As a kid, my bike and I were inseparable.  I rode it all over our small town, barefoot and no helmet.  I’d crash, get back up and keep going.  As I got older, I traded in my two wheels for four wheels – oh, not a car, a skateboard but then a few years later I moved onto gas powered forms of transportation.

Flash forward to now and I’d become like most people do in their late 30′s…became sedentary and overweight.  I decided to make a change in my life so I hopped on brother’s old college Wal-Mart special bike.  I couldn’t even make it up the driveway which had a small incline.  I was determined that this was not going to be me.

I started biking daily, no helmet and just around the neighborhood.  As things started breaking on my bike, I would take it to the local bike shop where I was constantly tempted to invest in a bike.  I finally caved and bought an entry level mountain bike which took no time to destroy so I upgraded to a hardtail of which I still own…however I’ve broken every last thing on it and there’s not a stock piece left on it.

Mountain biking lent itself to picking up a road bike and now a cross bike.  I’ve lost 45lbs in the process and I have never been happier or healthier.  I realized I really liked accomplishments and when I saw Ride the Divide, I knew I must do it come hell or high water.

I’m 38 right now (about to turn 39) and it’s my goal that when I hit 41, I’ll be fit enough to take on the continental divide race.