WOW… have the last few weeks been crazy, or what? I’ve lost track of the days, and everything seems like a blur! I moved to Cheyenne last week, so everything in my life has revolved around unpacking and moving, leaving little time for anything else. Now that it’s down to the odds ‘n ends, I find myself spawled out on the Lovesac more, catching up on my 2 online nursing classes and general internet activities.
Time to catch up!
#1 – Medicine Bow Peak hike August 27th
Yay, we found time to accomplish one of my summer goals! I didn’t think the hike was going to happen because when I tried on my hiking boots I found that they had shrunk about 2 shoe sizes and there was a hard plastic thing in the toe that now squished my pinky toe on my left foot. Ummm WTF?! I hadn’t worn my boots since July, and I have no idea what happened to them. (Off to Sierra Trading Post they went for a full refund…) Finally I settled on hiking up the mountain in my trusty Pumas. I knew I could get away with this because I climbed it 4 times as a kid in sneakers.
The hike is not bad at all, a smidge over 2 miles each way if you leave from the Lewis Lake Trailhead. We made it to the summit in no time, where we had the pleasure of singing “Happy Birthday” to a gentleman turning 62. He climbs it every year with a group of his friends. Pretty cool moment! Clouds started rolling in, so we didn’t stay long on the summit.
Matt hiked his first 12er! And I summited for my 5th time, and first over the age of 11. Not a bad way to spend the day! Now I need to look for new hiking boots…
#2 – Fall is in the air!
September 2nd I rode a bit up in Happy Jack to squeeze in some mountain biking before my favorite trails are farther away. The leaves are starting to turn yellow at 8600 feet! Pretty darn exciting! I loved the crisp feel to the air, making the 70 degree weather feel so much better. I love the fall smells. Just makes me want to spend as much time on a mountain bike up there while I can (aka before the snow flies). I rode my standard stretch of Headquarters, basking in the sun and fresh air and yellow leaves.
I think I got too caught up in the moment, as I wrecked pretty hard. First big wreck since my first race in June, actually. I slid out on a corner, went sliding chest first. Pretty graceful if you ask me! So happy I wear gloves, as my hands would’ve been trashed! My right upper arm lost a patch of skin, and my right leg ended up all sorts of bruised. Worse of all my left leg got tweaked somehow, and the muscle is still sore 
Lesson learned: enjoy the moment but not too much!
#3 – Wind sucks
Last Monday I went out on the road bike for the first time moving to Cheyenne. 25mph headwinds and road bikes don’t play well together… that’s really all I have to say. Rode about 4 miles of Happy Jack Road, and turned around and headed home (at a great average of about 30 mph, thanks to tailwind, haha). I was discouraged. Ugh.
#4 – Weight loss rocks!!!
I’m proud to say that I have lost 10 pounds since May. That in itself isn’t what I am really proud of. What makes me proud is that I did it without fad/extreme/starvation/whatever diets and without crazy death work outs in a gym. I did it by getting off my butt, and onto a bike a few times a week and trying to pay attention to portion size. That’s all. Now yes, my friend did point out that my “bike rides” aren’t normal people’s bike rides, but I still think it’s something that is do-able for a lot of people. I don’t ride 50 miles a day Georgia Gould style (her Strava always makes me feel like a lazy ass when I ride 7 miles). I was completely sedentary and out of shape when I started. And I’m still alive! I like this new weight loss, too, as I’m toned as well. I have a goal to lose another 10 pounds, and hopefully turn into a lean, mean pedaling machine. I’m sure that’ll mean lots of time on the trainer this winter and bundling up on the road bike on dry days…
Now that I have internet again, I hope I can settle back down into normal life, and slowly get the rest of the odds ‘n ends unpacked!
Heidi Rides Bikes 