I was able to do half the Enchanted Circle Century Tour once before, and I cannot wait to do it again—this time, I am a little more confident. My goal now is to complete the whole thing. If you ever have a chance to do it, you really should. It is a great coursewith some really beautiful areas to ride through. It is also very challenging—between the terrain and the temperature changes, it really keeps you on your dressed-in-layered toes!

The course starts in Red River, and everyone heads out together. We got to enjoy the scenery of the gorgeous Carson National Forest, and now that I live here it is my new favorite place to be. As I rode through, I imagined coming back in the winter for some great skiing! I spotted a mine as we were leaving the campgrounds and heading downhill to Questra. They take pictures of everyone at the Lama turn-off, which I thought was fun. I made sure to get a copy of my picture; I think that will be a fun tradition for me to keep up. After that, we headed up a ridge. It was cool to see how the Sangre de Cristo Mountains change the terrain from a forest to the arid landscape you think of when you think of New Mexico. You look around and everything is green, and then you start paying attention to the ride, and then all of a sudden it warms up and you’re feeling that New Mexico sunshine. It was an awesome experience. I hear sometimes the temperature can change as much as 15 degrees!

Once we were out of Questra, there was a rest stop for anyone who needs it. I didn’t think I needed to stop, but I did it anyway and was super glad. I cheered up even more as I hopped back on my bike because the road flattened out a little. I had heard the next part was a little tricky, so I had buddied up with a rider who had done this before and followed him through the town. It turned out to be a smart move because I definitely would have missed the signs to keep me heading the right way. From what I’d heard, that’s not uncommon. So glad it didn’t happen to me!

Not far after this is the half-century point, which is where I stopped my trek last time. Next time, I am determined to finish! I will freely admit that my hesitation was because of the descent on Palo Flechado. Anything labeled “hairpin turns and steep” in the same sentence had me a little freaked out. I’ve talked to many people about it since then, and they’ve all told me the same thing: that as long as I take it very slowly and let cars pass me, I should be fine. I’ve heard that the ride into the (thankfully) flat area of Moreno Valley is amazing and totally worth putting up with Palo Flechado. I can’t wait to find out!

You ever have a doctor’s appointment where they yell at you and tell you that you really need to start taking care of yourself? Well, two years ago, I did. It made me feel pretty darn terrible about myself and I vowed never to have another checkup like that again. I did two things: first, I changed my doctor, because there’s a way to talk to people and then there’s being a complete jerk when you try to make your point. Secondly, I started seriously looking into a fitness and diet routine I could actually live with.

The diet portion wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be. I am simply trying to be smarter about food. I’m eating oatmeal for breakfast every day, a meal I used to skip all the time. I dropped soft drinks from my shopping list entirely and stick to water. I portion out my snacks so that I am not tempted to sit down with a huge family sized bag and finish off the whole thing in one sitting. Once I got over my portion control problems, I moved on to diet substitutions. If I’m craving something sweet, I’ll go for an apple now instead of candy. Little things like that go a long way. I still slip sometimes, or treat myself, but I don’t beat myself up over it. I’m doing this for all the best reasons and I’m in it for the long haul; some ice cream once in awhile isn’t going to ruin everything.

I chose cycling because honestly, I hate running. I tended to hurt myself running pretty quickly, too. The extra weight I carried around back then translated to a lot of extra pressure on my knees and ankles, so it was no wonder running hurt. Walking was less painful but I wanted something more. Cycling expends about the same amount of energy as walking but you go faster, which meant I could cover more distance in less time—that translates to a more efficient workout, which I thought was great. It also keeps burning calories even after I stop riding, which is tremendously cool. Plus, runner’s high is actually a bit of a misnomer. You can get it from just about any physical activity, so cycling became something I really started to look forward to.

I like it much better than going to a gym. I love being outside and experiencing the sun shine. There are some great places to ride around here and I’ve seen some really cool wildlife when I’m out on bike paths alone. I don’t mind riding in the heat or the cold, but I won’t go out if there’s too much rain or snow or something like that.If the weather doesn’t cooperate with me for more than two days in a row, I will happily go to the gym and hop on a stationary bike.

I am happy to report that making smart changes like these have brought me down to a healthy weight for my size. Doctor appointments go much better for me now!

Three years, ago if you had told me that I’d be this person who loves not just being outside, but doing physical activity outside, I would have been incredibly surprised. I went to work,I came home, I sat on my couch so I could watch my shows and that was the end of it. I didn’t have much of a social life. I didn’t have much of anything, really. It’s amazing to me how you can be so stuck in a rut and then not even be able to recognize that person you were anymore. To think, it all changed simply because I got on a bike. I joined a Cycling Club, which meant I got regular social interaction.It has actually opened up a lot of doors for me. I’ve made friends and met a guy (or two) this way. I really only started this to get healthier, butI have achieved so much more, both emotionally and physically. I’m having so much fun that it’s hard to believe it’s physical activity.

When I started, I had no idea how much it would improve my life. I really want to take a super cool vacation to acknowledge this big change in my life and reward myself for all of my hard work.I would love to go bicycle riding anywhere that I could take the time to appreciate some beautiful scenery. Once I recover from the financial expenses of moving and getting a new life set up, I can think about riding through the French Countryside, or the Grand Canyon or something. I’ve got a penny jar on my dresser.

