It’s that time of the year – again. Funny how the calendar just doesn’t stop. It’s a page turner for sure. One day leads to another, which leads to the next, and another and so on. You know, kind of like good coffee… you have one today and then another another day, then some days not, but all days you try. Left right left right kind of thing.
So here we sit, another year in the books. As my last post implied, lots of changes – but I’m not eating the chicken head. So what is this post about – you find yourself asking, “Get to the point, Joe. We are busy here!”
Every year I pu together some goals. Just a few, as I do have hope. Last year I did, the year before and so on. It is kind of satisfying to take a look back and see how you did. I can tell you now, pathetic.
Here goes. My list from last year, with a dishonest appraisal of my efforts.
2016 goals
1. Take Liz to a non cycling vacation. You know, something like a beach or hike a mountain, or look at pengiuns or…
– I did take her to Fruita to ride her bike (which is clearly a win in 99.9% of people’s eyes), and to Strada Bianche and Flanders to ride her bike. I did take her to Boulder with no cycling gear along and we did go hiking. I also took her with me to Beijing and we saw some touristy things!
WIN!
2. See Pearl Jam minimum of 3 times. They did announce a tour for 2016, so odds are pretty good that I can make this happen.
Bam! Killed this one. Greenville, Sc. Quebec City. Ottawa. Wrigley night 1.
2. Ride Strada Bianchi citizen race. Not sure I can plan on the longer one, but the shorter should be fine.
– I got this one. I rode it with Luca. It was a fun weekend
3. Ride Whistler. I think Liz will will do this with me… It was actually my Christmas present from her.
– much to my chagrin, and to my kids and to Candace’s… I failed.
4. Ride Fruita. This is probably an easy lob over the net, as it is already on the calendar.
It might have been an easy lob, but damn was it fun. I had forgotten how much fun it is to ride somewhere new. So had Liz. This is Liz chasing Hanna down a sweet piece of singletrack.
5. Do a MTB trip with Lloyd in the Alps. I have made it the last years, but I do not want to miss it.
– I clearly failed at this. Had it planned, but the move of house and new job got in the way. Lloyd, Louise and Ben were gracious about it, but I know what they were thinking… “Loser!”
6. Wave at all cyclists that I see.
– pretty sure I smashed this one.
7. Drink more water. I should be drinking 116oz per day.
– failed. Tried to fill in with beer, but even failed with that.
8. Get rid of all the junk in our basement. We made a good start, but damn there is alot of junk.
– move took care of that. WIN!
9. Get rid of junk in garage. Same as above, we made a good start, but damn there is alot of junk.
– move. Winning!
10. Do a Trek Travel trip.
– nope.
11. Take Liz and girls to NYC Liz has been all over the world, but not to NYC.
– at this point, Liz is reminding me she still hasn’t been to NYC.
12. Build 2 sets of sew up wheels for my CX bike.
– oh yeah. I have no shortage of gear.
13. Ride State Championship CX race
– I do have a shortage of time to use that gear. Failed at this one. I only did 2 CX races all season.
14. Ride National Championship CX race – maybe.
– nope.
15. Ride Copper Harbor at least once.
– nope
16. Ride Marquette
– nope.
17. Ride Duluth
– I did get to Duluth. But only twice, and nothing more than Spirit
18. Ride 3 MTB Enduro races (Spirit Mt., CH, and something in Colorado)
– failed. But I did get to Spirit Enduro. As usual, it was an enormous amount of fun.
Spirit Enduro. Geez these things are fun.
19. Ride 2 GNCC races
– fail
20. Ride 2 IXCR races
– nope
21. Ride Loose Moose Enduro
– nope. Man this is a horrible pattern. Starting a new job and moving house in the same summer just kills your fun plan.
22. Go on trail ride trip with Pete Laubmeier
– Pete didn’t go, and I didn’t either. But this still was a fail.
23. Build loop at cabin for MC training
– got this one done. It was about the only motorbike riding I was able to do.
24. Ride a race with Russel
– I did see Russel in Greenville, but no races.
25. Drink only great beer. Life is too short for mediocre beer.
– got this one
26. Read 5 personal books.
– failed.
27. Read 3 professional books.
– got this one. New job put me way way over this one.
28. Find a good charity that I can align with.
– we have good charities.
29. Volunteer somewhere.
– I am a broken record. New job and new house. I suck.
30. Preseason off-road training camp in late March before S. Carolina GNCC
31. Put together the plan to climb Kilimanjaro with Liz
– I would love for this to be on her list. For sure it goes on next year.
32. Help Ali n Thomas with their house. Not sure what part they will take on this summer, but I hope to make a better showing this year than last year.
– fail again. Helped a little, but not enough.
33. Finish Birkibiener ski race, did it last year but so far I am not feeling as ready.
– got it. Did ok.
34. Do more night rides.
– got this one. But only by exactly 1 more ride than last year. Ugh…
35. Publish a dance video from traveling.
– fail
36. Build a 2 stroke. Maybe a 250XC. Hopefully I can give someones a try first.
– tried someone’s. hated it. Decided I am a 4 stroke guy. Oh well.
37. Go to a World Cup DH race.
– fail
38. Go to a World Cup XC race.
– fail
39. Go to a WEC MTB Enduro
– nope.
40. Go to Flanders and Roubaix pro race
– got Flanders, but not Roubaix.
41. Ride Flanders citizen race
Our motley crew for the Flanders citizen event. Huge fun.
42. Ride Roubaix citizen race
– why would I want to do this? I’ve done it before, and said I would never do it again. I guess I truly have lost my mind.
43. Go to a World Cup CX race.
You can see the course in the background, but the real proof is the frites and the Mayo.
44. Help to get a trail in from Nordic Ridge to the Camba trails
- This didn’t happen at all. Not only did I fail, but my whole neighborhood failed.
45. Outfit my truck to camp in the back.
Fully equipped and heading to Fruita!
46. Ride my MTB at a trail network that I have never ridden at before.
47. Visit Hanna and Adam at least 3 times this year.
48. Visit my father
49. Visit my mother in Arkansas
50. See my sister
51. Visit my brother in Dallas
- Basically, I failed at all of these last goals. Some can be blamed on my summer being evaporated with a new house and a new job. But, it is bigger than that. I just sucked this year.
There will be another year, and another set of goals. I am torn, should I have less goals and just ones that I know I can meet? That seems lame though. I think I will still have a big list, and I will still hope to get more of them than I did this past year.
Out,
Joe
303 Off-road 