Mixing Business With Pleasure

San Diego Custom Bike Show, Bike Jumble, and Gran Fondo this weekend. I have to owe it to my hubby, not too many men would give up their weekend to help sit behind a table pedaling their wife's wares to bike show attendees. Actually it was just Saturday, Sunday we did the Gran Fondo, although I don't know which was worse for him. 60 miles is kind of hard on a body after a shabby winter of riding, add to that a crappy saddle (I will not mention which one he has but it looks like it could use some viagra), not the happiest of bums, that's for sure.

Our Post For 6 Hours

No One Bought My $25 Banana

Bilenky's Infamous Shelly Horton

My Personal Favorite, Winter Bicycle's Cross Bike (Sweet and Simple)

Back to the show, kind of small. I was too cheap to buy a booth at the show so I opted for the Bike Jumble. It unfortunately was not like the ones that go on in New York. We had 8 vendors total, and it was upstairs from the show. If you don't know about it, it's a bike swap meet, were you can buy whole bikes, bike parts galore, bike related crafts, anything cycling. This one was like that, just on a more miniature, half-assed scale. My table was next to the big window and I got to watch Bilenky do a photo shoot in front of a fountain. That was the highlight for Saturday.

More Than Halfway Through on Sunday

I Got Chocolate GU on my Jersey (front and back)

Therefore Hubby Called me Shit Tit For 26 Miles

The Gran Fondo was good, medio route wasn't completely flat but it didn't kill you either. I'm curious how the 100 miler was. Not that I was ready for it by any means. Couldn't ask for better weather. I don't think it got hotter than 80 degrees, and not a cloud in the sky. Well, after the marine layer burned off, once that happened my fingers started gaining feeling. If you ever get the chance I highly recommend doing it, friendly people, it's organized pretty well, and we didn't get lost. Good sign placement. Only thing I would change is the finish line. You have to cross 3 lanes of busy traffic to turn into the expo/finish line. My hubby used this to his advantage, he knows I'm a scaredy cat when it comes to heavy traffic. Little bugger went on red to get to the finish line first. His trash talking came to fruition. C'est la vie.

Yep, It's a Pup

I Saw The Great American Hero(Google if you don't know him) in Chula Vista

Resolution?

Resolution. Dammit I hate that word. It has become synonymous with failure in our society. Example: I get so pissed seeing new faces at the gym the first week of January, you know the ones you've never seen before and never will again after February. I was planning on using this blog entry to tell you not to make resolutions. You make a resolution on the first of the year, you have a 90% chance of failing. And I've found other people on the Internet writing the same thing, and of course I jump on board and stand right behind them. But a funny thing happened today while looking through my Synonym Finder. I was looking for words other than resolution and I ended up finding some pretty inspiring ones, and they really struck a chord with me.

First of all, the definition for resolution is strong will and determination. Those are pretty good sounding huh? Well, the synonyms for resolution are even better, they are as follows: aim, guts, moxie, perseverance, doggedness, fortitude, sincerity, earnestness, relentlessness, tenacity, heart, steadfastness, and stubbornness. I love all these words, they give me a rumbly in my tumbly, like when I watch Rocky or Breaking Away. I have a burning desire to achieve greatness. Not greatness according the big world but my own personal greatness. I want to grasp onto and conquer something greater than what I believe can be accomplished by my little 'ol self. I want to put my stubbornness to good use, twist it into perseverance. I want to have heart. My hubby says anything is possible if you have the heart. And I believe him.

My Resolution, if I choose to except it is a biggie. I want a full year of good riding. This includes:

1.using the bike for in-town errands

2.do more group rides

3.entering another crit. (I pussed out last season when I got scared riding in the pack)

4.reclaim my title at the Redlands Classic public races (women 35+)

5.riding the San Diego Gran Fondo (50 mile) no matter what the weather

6.mountain bike a lot more this summer

7.prepare/train for and ride my first cyclocross race

I know I could set mighty goals like riding the entire California coast, or at least a century but I know I don't want to end up being one of those newbie faced gym goers I'm going to see tomorrow morning. The length of this resolution is what is really challenging. It's a year's worth. If I get the chance to do a century, that'll just be icing on my cake. And the North to South Cali ride, that's another story, that's bucket list territory.

I do have a few non-bike related things I want to work on this year, I wouldn't call them resolutions but more of a to do list, here ya go:

1.create and sell more Freebird Velo items on Etsy (I know thats bike related)

2.start up Single Fin Gypsy. (shameless plug for my new line)

3.surf more

4.burn enough belly fat to really show my 41/2-pack

5.take my hubby fly-fishing

6.create more art

7.treat people the way they deserve to be treated

8.eat less sugar

9.be happy

Sap city on number 7 and 9 I know, but they are probably the most important ones. They're the ones I want to put the most effort into and make sure I follow through with, which is going to be hard because of number eight. Who knew reading my Synonym Finder could create such feelings in me. Well that's it from my end, take it on people.