Thursday, October 20, 2011

A cyclist is made

It was a hot summer in '04 and we were watching TV. My dad was flipping through the channels as I lie on the couch, enjoying the cool air from the fan. "Lets watch the tour!" Dad says. "OK!" I say enthusiastically, as he switch's to the tour. I watch, entranced, I turn to my dad and say, "Hey dad, I want to try that."


Dad was super excited that I wanted to try out cycling, as he had been a racer at one time as well. So he went to a bike shop and bought me a real mountain bike, with brakes and shifters. I was immediately enthralled by the bike, it was all I did! Bike out to the chicken coop, bike to the dog lot, bike everywhere! Soon, I convinced dad to make me my very own track with his skid loader. I started to challenge myself to ride harder and harder things. Doing them over and over again until I made it.


Then my parents took me to my first race, the Nature Valley Grand Prix in Virginia, MN. I got to watch the "pros" race. It blew my mind how fast they went and up such steep hills! Afterwards,  I nervously went up to Robbie Ventura to get his autograph.

 I then did my very first race. Pumped up on endorphins from my race and excitement from meeting a pro (off of my favorite team) I solemnly told my parents, "This is what I want to do". The rest is history...

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