For now, though, I do like riding around Red River.I really want to do the whole Enchanted Circle CenturyTour this time around.I found a six-day ride that runs through a lot of Colorado that will likely be my next goal. I think the that would be so much fun, bicycling, camping, and enjoying that gorgeous mountain scenery for a whole week. It seems like the ultimate vacation to me, which I find hilarious now.When I was younger, I hated every single thing about both physical activity and camping. I was definitely more of a girly-girl who didn’t like the sight of dirt or bugs, and now my mind has completely changed. I’m still a bit of a girly-girl,but I’m at peace when I’m out there riding. I don’t mind a little bit of dirt anymore. I also know I’m going to come into contact with bugs, so I just deal with it. I feel like I’m still myself, I’m just a better version of myself. I’m so much more confident in what I think I can handle. I really feel like taking a days-long trip like that would really solidify this change I’m going through. It reallywould feel like winning the gold medal at the Olympics.

What about you, dear readers? Is there anywhere that you’ve been that you think is a must-do as far for a cycling vacation, or is there somewhere on your bucket list that I haven’t even considered? I’d love to know.

When I started this journey, I thought long and hard about what physical activity I wanted to do. I’ve never really enjoyed running, and I’m not big on fancy gym equipment. I wanted something fun and easy soI would stick with it. I remembered that when I was a kid, I loved to ride my bike everywhere. I thought maybe that was something I could do. I thought I would give it a try.

I went to a cycling shop and talked to an employee about what I was hoping to accomplish and what I was comfortable spending. She was able to explain my options to me, and we chose a bike, a helmet, and she gave me some tips. Some of the advice she gave me was very helpful, and I wanted to pass it along.

The first thing is the same thing that they recommend for kids: wear a helmet. Don’t just go with the first one you grab. Make sure it meets the US Consumer Product Safety Commission’s approval. Try it on—just like with clothing, not all helmets are sized the same. You want a helmet that sits level on your head and ends about two fingers’ width above your eyebrow. When you buckle the chin strap, make sure you can’t get more than two fingers between the strap and your chin. The side straps form the letter V around your ears—one in front, one behind. Adjust those straps til you have it right and lock the sliders if you can. Make sure that with all your adjustments, the buckle on the chin buckle is centered under your chin.

Before every ride, inspect your bike–including the tires and the brakes. If you’re going to be riding when it will be harder to see you, be sure to have reflectors on your bike. A red flashing light on the back also helps. Your state may require a headlight, so find that out beforehand. I also purchased a mirror for my handlebar so that I could see cars coming from behind me.

Once you’re on the road, try to be as visible as possible. Yes, cars are supposed to look out for you, but that’s no consolation if they hit you. You are more likely to be hit by a car making a turn than one coming up behind you who can clearly see you. Stay a little more to the middle of the road when going through an intersection if possible, because that’s where drivers are conditioned to look. Wave to drivers perpendicular to you to get their attention or wear bright clothing that will get their attention (even in daylight). Another huge hazard is riding close to parked cars when someone unexpectedly opens a door. So try to stay more than a door’s width away from cars parked on the side of the road. Again, it is uncomfortable riding so far into the road, but people aren’t looking for cyclists when they’re opening their car door. Avoid riding on sidewalks or going through crosswalks. Your bike is considered a vehicle, so treat it like one. Cars are more likely to see you when you’re on the street and turning where they turn. In the same vein, don’t ride against traffic. It may seem like a good idea, but not only is it illegal, no driver is going to be looking for you coming from that direction—because you’re not supposed to be there!Signal your turns. Use your mirror to look behind you if you are moving around an obstacle or moving farther into a lane.If you have to wait at a stop sign or a red light, be careful not to stop in someone’s blind spot. Stop either next to but in front of or behind the car, or move directly behind it. Lastly, don’t pass anyone on the right. You’re not supposed to do it when you’re driving, and while riding a bike it is even more dangerous.

Hope these tips help. Stay safe out there!

When it’s time to purchase a bike for the first time, my best advice to you is to go to a bicycle shop and talk to someone with experience. You may be tempted to go to a big box store and pick up whatever is on sale, but unless you’ve done some research online and have anideaof what you’re actually buying, you’re be doing yourself a great disservice. A good salesperson will know the area and the different types of bikes.  They know about suspensions, tires, seating, brakes, and everything else. They can steer you in the right direction as far as bicycles go. They are typically cyclists themselves, so they may point out some great riding locations or trails you might not have known about before, or what roads to avoid. They can also guide you on any safety equipment that you may need—they are a good resource to ask about the regulations in your state regarding handlebar mirrors and front or back lighting. You want to be sure that you are both safe and street legal to be out there on the road from your very first trip out.

You want a bike that will work well on the terrain that you plan to be riding on. For example, the first bike I purchased was mostly for riding on paved trails and on small side roads near where I used to live. It suited me and my needs just fine. However, now that I’ve moved here where the terrain and the seasons are a little more varied, I needed something that can handle this area of New Mexico. With my new mountain bike, it’s a lot easier to go up and down the steep hills around here, and the brakes make me feel a lot more comfortable. Sometimes an adjustment might be as simple as changing out the tires on your bike or swapping the handlebars. But again, it’s best to talk to someone who knows what they’re doing. Treat it like a car. If you don’t know anything about them, you’re not going to try and replace the transmission yourself, right?

When you get to the bike shop, don’t be shy. Talk about what you need. Sit on any bikes you like. Try it out.Be comfortable with it.Make sure it is comfortable, or if there are accessories you can add that’s going to make it more comfortable for you. The more comfortable it is, the more likely you’re going to get on that bike and use it.The bottom line is that doesn’t matter how much money you put into it or how enthusiastic you are at the beginning, it’s getting on that bike whenever you can that’s going to make a difference in your carbon footprint, your gas bill,your fitness level, or whatever it is you want to get out of bicycle riding. You have to put that effort in, get the bike you enjoy riding and that you’re going to be excited to get on so you can do what you want to do. An investment in a quality bike and quality safety gear is aninvestment in yourself, and you totally deserve it!