On Saturday, I took my Kona Sutra out to the Natchez Trace Parkway (highway 100). I cycled my very first 50 miles in under 4 hours, burning over 3,000 calories. 25 miles out and 25 back, starting at Loveless Cafe. The elevations were formidable. 1-2 mile long inclines, steep descents, and surrounded by the beauty of nature. When things got really hard, I just took a look around…
The Natchez Trace is a beautiful, mountainous 444-mile stretch, beginning in Natchez, MS and ending near Loveless Cafe, southwest of Nashville, TN. It’s loaded with amazing historical sights, hiking trails, and camp grounds. All the drivers were very courteous and there were many other cyclists out. Can’t wait to go back and take the time to explore off the beaten path a little more…
I am NOT going to try and sound tough and tell you that it was easy. It wasn’t – it was very difficult. This 50 mile ride gave me a small taste of what’s to come, and I have to say – I’m starving for more. I believe this journey will finally force me to tap back into the same facet of myself that the military required. A part of me that has been lying dormant for over a decade. This journey will be eye opening – an awakening.
There are certain skills that the military requires we master. Among these, is taking the slightest indication of defeat and turning it into a tool. Harnessing it, dominating it, translating it into energy – pure, relentless force. When you begin to feel overwhelmed, use it to your advantage. Apply it to your stamina. Use your mind to melt it down into fuel, into rage, into numbness, whatever it needs to be to fill in the gaps between you and wherever you need to be.
…… I’ve missed this ……
// NOTHING FOLLOWS //