Crappy chamois and crappier weather

After going to the gym last night to log some reps and some interval cardio, I needed to loosen up my legs and get on my bike, Sully, for a ride. I'll get to that in a minute, though.

First thing this morning, I needed to uncover all the things to take on my trip with me that I accidentally packed into boxes from moving out of NJ. Those things included my hammock, my camping pillow, and my towel. I was a mess. I ripped open boxes and retaped them numerous times but finally found a bag with all three things I was looking for!

By the time I found them, it was time for lunch and an afternoon ride. In the words of the great Ron Burgundy, "taco salad was a bad choice". Okay, okay. He said milk, but I tell you taco salad before a ride had me gassed up and not in a good way. Still, I put on a jersey and my worst chamois (padded shorts for biking) that I wasn't planning on bringing with me for my ride. Those chamois shorts were not comfortable, but I didn't need to bike far. I just needed to stretch out the legs and ride a few good climbs to prep my muscles for what's to come next week.

Just when I thought I was pushing through the discomfort and soreness, the rain came. It started immediately before my favorite downhill, too. Nothing was going my way, but then I thought about it...

Sometimes life doesn't help you out, but that's not a time to get upset. Just stop and think about the amazing gifts you have in life. Family, friends, health, money or whatever else you might cherish. There is so much bad in this world, but none of that should affect what I cherish, and that's just simply riding my bike and helping others.

So all I could simply do is stop, smile, take a selfie, and praise God that I'm healthy enough to ride for people living with MS who cannot.

Even with poor weather, the country in NC is still gorgeous

Smile just as the rain started to come down
before I had to put the phone away

For those able, go and donate at www.biketheusforms.org. There are some amazing people who are worthy of your donation. If you need urging to choose who to donate to, go to cyclists -> Atlantic Coast and then check out Jeffrey Brath or Angela Shaw. Among others on my team, Jeff and Angela are both a huge inspiration. Jeff will be riding the entire circumference of the US on his trusty steed. Meanwhile, Angela who currently lives with MS is going to be using her NuStep machine to virtually ride along with us. For every dollar you give, they certainly will be earning it.

As always, thanks for the support and God bless.