Birthday plans

I recently read someplace about a way to stay motivated through your work week. Remember how excited you were the week before that last vacation? You can duplicate the effect of that, if by Tuesday of every week you choose something special that you are going to do that weekend. Even if its just go see a movie, or visit a friend – by selecting an activity and considering it special, your mind will automatically gravitate to it during times of stress. You will feel better, eager even, about moving through the rest of the week.

My birthday is coming up, and this year, I am looking forward to it. Last year – I can barely remember having a birthday last year. I had just suffered a Major Life Trauma, and I remember floating through my birthday in a detached, depressed state not unlike my Seasonal Affective depression. I felt very lost, very alone – even though I was surrounded by lots of people expressing their cares and concerns. I know, looking back, that I was well loved…but I didn’t have the desire to feel it.

Not so this year. I started off the late spring/early summer “living large” and loving it. Then I got bogged down with projects at work and not, and my life became monotony. But, having resolved these projects, I am back to living large again! I am richly blessed by God, and loving it. Thank you, Lord.

My treat to myself this year is in part, a new day pack. Backpack. One of the best backpacks I ever owned was stolen from my car a couple of years ago. Until now, I have refused to compromise and buy one of the new styles of packs, which for my needs, desires, and uses, are completely unsatisfactory. This choice of mine has been a mild hardship on me. When I bike ride, either for rec or purpose, I usually end up carrying cargo. So for the past couple of years, I’ve had to wrestle with plastic bags swinging from my handlebars, and with not being able to bring a change of clothes along on a ride.

Until now. Now, as a part of increasing my water consumption, I am seeking out a large [fluid] capacity hydration pack. If I am going to get one, its going to have cargo capacity too. So I have hunted down a nice pack at a dealer in College Town. I will pick it up Friday, and give it a thorough shakedown on Saturday.

Saturday is my other gift to myself. (How I wish it was a gift given and shared, as it has been before). I have a tradition of riding a trail system in Major Metro Area once each year. At least once each year, but given that there are so many other trails to ride, and so few weekends for me to really get away, leaving this particular trail to only once a year helps preserve its importance as ritual.

I was introduced to this trail several years? ago by my best-friend. Since then, I have ridden it once without that companionship. This weekend will be the second time.

But, thats depressing. I want to focus on the positive! This path system is huge. It is basically the individual path systems of each suburb and a corporate office park combined into one mammoth ride. Each city, each segment, offers a different type of riding: from an off-road, backwoods feeling, to a mile-point-five of straight-away next to the Interstate, to rolling hills in community parks.

Each year, the path is expanded by several miles. This also helps add to the mystery.

True to tradition, I try to always ride it in hot weather. (it was co-incidence when we first rode it on a really hot day – but now I try to keep that up). This year, I decided earlier that I wanted to ride it on my birthday weekend, thus I actually missed the hottest days of the year, but not by much.

Also because of the heat, and its length, one must start early. I plan to arrive at the Roe trailhead(s) at 7:15, and after stretching and psyching myself up, start riding at 7:30. That means a very early wakeup time here in The City, or I may go camp Friday night at Hillsdale, meaning a later wakeup time, but then I have to fuss with striking camp.

The trailhead I start at is not a terminal point. Again, staying with tradition, I will ride first to the east part of the system. This part leads to the backcountry off-path riding. I like to be in the woods there when its quiet, and the light streaking through the trees plays with the dew. Then I will turn around, ride back to the Roe park, resupply at my car and nearby QuikStop if needed, then head west. The western part is the longest part, and is all concrete path.

By this time of day, there will be much activity on the paths. This makes the ride more tactical, and more enjoyable to me.

I don’t ride for speed. I ride to simply enjoy the ride, and to commune with the ritual. I also ride to see where it ends – to see what has changed and what has been added. I like exploring!

I will reach the end probably around 10am. Then, having explored it end-to-end, I will have to work to get back to my car, By then it will be quite hot, and I will be quite exhausted. I am looking forward to seeing if the hydration pack helps me survive in any better condition!

Then I will cool down, maybe even go see a movie, and then stop by on a friend who moved to Metro Area this summer. Then I will come home and crash!

The rest of my birthday? Friday, I will bring shredded pork and some other fixin’s to work, along with cake. I bring this as a gift to my friends. For me, my birthday isn’t as much about getting things from other people, but rather celebrating their involvement in my life. I want to give back to those who give so much to me….

Sunday, after church, I’ll go out to the folks, grill a steak, and maybe play some cars or watch a video, or whatever. Just kinda kick back with family.

Next Tuesday, is our office lunch out, to celebrate my birthday, and that of our building receptionist. She came up with the idea of a picnic at City Lake. I think thats great! Making it kind of a potluck…it should be fun, and its definately different – we’ve never done THAT before at our office – making it even more appropriately my kind of event.

So, to everyone reading – especially those of you who have made a unique investment in my life in some way – thank you! Your sharing of yourselves with me is what has given my life color and music. So celebrate your generosity and curiosity with me! Happy Birthday! (the 26th)