A Day to Remember

Today was a day that I will look back on the rest of my life and say "That was a truly pivotal day". Today I learned what a difference my beliefs make. I knew all the cliches about how attitude is everything and all that, but I didn't really KNOW how simply changing my belief about something could so immediately change my experience of it.

When I went down to the breakfast lobby this morning and saw all the other riders, my first thought was "I wish I was like them and was strong enough to know that I would be able to do today's ride". This is something I notice myself thinking at some point every day. This morning when I noticed that same old sad story I decided that I WOULD be strong enough to do today's ride and I would know that strength and enjoy it.

It is absolutely astonishing the difference that changing that belief made. As I saw each hill ahead, instead of panicking I thought 'I can do that'. As I was climbing I would roar out my 'Grrrrrrrr!!!!!!' The Turtles got a chuckle out of that and after a bit they were growling back at me. Big fun!

I felt the power I can posess and how to summon that power with my belief. I am so, so grateful to learn this. Thank you God for this amazing experience.

Besides all the self-realization, the scenery on today's ride was also stunningly beautiful. We spent most of the day riding through the Mohawk river valley. We would climb to the crest of a ridge and you could see the river and the valley and the the Adirondack's to the north. Spectacular!

Tomorrow we have a big day of climbing (5,000 ft). I know it is going to take effort and determination and I know I can make it.

Please continue to hold us all in your prayers. We had favorable wind today and that is truly the difference between enjoying the day and just suffering through it. We are also going to ride some narrow roads to orrow in Vermont with lots of traffic so say an extra prayer for safety and patience. Safe travels also to Karen & Lindsay as they begin their drive east tomorrow to meet me in Manchester, NH on Sunday and bring me home after the ocean dip on Monday.

On to Vermont!