. We (well...I anyway) will do my best to be back in one way or another for Gutcheck 2009. Below are a list of excuses. Choose your favorite:

3a. Cost - Last year it is estimated that with registration, gas, food, and other expenses, Gut Check cost $1000 plus for us. With the price of gas going up, this isn't going to be any better. If money were no object, sure, I'd go on the principle of it being another great cause that I believe in. Unfortunately money IS an object.

3b. Family Harmony - Laura's family is having a family reunion in the Black Hills the same weekend as the Gut Check. The "selfish me", at first, decided to go through with my plans to bike. After all, I had my event planned first. However, family should not come second in an event like this. Some members of the family are getting up there in years, and I'd hate to be the person that kept my family from seeing ANY family member for the last time. I don't mean that to sound morbid, but I think you catch my drift.

3c. Training - CDV and I simply will not have enough training time together on the tandem to pull it off. CDV has kids in various sports and so do I. He has two and I have three. Try arranging FIVE KIDS SCHEDULES to the point to get two Dad's together often for training. All the activities that my kids will be involved in this summer is deserving of its own post and will duly be posted after the kids are signed up.

3d. Other family fun - The other night I was going to ride 50 miles after work. I rode 30 instead. In lieu of the other 20 miles I managed to squeeze in playing catch with my daughter, a short bike ride with my youngest, and help my oldest with his homework -- okay, two of the three was fun. Last night I rode to the recycling trailer with my youngest and he helped me throw things into their proper bins and I played saxophone with my oldest and got some yard work done -- again, two of the three was fun. At any rate, there may be slightly less biking and more family activities. I'll only have one shot at being with my kids while they are kids. I'll have years to ride.