It is important to set goals to achieve the weight loss and healthy lifestyle we are seeking. I believe in setting both short and long range goals. These should be realistic and achievable. By setting goals it gives us something to strive for and makes it easier to stay on our diet and gives us the motivation to exercise. One of my dreams and long range goals is to go cycling again. When I was younger in my teenage years a group of us took a trip riding one speed bicycles from Roanoke, Virginia to Douglassville, Georgia. It was a lot of fun. The entire trip was just over 500 miles.
We were a group of about fifteen cyclists. There were some old one speed bicycles behind the tool shed that looked as if they had not been ridden in about twenty years. They were rusted, scratched, bent and covered with dirt and grime. We spent about a month cleaning, rebuilding, and painting them. We repaired and/or replaced the tires. We adjusted the brakes and chains. We repacked all the bearings and straightened the spokes to obtain a true and accurate spin. When we were finished, those bicycles were sparkling and looking like they were brand new right out of the box. In fact, they were better than brand new.
Next, it was time to plan and train for our trip. In the evenings, we spent time planning the route and the meals we would prepare. We planned where we would camp each night and the locations we would visit along the way. We arranged for an adult to drive a van to store our food and gear. He would drive ahead and secure our campsite each day. During the days, we spent exercising and building up endurance riding the local streets so we would be physically prepared once we were in the mountains.
After about a month of training and planning we were ready to go. We rode in the van to our starting point in Roanoke, Virginia. I remember the sweet mountain air, the beautiful scenery and the thrill of riding on the road mere feet from the deep ravines and valleys. We made many stops along the way to enjoy the countryside and take in the sites. We enjoyed cycling along the Blue Ridge Parkway. We rode to the top of Mount Mitchell, the highest peak in eastern North America. I was only one of three to make it to the top without stopping and taking a rest. I remember the glorious view from their observation deck. You can click on this link to take in the view.
http://www.romanticasheville.com/mtmitchell.htm I remember coming down the mountain, drafting behind a Volkswagen Bus and the children in the back window telling me with their hands that I was doing 45mph right before I passed them.
We stopped to enjoy the Biltmore Estate, also in Asheville, North Carolina. It is the home of the Largest House in America. I remember all the treasures within the home. There were many rare and beautiful items. I remember the library, billiard room, and bowling alley in the basement. I remember cycling to observe the beautiful landscape and to go strolling through the gardens. It was such a wonderful time and very educational. This link will take you to the Biltmore Guide and provide links to their website.
http://www.romanticasheville.com/Biltmore.html
Finally, the last days we spent time building up our endurance to be able to cycle a century on the final day of our trip. A century is bicycling 100 miles in a day. We were averaging about 20-25 miles a day before that. Then we did forty, then sixty, then eighty miles before the 103 miles we cycled on our final day. The night before we stopped at a restaurant on Lake Hartwell that has since burned down. They offered a seafood buffet that was excellent. We stuffed ourselves and then had to pedal the last mile to our campsite. We awoke early the next morning and set out on our journey to achieve our goal. Later that evening we arrived exhausted but beaming in our glory and success.
We truly had a wonderful trip. It took us about two weeks to pedal the entire 500 miles. I hold that memory close to my heart. It provides me with the motivation I now seek in achieving my weight loss goals. I may not ever be able to go on a 500 mile bicycling trip through the mountains again. But, I know I can go cycling again if I continue down the path of living a healthy and active lifestyle. Cycling again is a realistic goal and maybe my dream of cycling cross country or another destination in the future is possible. I will take it one day at a time. I will stay on my path to a stronger and healthier me. I can and will do it! God Bless all of you.
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