I hatched up a big plan for this summer. I wanted to race my bike up and down the spine, through the heart of the Colorado mountains, and from the Utah border to the US/Mexican border. Known to some as the bike packing triple crown. Been burning in my head for years. Was gonna finally make it happen this year.
Thing is that the universe doesn’t always follow the wild hair ideas that get beat around inside our heads. Sometimes reality bites and spits you and your adventures out into little pieces.
This was gonna be be my last big hurrah as far as bike racing goes. Been torn the past few years with all my energy going into racing bikes and not much left for anything else. I was looking around and seeing more and more opportunities that would not be possible with all the time, money and energy going towards racing, bikes and training.
I’m torn up inside about this decision. I really do want to race big, real Big this summer. The reality is that my body is feeling beat down and some long neglected injuries are getting worse and kicking my ass. Does make me feel lucky in that for years I have gotten away with beating myself to a pulp and kept on going, showing up for race after race and made due with what I had. I really was lucky for so many years.
The adverse isn’t so bad. I have lots of projects on the back burner. I have an amazing backyard that I still am aching to explore more and more. I have a wonderful partner that wants to get out there and adventure with me. It is a tough pill to swallow right now and I have been in denial for weeks that maybe, just maybe I can still make it to Banff in June. Not gonna happen this year.
Sometimes life takes away your perfect ice cold soda pop, but then you find some lemons and make kick ass lemonade. Carry on my brothers and sisters, keep on rocking.
jwookieone 
Jefe, You should feel great what you have accomplished in racing and especially winning the 2014 tour divide in terrible conditions. You will always have that. There is that balance in life with work, responsibilitys relationships and your hobbies. When I raced road bikes in the 70’s all I did was train and I was exhausted, had no social life, was not experiencing other things in life. Now, 60, happily married, raised 4 girls , I have never enjoyed biking this much as now. My wife and I ride together, and now my daughter and I are even racing the trans am together. So Jefe, try different things, and remember, you won a tour divide, only a few can say that.
Thanks Scott, I try and remind myself that I really have had a great rub of racing and have been quite lucky with it all. Just bitter sweet to be walking away from it as it was a lot of fun, was really good for my head and saved my life in many ways.
Thanks for the comments and for reading
Jefe
We’ll miss you out there for sure. However that sounds like some pretty awesome lemonade. Cheers!
Josh, I sure wish it was diferent and I was lining up with y’all. Really do want one more run….maybe another time, but more than likely it is time to move on and begin a new phase in this life.
I’ll be watching and routing for you!!!!
Thanks for reading,
Jefe
Nice post Jefe. Life gives us some very unusual lemons at times and the challenge is to see just how creative we can be in our lemonade recipe. I’m sure you’ll come up with a very, very original new flavor! BTW – the “inner” challenges can be much more rewarding to conquer than the “outer.” 🙂