Can’t believe I’m already writing my year in review post. 2012 seemed to really fly by, faster than any other year I’ve spent on this planet. I have officially spent my first full year in a state other than Texas. Durango has been mostly good to me. Although nothing is written in stone, it will continue to be my home base for 2013. Even though the Rocky Mountains are my where I hang my hat now, it somehow feels fitting that I’m writing this post in my former beloved city of Austin. I had some work to do on my rent house and have been thinking of spending New Years here, so I’m enjoying the warmer temps and great food for a few days before journeying back north. I will actually be spending New Years with my hiking shoes and Rocco in the mountains surrounding Sante Fe. I like to try and spend New Years in a different place each year. If I had the money, I’d fly to some place I’ve never been, like Seattle, WA-Portland, Maine- Asheville, Caroline – or, maybe even Melbourne, Australia, but alas, Sante Fe happens to be on the way home and I haven’t spent time there, just passed through a few times.
So, to the meat of the matter, 2012. By most accounts, it was a pretty good year. Way the hell better than 2011. I accomplished some goals, fell short of a few others, and did a few things I wasn’t planning on at all, both good and bad.
My story starts back in January. I had enough misc. drafting work to keep me floating, but barely. I agreed to be a volunteer snowshoe tour guide at Durango Mountain Resort since I had a lot of free time and this gig offered a ski pass in return. I found an old pair of telemark skis, a second hand pair of boots and poles, starting collecting ski wear, and hit the slopes head-on, sometimes, literally since I like to ski hard and fast and am not afraid to fall! It wasn’t long before I realized I needed a better pair of skis. A friend let me borrow his Scotty Bob’s and they kicked so much ass that he traded them to me for a bike. After that, my skiing really took off, and I began to understand the joys of being a ski bum. A drank a lot of beer, rode a lot of chairlifts, and shared my powder stories at the end of the day, all the while letting my bike fitness decline.
I had made the decision back in 2011 to quit racing for a while and focus on other stuff, like getting a real job and paying off my debt. When I learned of the inaugural San Juan Hut 200 race that would take place in June from Durango to Moab, I knew I had to do it. I got a real late start on training while the snow melted, but I eventually did throw a leg over some fat tires with the intention of getting back in shape.
At about the same time, I decided to start a new business, Durango Bike Trailers. It was spurred when I built my own trailer and had to buy all these specialized tools. I realized that I had just created a product that the town of Durango might really dig. I worked on improving the design, the fabrication methods, and developing different models for different needs. The company made its debut at the Durango Green Living Expo. A sold a few trailers, but not what I was hoping for. It was a little disheartening, but I figured I would just have to get creative with other marketing means.
One very good thing that did come of going to the expo is that I met my future employer, Adam Fries of Sun Peak Builders. He had a booth there to promote his services, which is custom green home building. He was primarily promoting straw bale homes, but he talked to me a while about other methods he could do and I was very intrigued. I told him about my background in architecture and construction and asked him to keep me in mind if he ever needed help. Two weeks later, I was working for him full time as his second hand man. I had struggled to find good work ever since moving to Durango, so this job was a huge relief and I knew it was the moment of good fortune I had been waiting for to start paying off all my debt before Dec 31.
It wasn’t long after this that my divorce was legally finalized and not much longer that the investment house was sold and we split the profits. I used most of that to pay off my truck and a few other smaller notes. The plan was actually coming to fruition.
All the while I was riding when I could find time. It was a long road back to Caveman supremacy, one I wasn’t sure I could complete on time. Come time for the race in June, I felt ok, but had doubts. This journey would be no ride in the park. Just to finish would be an incredible achievement. To do it less than 30 hours or even win it would be harder yet. I rode my guts out and was in the lead for about 15 hours, but eventually succumbed to fatigue and took a long rest break to finish second. I learned a lot from that race and plan to return in 2013 and improve upon my effort from 2012.
Following the race, I decided to move out of the house I was in with 3 women roommates and pursue simplicity and solitude on an organic vegetable farm located at the northern outskirts of town. Although I liked to claim I was now an organic vegetable farmer, truth is, I just helped run the farmer’s market and ate what didn’t sell. I did very little to grow produce, although I was learning how to grow it and being on the farm day to day made me feel like a farmer. I bought an old run down camper that I parked out there and lived in a tent for about 4 weeks while I renovated this vintage beauty. Summer inDurangois actually a real nice time to be in tent, at least, until monsoon season comes. I was using a cheap Wal Mart tent that leaked and spent my fair share of nights on a wet floor, but at least it was never too cold.
Work got better and better. We broke ground on 2 new houses and picked up a few remodels and odd jobs. My time was split between design, management, and physical labor. I was enjoying it all and learning a lot. I took a small break from riding, but was eyeing the next race, 24 hour nationals in Colorado Springs Sept. 29. I decided to rock the one cog for this race and was glad I did. It was a pretty good single speed course, although after the 12 hour mark I was doing a fair amount of walking up the steeper sections. Once again I was in the lead most of the race up until about the 14 hour mark when my body began to shut down and I decided to pull the plug a few laps later, eventually finishing in third place. Yet another big win that I let slip away, this time a national jersey was at stake though.
