"The Adventures of Niner Bikes!"

I traveled to Franklin, and Bryson City NC this past weekend to pick up our Sylvan Go Trailer, one of our sweet sponsors. Traveled to the race and wasn't so successful. Got food poisoning and had a hard race. I am stoked on our new camper and my new bike though. I must say I couldn't be happier with my bike. The handling is still surprising to me as it climbs and corners better than any bike I have ridden before.

Imma pop a cap!

 

Getting gangsta with it! Having so much fun while my parents are out of town. Thinking I should look into getting a hand gun license and buy a 22...We'll see this is too much fun!

Introspective Moon

As I battle off some form of elementary student illness, I decided to stay in for the night. I received many lovely calls from my peers inviting me to "porch it" on this beautiful 65 degree evening. By "porch it" I mean traveling via bike to and from various porches in the Fan district of Richmond City drinking beer. It was very tempting offer. However staying healthy is important to me and I don't think drinking excess amounts of booze will help this "illness" or expedite my ability to ride my bike. Plus my parents are vacationing in Cali, which means I have their lovely home to look after and two beautiful dogs. Just shortly after getting off the phone with a buddy, my mom's dog Sophie looked a bit unsure about my contemplating going out. I couldn't resist her puppy eyes and decided to stay home. I noticed it was a full moon and thus decided to take a walk at 10 pm to the river just a couple of acres from my parent’s back door. On the hillside I rested my head on my mom's Berner Sophie while my dog Icarus stayed attentive to any lingering critters near by. For 30 minutes I lay mezmorized by the full moon, flooding the sky, field and river with light. There were only a handful of stars in sight but I didn’t mind.
I was perfectly content. I contemplated the changes coming up in my life. Leaving the only place I've known as home. Richmond has been the longest I have ever lived somewhere and I feel very rooted here. Racing and being a lone for many weekends, not sure how I will pay for it but knowing I will suffer and learn more than I possibly could imagine. I am very excited despite my anxiety about it. I also learned a little bit more about myself tonight.

I love quiet.

I love the sound of the wind howling through the trees.

I love wide open spaces.

I want to travel.

I miss my companion.

I want to grow and not be stippled by the pressures of my peers doing the same old shit.

These past few months I have been missing something. I felt a bit depressed. However in a way I've never experienced before. I had the highest highs of the excitement of being on Niner’s Factory Team and all the doors they have opened for me. But with that I have also experienced the lowest lows.  Something has been missing. For the longest time I thought it was loneliness. Missing a lover or companion in my life, yes being single is hard but never before was it this hard. Last night I picked up the paint brush for the first time since this summer. Not in the way I pick up paintbrushes at school when I teach, but for myself. It felt so good to get lost for hours in my work. That jittery excitement yet fluidity of my thoughts came together so beautifully. I realized what was missing, my self expression. My ability to do whatever I want, no rules, no clock, no sweat, blood or tears….ok well sometimes tears but no expectations. It liberated me from my sadness and now I feel whole again. I feel silly for thinking all this time that it was a boy who had some sort of grasp on me. I’m ready to redefine myself and maybe I already have. I’m excited to learn who she is and how far she can go.

So now what you ask? 11pm on a Friday night just me, my paint and a white canvas.  Stay tuned for pics soon!

As one chapter closes, another opens.

Snacking up after a climb with an old friend, we joked about going pro. I remember saying how wild would that be if I went pro mountain biking and you went pro rock climbing? Not knowing two months later Mike Stanley of Niner Bikes would call me to let me know that if I wanted a spot on the Niner factory team, that it was all mine.  Talk about heart stopping, when I caught wind of this news I immediately sat down. I have been given the chance of a life time. Prior to this I had been working relentlessly volunteering and studying to become an art educator. Trying to find my place in the world, I learned that healing through art was my calling. I was unsure of my athletic career after the 2010 season. Not knowing how I would afford such an expensive sport, I thought I would just do it recreationally. I took a month off riding. Seriously. Taking rock climbing trips every weekend, I climbed Seneca Rocks, Franklin Gorge, The New River Gorge, various climbs at Summersville WV and so on and so forth. I found a new part of myself, someone who loves to push herself. I forced myself to continue on when I thought I couldn't. I'm terribly afraid of exposure in terms of heights.  I learned that being scared isn't a weakness but a drive and following my heart is what I do best. I'm not the best climber but I like being new to something and working up, however I won't ever make climbing a competitive endeavor. Climbing keeps my focus, it's a therapy that not only pushes my physical abilities but mental. Niner has open doors for me in so many ways. I have always been a 29-er enthusiastist and Niner is on top of the mountain bike industry solely manufacturing 29-ers. I couldn't be happier.

Still being coached by Matt Seagrave, he too opens doors for me on a regular basis. He supplies me with pro level workouts and training tips  as well as introduces me to people that are very important in the industry. I am so grateful to have such a wonderful best friend and mentor.

Training has been hard. The East Coast was hit with one of the harshest winters I've ever seen. I'm not a fan of training in the cold so I have been pushed to do more trainer workouts. I think this will be good in the long run not only for my mental toughness but sustained, precise workouts. I also injured my knees and had to take two weeks off the bike to rest and recover. This base training has taught me the most important lesson that staying healthy is the hardest and most vital part of training. I have always considered myself a healthy eater but healthy at this level of competition not only means eating right, but training smart and staying uninjured. I'm learning more and more as time goes on, and I want to record as much of this time as possible. New year res for '11 is keep track of the upcoming process by writing to this blog once a week.

Thanks to all the people that made this happen. Matt Seagrave, Mike Stanley, Carla Hukee, Chris and Steve of Niner Bikes, Ergon, Stan's NoTubes, Doug Madara, RCWR, my awesome and supportive parents, friends and family of Carytown Bicycle Co. and all my riding buddies. You all ROCK!! Stay tuned to this blog for updates on my new life chapter.
Niner-Ergon-NoTubes Factory Team Here's a link to press release.

Gobble Gobble

So, excuse my laziness for not posting a blog in a long time. The past month has been completely consumed with working two jobs, going to school full time, training on Matt's base plan and packing and moving back in with my parents. It's wild to think how much stuff I have consumed over the years but I have managed to consolidate some of my things. I am currently in a small town outside of Indianapolis spending the holiday with my mom's side of the family. I am having a blast, I was able to ride my cousin's horse, eat amazing food and see some of the people I love and value the most.
Thanksgiving in the past has always been a day of binge eating and relaxing on the couch watching the parade and Chevy Chase's Christmas Vacation. This year I am thinking a little bit differently. I have begun a new chapter in my life. I feel it is more productive, more sincere and more driven. I have come back to my faith and found a really special man to think about. So this year I am also reflecting on the things I am thankful for this year. I am thankful for my trip to Guatemala, two successful art shows, making it to church almost every sunday this year, taking a safe trip to colorado and meeting some of Matt's family, my parent's, my brother's, a few wins on the mountain bike before, during and after a collarbone break, finding out I am almost done with school, I am thankful for my health and all the things I am learning about myself and others, I am thankful for the health of my Uncle Bruce, spending quality time with both my grandfathers. and many other things I cannot think of right now. I feel like God has granted me with new eyes, allowing me to see the world in new light. Thank you all who have impacted me this year. I love you all.

Garden of the gods

more Colorado pleaseeeeee