Sitting on the Launchpad....

In a mere three days, I shall cut my tethers to a normal life and embark on an odyssey of unknown outcome. My life as a full-time amateur bicycle racer is upon me, thank goodness. This Thursday I will be packing nearly everything I own into my truck, and (loosely) relocating to the Seattle area. As I speak, I am in the process of streamlining my life so that I might be light and agile -- selling or donating unnecessary belongings, phasing myself out of my job, consolidating and organizing the supplies I require, and perhaps most importantly: mentally preparing for a nomadic lifestyle. Like an astronaut awaiting ignition who second guesses the wisdom of strapping oneself to a giant rocket, I'll have my moments of doubt. That's natural; I'm having them now -- I'm not sure where exactly I will sleep Thursday night -- but my course has been set. Even if I wanted to, I've prepared far too well, and sacrificed far too much to turn back now. I can hardly sleep for the excitement.

For the first time in my life, I will not have a bedroom designated as my own, anywhere. For at least the next five months, I will be a guest no matter where I am. I will have to be patient, flexible, accommodating and gracious wherever I go -- and even then, I don't fool myself into thinking I'll always have a place to sleep, or a hot meal to eat. I will have to be self reliant. There are those who might consider my flying-by-the-seat-of-my-pants approach foolish or reckless. I would agree with those people. Yes, I am recklessly chasing the sport of professional cycling. Yes, I am foolishly plowing headlong into an uncertain situation. I don't have much to say in my defence; I'm doing what I love, and hopefully in the end the benefits will outweigh the costs. They certainly have so far.

Obviously my plan hinges upon receiving a colossal amount of hospitality from both family and friends, and loose acquaintances and total strangers alike. My deepest thanks in advance to those who will support me, through whatever means -- from my primary sponsors, to those who do nothing more than read my blog. If, by sharing a tiny taste of my life, I can be the slightest bit interesting, amusing, or exciting -- hell, I'll even settle for distracting -- if I can be the slightest bit distracting I will have succeeded. For ultimately, cyclists are just performers. In the words of Johnathan Vaughters, the Confucius of cycling when it comes to quality quotations:

"Athletes are humans - entertainers - and very fragile humans at that. Think of them as shivering greyhounds on a cold day. All they want is to go fast so they can see the smile on your face."

Let the party begin in T-minus 3 days and counting.