Oddly enough, this wasn’t my ‘A’ race planned for the year. I had one more ace in the hole, or at least, I hoped I did. The massive defeat I suffered at Rocky Hill in 2011 weighed heavily on my mind. I denied rumors that I would be attending the race this year, especially since it was only 3 weeks after Colorado Springs. Following my implosion at Nationals, I almost didn’t go, but in my heart, I knew it was my destiny. Along with my best friend Laura, her two dogs, and Rocco, we made the 1,000 mile drive to Rocky Hill ranch and arrived two hours before race start to the surprise of many. I wasn’t feeling 100% and the field was stacked. My gut instinct told me I wasn’t going to win this go round, but my heart said I was going to fight until I couldn’t fight anymore, and to this end, I feel I was true. After a very hard fought battle, I finished 4th overall and 2nd in Single speed. I didn’t have the ‘revenge’ I was looking for, but somehow, I was satisfied on a deeper level. I had gotten used to winning this thing, and perhaps a bit cocky. Two back to back losses were just what I needed to ground me and make me realize that I was a long way away from my full potential.
This was only the third race of the year. It was also the last. A far, far cry from racing years past, but considering I was on racing hiatus indefinitely, not too shabby. I knew winter was on the way, and I knew I had to start saving for it. Riding was over for the year, but I had a few adventures left.
The next big benchmark of the year came November 15. I had a horrible bike crash that left me with a broken arm. I had committed to doing a Grand Canyon Rim2Rim2Rim run over Thanksgiving with a really cool woman I had met at nationals. Now, I wasn’t sure I’d be able to go. I was in a cast and lot of pain. I could barely drive or get dressed. It took a while for my stubborn spirit to concede defeat to such an adventure, but I still had it in me to make the trip with her and do a ‘little’ hiking. Of course, my 10 mile hike turned into 20 turned into a worrisome 35. Had I done the full thing it would’ve been around 44 miles. Based on how I felt after 35, that wouldn’t have been a good idea anyways. Things didn’t quite go according to plan, but we both made it out of the canyon, set new benchmarks, and had a really good time, so that trip was totally worth it. More than anything, it helped me realize that you aren’t always as limited as you think you are.
The following weekend I flew out to the Big Apple to see my good friend Fox from architecture school get married. I’d never been, and it was quite the experience. Can’t say that I would ever want to live there, but it is a wonderful place to visit. What key thing I took away from this trip was an expanded horizon of travel. I not only learned to successfully navigate commuter trains, the subway system, ferries, taxis, and walking in the most populous city in the country, but it really didn’t cost much and got me thinking about traveling to other cities I haven’t been to. I think I will make it a point to travel to at least 2 new cities per year that more or less require transit via airplane.
A few weekends later I traveled to Boulder to visit the woman I went to the Grand Canyon with. We had developed a romantic interest, and I’ve wanted to see Boulder for a while so this was a good opportunity. I also wanted to see if I thought Boulder would be an ok place to live, in case I fell completely in love with this woman. I enjoyed my time with Chrissie, but I wasn’t all that impressed with Boulder. I guess when you call Durango home, other places you visit are held to a pretty high standard, although you don’t realize it while living there, because Durango doesn’t really try to attain any standard, it just is badass.
I wrapped up the year with a trip home to Terrell for Christmas, and then down to Austin for a few days. Time has flown by, and now, I am about to depart for the New Mexico wilderness where I will spend New Years with a dog named Rocco. No alcohol, no party favors, no kiss at midnight. Just clean mountain air, solitude, and reflection. Bliss.
My long drive down to Texas gave me lots of time to think about what is in store for 2013. Before I broke my arm I had penciled in a lot of high caliper bike races. I’ll likely still do a few, but nowhere near the volume I originally wanted to. I realistically can’t start mountain biking for another two months, not only because of snow, but to give time for the elbow to heal properly. Instead of riding so much, I will focus more of my energy around finance. I will get all debt paid off, and if things really go according to plan, I will either revive the real estate investing business OR start an exciting new business I’ve had in the works for about a year now. Maybe both, who knows. The goal with either is to start generating enough passive income to do the things I really want-travel and ride bikes. Work on my own schedule. Write my own check. People stuck in the rat race say it can’t be done. Others have owned businesses a while and think it can be done, just not that quickly. I say people like this don’t dream big enough or have balls. Well, I’ve got both. 2013 will be the best year yet. I don’t feel it will be a massively successful year, but I just know it will be good and will set me up for a massive 2014 or 2015.
I hope that your Twenty Twelve was a good one. If you are reading this, it must have been pretty good because that means you have a computer, internet, and likely a warm dry place to read this-something 95% of the world’s population does not have.
I hope that 2013 is just as good or better. I hope you don’t settle for mediocracy. Challenge yourself to always be better than you currently are. Get out and see new places. Dream big. I’ll catch you next year.
Greg Parham
