Well, North Star Bicycle Race happened. I lined up for 630 miles. I completed 407 before I pulled the plug. I decided to end my race early due to severe knee pain. I don't have any internalized labels for how this race went. I did not complete it, but I don't think it is right to call it a "failure", nor do I think "failure" is bad in these contexts. I knew going in that it might be out of reach. That was the point I guess. "I’ve always sort of lived by the phrase, 'Try something you could fail at.' We all do things that we can comfortably achieve, but rarely do we set the high bar one notch above what we think we can clear, and that’s what’s driving me on here.” Henry Worsley If you're curious to hear some complex thoughts on Henry and that quote, give me a call or a message. I learned a lot in this race, a lot of specific stuff to apply to future endeavours, and also a lot of internal talk about how I navigate hard efforts, the value of them, of pushing my limits. 40+ hours is a lot of time in your own head to think (I also listen to podcasts and music and such, but even so there's a LOT of thinking time!) I'm so grateful for the support I had in this race. For the friends and family cheering (@conticrewdlh) , for the organizer and fellow racers, for all of the gas station attendants and drivers passing safely. And for myself. I keep living by a mantra of "Do hard things with good people" and intend to keep that up. I'm grateful I had the fortitude to not push through more pain and cause more damage. My legs are still sore today, but I hiked yesterday! and walking and squatting doesn't hurt as I expected. I'll be back on the bike, enjoying the change to fall, rather than recovering from deeper damage. I don't know if I'll sign up for NSBR again, but it is far from off the table. And I know for sure I'll keep exploring physical and mental limits. Until then, in the words of Henry Worsley, Onwards. Full post on my blog. #northstarbicyclerace #NSBR #randonneuring #ultracycling

Wednesday I embark on what might be my hardest race yet, but with any luck and payoff from preparation, hopefully not the hardest thing I've done! I'm riding the North Star Bicycle Race, from St Paul to Canada and back, 630 miles, all pavement, no time stoppages. Every action I take contributes to my finish time. So I'll try to be efficient, and hope my legs just keep turning. It's been a lot of prep, a lot to think about, and it still scares the heck out of me. I don't know if I'll make it to the finish line, let alone in my goal under 3 days, but I'll be out there trying. Here's the race tracker if you want to follow along. Bonus, I'll be coming through Duluth twice, but not that for unsupported racing I cannot accept anything beyond cheers and high fives. https://northstarbicyclerace2025.maprogress.com/ "Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass, it's about learning to dance in the rain." Embrace discomfort, embrace growth. Onwards.

The world's largest Dilly Bar! I was listening to a podcast from the MN State Fair, and learned that the largest Dilly Bar is where they were invented, Moorhead MN. So I took a short detour today and got myself a sweet treat. Butterscotch of course (best flavor, fight me on it). Are you my kind of road-tripper? Would you stop?

This one for my nerds, and within the original intent of my blog. I'm travelling through northern MN towards Wyoming. I get antsy in the car on long drives, so I LOVE to stop at "Historical Marker" spots and, as you might have guessed, read the plaques. This lovely set of new plaques on the shores of Leech Lake tell some local history of the Leech Lake Reservation, and discuss some of the nuances of histories told from two starkly biased sides. Worth thinking about who is writing the history you read. #readtheplaque

Off for another adventure! Going to join friends on the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route. Fun logistics to just drive out and join wherever, and I may need to crank some big miles to return to my car, who knows, but that's the adventure right?? If you have any podcast or roadside kitch recommendations let me know, it's 20 hrs of driving to Pinedale, WY.