50 Shades of Red

  From the moment that I decided this ride was going to happen for me (some 3 months ago), to the moment that I sit here now with 7 strangers, becoming more like family as each day passes,  I haven't asked and sat or pondered why I was really doing this ride.  All I really knew was that it must be done...I was feeling the itch to travel yet again.

  After having almost 3 weeks of riding down now, the layers of distraction are starting to dissolve.  Fast.  There is no where to go to find other peoples problems, or to amuse myself with daily chores, work, or partying.  There is nothing but plenty of time, pedaling, thinking about what I believe, how I perceive relationships I have or have neglected to have.

  Every once in a while I will come back to that question.  I guess my answer is I am here to jump into myself.  To begin a process of occupying myself.  I don't think I have had much control of myself in the past.  But what does it mean to "find yourself"?  Have people simply figured out certain equations and questioneirs to fill out and come up with an answer to all of your problems?  (Obviously not..)  How do people usually go about "finding themselves"?



God will become more significant.  What that looks like will take a lifetime to discover I am sure.  I do believe I make understanding (things in general) harder than it has to be.  At this point, I have decided, God consists of the most beautiful things my eyes have seen, the most terribly fearful things I have laid eyes on and everything that is not so black and white.

"Shall we"

I am alive :) 

and doing great!

It has been a week since I have started The Young and Wild Expedition 2013.   If you don't already know, it is a cross country bike ride from Little Talbot Island, Florida to San Diego, CA and then up North to Seattle Washington...5 months, 8 riders, $40 a day for food.

Along the way we are working with local nonprofits and spending time doing community service projects.  

So far everything we have encountered has been exactly what we needed in order to be prepared for what is headed our way in the next few weeks.  

A couple of days with rain

Damp cold nights

Wet rides on bike trails

Camp fires

Beach time

Building bikes

Cleaning bikes

Laughing

And "House keeping"

As of today, as a group, I am completely confident in the ability in every member of this team to succeed in this ride.  We will, together, be breaking physical and mental barriers we never imagined.  Personally, I have learned a lot about myself in ways I can't quite wrap my head around yet.  This will be a rather weak post unfortunately due to a lack of sleep and lack of understanding exactly how to put into words what I am feeling.  I am feeling more alive from day to day as I am pushed further and further out of my comfort zone.  Things I have always avoided feeling or thinking are slowly but surely washing up to shore.  

The sights, people, riding, and food has been so amazing so far.

I will have wonderful stories of generous hearts and breathe taking sights to share as the universe unfolds our journey to us.  

"People were putting themselves where they weren't supposed to be.

And I wanted to be there too."

-Jeff Johnson

Stay tuned :)