Lessons Learned

This past fall I made decision to move to Dubuque, Iowa, after living the past 4 years in Clear Lake/Mason City.  It was a decision I didn't make lightly, but one that I felt was right for me at the right time.  When I told my friends, many said that Dubuque is such a great town because it is right on the Mississippi River, had lots of entertainment, things to do outside, yada yada yada - which is all great reasons for me to move to a new town.  But one person said the one big reason I wanted to move here: Dubuque is great place to bike ride.

I got into cycling when I was living in Anchorage and I bought my first mountain bike - Tessie.  I rode that bike to work almost everyday and the dirt paths in and around Anchorage.  I learned from my cousins about how to take care of it and how to change a flat.  But mostly I learned how biking can teach you so many lessons in life.

When I moved back to Iowa in 2009, Tessie had to stay in Alaska for a little bit longer, so I used my old bike from college to ride around Clear Lake.  This bike never got a name, but I always used one word to describe it - heavy.  I still remember my first attempted to ride her around the lake and it did not go well.  I was out of breath and my butt was aching only a few miles in.  But I still rode it as much as I could to see how far I could make it before having to turn around.  Soon afterwards, Tessie made the trip to Iowa along with my mom's old 1985 Schwinn Roadster.  Tessie helped me find some dirt to ride in Mason City and the Schwinn helped me finish the ride around the lake.

After a year or two with the Schwinn, I started to really enjoy road riding, so I bought a new Scott road bike - Tessa, and feel in love the feel of the road.  The view from my seat let me see Iowa in a whole new light.  It also gave me challenges, like climbing hills and trying to not get hit by a tractors or trucks.  But most importantly, it gave me more freedom to explore and see in a new way.

You see biking is like an addiction to me.  For a few glorious hours, everything else in your life lifts away and is left on the road.  From dodging cars, escaping lawn sharks and trying not spit on another rider, you don't have time while on your bike to check your email/Facebook/texts.  You only have time to ride.  And soon the road consumes you and everything that you had stressed about is left behind and all that matters is you and your bike. 

Now, that I am in Dubuque and am half way through a summer of cycling here, I have learned even more about biking, life, and the road, and I want to share those lessons here so that maybe you can see what I see from my handlebars.