As part of my Summer of Rediscovery, I signed up to do a 471
mile bicycle ride across Iowa. I had many reasons for embarking on such an
adventure, fitness, self-discovery, fun, friendships, to name a few. I have
been home for several days and have been trying to process the whole ordeal and
figure out what I have learned. The old Debbie would have beat herself up for
making the rookie mistake of thinking she could ride the entire mileage. I would
have felt like a failure. The ride was grueling. I felt beat down and defeated
by the record-breaking heat (heat index of 114 degrees). I faced a myriad of other
distractions including allergies, fatigue, dehydration, insomnia. I chose multiple ways to complete my journey. Sometimes I
would get off the bike and walk alone, sometimes I walked with another biker, sometimes
I drove the support truck, sometimes I took a vehicle to the next town. But you
know what? The new Debbie says that it was my journey and my choices. I got to
choose how to travel my journey. And it was enough. I am enough.
And next year, I’m gonna kick some butt and ride the whole
way!
