Ride bikes, be happy. The Re-Awakening of Why I Do What I Do
Ask yourself why. Why do you do what you do? Why do you ride bikes or adventure, explore and push your limits? Probably for similar reasons I do. And that is for the joy of it. I embraced mountain biking because it is a sport that is challenging, competitive, and evolving in ways that keep it exciting. For me, these elements are hard to resist. I struggle with them, but love to face them. Over my career, I have spent nearly every dollar I’ve made and many months, weeks, days, hours; and what the sport comes down to, seconds, racing and riding for the love of it. As with so many things, we begin to feel the weight of what we do, all the elements that make it a job. Endless hours on the computer, sponsorship hunting, telephone calls, emailing, packing and unpacking and of course, the pressure to win. I have been an independent racer for 15 of my 17 years racing. That means every element of the season has been in my hands and my responsibility. Without perseverance, I wouldn't ha