New Year’s Resolutions. Sigh. It’s time to set new goals or hold good intentions to break bad habits. But I am cynical about whether resolve can be obtained through the ticking of a clock from the end of one year into the beginning of the next. And many of the common resolutions – eat less, exercise more, go on Facebook less – are just one hash tag away from the somewhat disturbing label: ‘first world problems’.
For me, biking is a great way to overthrow some of those concerns and find something more meaningful in my life. I don’t need gym membership, I don’t need to diet and Facebook is still a useful tool for meeting up with mates. It’s muddy, unconventional (for women), the wardrobe is not particularly flattering (those who pull it off – well done and how?!?), but more importantly, nobody cares how you look and it usually involves actual people having a great time together. And then there’s nature; peaks and pines, lakes and reservoirs, steep descents and technical rooty bits – one way or another it’s a connection with something bigger than myself. So as I head into what will be my second full year of biking, I have a load of things I want to do. My head is often full of them, the next one pushing the last one out. Pop! So, as I am looking forward to the weather getting warmer and the nights getting longer I thought it would be helpful to write a handful of them down. They’re not resolutions, they are my Revolutions (against a life more ordinary).
- Sleep in the wilderness 12 times (gulp) to complete Alastair Humprheys’ Micro Adventures 2016 and face up to my utter dependence on luxuries
- Learn to flow on the trail and do gap jumps and drops with confidence
- Blog regularly and be proud to share it
- Get at least one article published in a biking magazine and get paid (unless it is The Ride Journal, they don’t pay but their magazine is inspiring)
- Bike in the Alps (Swiss or French, I’m not fussy)
- Take a multi-day bike-backing trip. Friends and I did the Tim Woodcock’s Coast to Coast route last year so the next one will have something to beat
- Support my biking with a slightly more considered diet (I just indiscriminately stuff things in most of the time) and yoga
- And finally, get ‘on it’ with the mechanical stuff!
There are other things that I haven’t written down and, hopefully, I will get involved in many exciting adventures over the next 12 months on and off the bike, but that’s enough, for now. Does everybody else have some great plans for 2016?
Write On Track 
Good luck with it all!
I fear you won’t get an article in Ride (I believe it has done its final issue) – but I’m sure you’ll nail all the others!
Thank you, Alastair. A little encouragement to put in the positivity bank…! But I was disappointed to read your comment about Ride Journal. I’ve been working through the back issues – I’ve come across one or two of your articles – and been delighted by how the magazine combines adventure, personal insight, biking and great writing. It is visually stunning, too. It would be such a shame to lose it. I can’t see an announcement about it being their last issue on their Facebook page or website…fingers crossed (or have you got inside info?)
Just read this article after stumbling across your blog on “My first Enduro” and like that its brilliantly written not to mention inspiring.
I probably manage half a dozen mtb adventures annually perhaps not some just wheeling around the country others a tad more taxing. Whatever their difficulty level I LOVE them all.
I’m off to The French Alps in a few weeks so need to take a leaf out of your book and learn how to fix my bike not competently and when I’ve built up an appetite doing that……… Not wash it down with burger and chips but something more enduro friendly, healthy food.
Baby steps.
Catch you on a trail 😎
Hey Lisa,
I know what you mean about eating healthily. I try but I just eat toooooooo much sugar – bike rides are about the coffee and cake afterwards, right? Healthy food is a lot more exciting these days but I think you have to get a bit creative (she said sipping hot chocolate and eating a cookie).
Don’t even talk to me about bike maintenance, I just don’t leave enough time for it. I did a first aid course the other day in prep for a trip we are doing and all I could think of was how I need to go on a bike first aid course too! Mountain biking is never ending!
You are so right about the baby steps, though. It’s something I need to remind myself of…again and again…😔😛 x
P.s. We are heading to the alps next month to do the Tour Du Mont Blanc. Where you heading? Have a great time !
Wow that sounds tough. We’re heading to Morzine , last year did Mont Chery and will definitely be wheeling around out there. I think there’s a tour, port du soliel or something, we will have missed it date wise but may still ride the root.
There the last week in July, I’m going to try and eat healthily from now untill I go 😉
Morzine has a great reputation. Have fun, especially on the ‘root’ that should be amazing, and post loads of photos on MTB Chix 😎
“Ride the root” you can have that !
Route
😎
Oh thank you! 😂😂😂