Road signs can change your life.
Then I started climbing mountains. And I start to understand their assumption that maybe I do belong in a loony bin. For those hours that I spend pedaling up mountains at ridiculously slow speeds, I consistently think to myself, "what the f*ck am I doing here, maybe I am a crazy person."
Have you ever tried to meditate for 4 minutes? Try meditating for 4 hours while you're climbing uphill at a speed between 4 and 7 miles per hour (yes4-7...slow and steady wins the race...I don't see you climbing mountains). Now, it seems it would be easier to climb if you have a partner to chat with or something to distract you like singing (and I think most people prefer this method). But for whatever reason, I prefer to do it alone, with only the sound of nature surrounding me. I can go at my own pace, and not feel pressured by riders behind me. Somehow this does not make me go crazy.
But even then it can be a mind-numbing exercise. Like when you think you have 35 miles to climb. You have 15 left, and you realize you've only gone 4.5 miles in the last hour. That means you have approximately 4 hours left to climb after you've already been climbing for 3 hours. That's what happened to me today as I was calculating what I thought was left of my ride. Then I heard Kelsey scream ahead of me and start racing off at a slightly higher speed.
It's the same sign that saved my life yesterday when we were climbing, and I almost started crying while cursing out everything around me on an unexpected 15 mile climb into Chewelah.
It's the sign for hill. I don't of course mean uphill, but the downhill sign. Every time I'm climbing, I pray that one of these signs will await me at the top. Yesterday as I was planning how to throw myself off the mountain so as to resist continued climbing, this sign saved my life. I went from having the worst day to having the best day in a matter of seconds. (I had a pretty rough mental go at it yesterday) When I got near the top (which I didn't know at the time was the top), Denis was standing next to a downhill sign for 8 MILES AT A 6% GRADE. I then proceeded to get off my bike and do the happiest dance I could think of. Of course it was an interesting dance because it feels like my knees are going to fall off. It was a badass 8 mile downhill, where I reached my highest speed of the trip, 46mph. When I did it, I took a moment to think how cool it was that I was riding as fast as a car. Then I immediately stopped thinking of that, because I am much more vulnerable on a bike than in a car.
Today was the same. 10 miles downhill at 6% grade. Saving grace. Absolute happiness. Max speeds. Beauty. Love of the downhill sign.
*side note* Sometimes we joke about slowing down on the road when a sign says reduced speeds 45mph because obviously we aren't ever going that fast. But it was great yesterday when we came down from the mountain into the town, and we were actually going 10mph faster than the posted limit of 25.
*side note 2* Does this make sense? I have never been so tired in my entire life. I think when I read this on a day when I've not climbed mountains on my bike (I am so cool, aren't I?), this won't make any sense or be in any way clever. Am I even writing words right now? I've been laying on the floor giggling at nothing for the last 30 minutes. Just sayin.
the fruit stand on the washington border where Dwayne gave us free fruit. it was delightful. doesn't travis look like he's 5 years old here?
last state line...next is the Canadian border
nina and i at the top of the pass. we made it without crying. that was an accomplishment.
sherman pass. andrew was the zen master. after i rode by him here a butterfly landed on his knee. seriously. he was so chill, and his energy was contagious.
kelsey and i delirious with happiness and laughter at the top
take it.
the view on the way down
loves it.
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