Last fall, on the same day the stock market fell to what would become the first of many record lows, I was climbing to record personal heights. On the same day the world tempted me to live in fear that I was going to lose it all, I felt richer than I ever have. On the day this picture was taken, I made a decision that changed the course of my life.
If you’re anything like me, making decisions based out fear is a very easy thing to do - especially in today’s economy. Worry, anxiety, and “what ifs” have been familiar companions of mine in the past. Better to be safe than sorry, I reasoned. Except that I found myself sorry for the times when I had played it too safe. In September 2008, I took a trip that would change all that and taught me a thing or two about climbing hills.
I joined a week long bike tour of Vermont expertly designed by Bike Vermont. We would tour Middlebury and Otter Creek Valley during the day and stay at lovely inns at night.
The first fear I faced was going alone. Schedules prevented everyone I asked to join me, including my husband. As I was fretting over what to do, my 9-year-old daughter finally asked, “Why can’t you go alone?” I couldn’t produce a reason that didn’t sound like a lame excuse. It turns out there was nothing to fear as the three other married couples and two cousins on my tour welcomed me without hesitation.
Challenge number two: I wasn’t what you’d call a biker. Beyond the casual spins around the FLAT neighborhood, I had never really traveled far by bike. Now I had thirty days to start training for hills and covering up to 30 miles per day. The upside was purchasing biking shorts and realizing they can plump up your behind in a way that makes your stomach look really flat in comparison!
My fears were put at ease once I met Wally and Eric, our trusty tour guides. Each morning our group would gather and go over the biking route, then we’d head off at our own pace - no matter how slow. Wally and Eric took turns either biking behind us, no faster than the slowest biker, or driving the van to meet us at check points. Knowing that help was just around the corner gave me all the confidence I needed.
On the third day of our tour, my new-found confidence was put to the test. That’s when our map for the day included the Brandon Gap Option. “This is one of the very few passes over the top of the Green Mountain range,” read our tour material. It also warned, “The ride requires that you be a reasonably strong biker since the first half is almost all uphill and the last 1.2 miles of the climb are steep.”
Note that this was an option. We didn’t have to do it, only if you wanted the challenge and the view. This was a no-brainer for me. I didn’t consider myself a “reasonably strong biker,” so there was no way I was headed up a 5.1 mile hill. I was so sure of my decision until everyone kept talking about it all morning, “Are you going? It’s supposed to be amazing at the top.” At first I was afraid I wouldn’t make it, now I was afraid of what I’d be missing if I didn’t try.
Our guides offered sage advice on how to approach hills. “No hill is one hundred percent straight up,” said Eric. “There are always little pockets of flatness where you can rest.” Then he joked, “When in doubt, keep your head down. It always looks flat that way.” I was reminded of other metaphorical hills I had faced in my life. When I had looked too far ahead, the hills appeared impossible to conquer.
“The key is to just keep your feet moving in a circular motion. There’s no rush. You have all the time in the world. Just keep moving,” said Wally.
Finally decision time came. Either I was going to make the turn to head up toward the Brandon Gap, or keep on going straight. I turned, along with four others. It took me 1.5 hours to make it up that hill. At times I moved so slowly that I nearly tipped over. But, I didn’t. I just kept moving. And I made it!
But, it turned out I wasn’t done yet. To get to the amazing view, we had to hike another mile through the Green Mountain National Forest - you guessed it - straight up. This time, I didn’t hesitate. My legs were trembling with overuse, yet I had never felt more alive. After another 30 minutes of climbing - three of us had reached the promised view:
The ride down was much faster than the other direction! Little did I know the stock market was tumbling just as fast that day. Everything I thought I had invested in for a secure future was at question. All the money I had put away out of fear of not living well in my retirement had been cut in half, just like that. I didn’t care.
Before biking the Brandon Gap, I would have let that news shake me to the core. I would have been filled with worry about a dark and gloomy future. Yet, that day, on the top of the hill I decided to never again let fear guide my decisions. I had experienced pure joy and money had nothing to do with it. I had pushed myself further than I thought I could. And, let me tell you: the view is amazing!
If you’d like to check it out for yourself, contact Bike Vermont by visiting www.BikeVermont.com or call 800-257-2226.
