Lead Up

One Sunday morning I was sitting at my computer stressing out about how many things I had to do and how I didn't think I was going to be able to get them done. After about 30 minutes of trying my damnedest to get to work I decided to give up, make a cup of coffee and sit in my window sill to write. For a while I sat and ruminated on my year to date of teaching, my time in NYC, and my impending move to California. You see I had already decided to move to the west coast a few months prior. It was only now that this sensation was beginning to take hold of my consciousness. I was thinking of the gravity of moving from one coast to the next, making a major shift in my life style and potentially reevaluating what line of work I pursue. I was thinking of wrapping up my time in NYC in the right way, on a positive note. And in thinking of all of this a huge idea came into my head. "Why not ride my bike across the country". The way I figured it, this would allow for a slow processing journey. Thus allowing me to think about all that had happened in NYC, all that I enjoyed, all that I struggled with, and everything I've had the opportunity to learn.

Now I have never, ever done a camping bike trip in my life... but hey if you are gonna do it might as well do it big (or so I thought). So there it was my initial idea. Bike the country and end up at my new destination having thought about everything and fully knowing what my next direction should be. Well as life would have it a lot of things happened between that initial idea junction and the final departure date.

I set up a training calendar, I started increasing my mileage, I started reading blogs, purchasing gear etc. I was doing everything I could to get ready for the big journey ahead of me. I even started biking to school 3-4 days a week, rain or shine. As chance would have it I was out on a bike ride one day and had just completed a 24 mile ride in Prospect Park, Brooklyn and as I came down the road on my way home a car turned and cut off my bike line. I had nowhere to go, he had completely blocked any path. So, BAM, I slammed into his mini Cooper and went flying, up and over the car and landed on the far side. Man was that a blow. I mean I've been hit before, but was always able to get back up and keep riding, so it has never been anything too serious. This, though, was different. My bike was destroyed, I was battered and disoriented. The ambulance came and they checked me out at the hospital... somehow I came out of the whole ordeal with nothing more than a broken bike and some bruised ribs. WHOA!



Well after this big set back and a whole bunch of conversations with my family it became ever apparent that biking across the country by myself might not be the best idea. Spending all that time alone, by myself at the whim of all the drivers on the road with no one around to help me if that did happen... this was not what would be best for me. I also thought to myself "I've already driven across the US with my mom, why not do something new?" So as I slowed down to let my body heal I looked instead towards the pacific coast. I know a whole bunch of people all the way down and what better way to get used to my new home than to ride the entirety of it. As I explored this option and looked for a new bike I got more and more excited. The 1800 mile ride was touted to be one of the most beautiful in the U.S., trailing right along the Puget sound, the Oregon and California Coastlines and stopping in some amazing cities.



For 3 months now I have been gearing up and training for this huge bike tour of the West Coast. The idea has gone through many permutations and convolutions and has ended up being, what I think is, the best possible option. So now I am 4 days away from the flight to Seattle where I will spend the night, put my bike together and set out on my journey. I am 4 days away from leaving NYC and setting out on the next steps of my life. It has been an amazing time here. That's for sure. I have met and befriended many amazing people. I have grown in ways I never could have anticipated. I know I will miss NYC but I also know that this is totally the right next step in the journey of my life.

Here is to new beginnings!!