Might as well just start now, I guess?

It’s been about a year and a half since I posted here and even longer since I’d last ridden Stagecoach 400. I’d been waiting for the right time to do either one of those things; but waiting for “perfect” usually leads to a big, fat mess so here we are.
Truth be told, it’s probably the right time for both, even if it wasn’t how I’d imagined it. I’m really enjoyed my life these days (more on that in another post) and this all came together *just right*

I was “undertrained” in the conventional sense; the first day (89 miles of hard terrain on a heavily loaded bike) was the hardest riding I’ve done in quite a while. But I felt… fine? Sore, to be sure, but I knew the drill about hydration & self care, etc, and really enjoyed myself. So looking back on it now, I wasn’t really undertrained at all. I came out of 2-1/2 days lighter in mind and with renewed excitement to press forward on new bikepacking route concept I’ve been thinkering on for a while, and also for a good number of off-bike projects I’ve got in the hopper. Reminded once again to just start now.