I just wanted to share a praise: I reached 3,000 miles of bicycling for 2005! YIPPEE! :)

Friends, if you have dreams or things you want to achieve, I really want to encourage you to take them on!

I do want to humbly thank God for this accomplishment. Yeah, yeah, yeah, I did all the peddling, but He helped me in so many ways. My summer and autumn were especially tough spiritually and emotionally, and there were times where I felt tempted to surrender my goal. I spent many hours on my bike during the year, and that "alone time" was often helpful in spending some quality time with God. Lots of heart issues. Deep stuff.

A few "thank you's" are definitely in order: Dave Ortiz, my cycling buddy in Durango who did some of my longest rides with me and encouraged me greatly on the forums throughout the year; Team Telecycle (Their Web Site), a bike shop in Woodland Park, who were always helpful and "there for me" when my bike needed work; Boki Evans, my old friend in Manitou Springs who helped me become interested in bicycling in 2002.

So what's my next goal? I'm fairly sure it is bicycling across America. This could happen as early as 2006, but a lot of things will need to fall into place by next summer. I'm already praying with boldness and doing the "footwork" to knock out those obstacles! ;)

Thanks so much for reading this and being a part of my life. If I can be a little sappy here, this web site and all it has become is such an inspiration to me. Dream on ... and live boldly!

Love, Steve :)

P.S. I included a few photos from my ride on November 17, when I officially reached 3,000 miles. I also added a chronological highlight section for some of my memorable rides.

A Few Pictures From My Bike Ride When I Hit 3,000 Miles In Buena Vista

	I reached what I believed what exactly 3,000 miles on a well-graded dirt road (County Road 337 - left photo) outside of Buena Vista. I had to stop to take a picture. In the right photo, the snow had started to come down really hard in downtown Buena Vista. :p)
	Look how gray downtown Buena Vista was! The irony of the snow was it was the only day in the year where I actually had to bicycle in snowstorm. ;)
	A picture of Mt. Princeton during the ride.Here are all of my photos from the Arkansas Valley: Buena Vista, Cottonwood Pass, St. Elmo, Snow Mt. Princeton Hike, Bike: Buena Vista/Salida, Chaffee County Monarch Pass, Drive to Aspen, Nathrop
	Hooray! And here's all of my bicycling adventures: Monarch Pass Salida, Poncha Springs, Buena Vista Across Colorado Breckenridge Ute Pass, Manitou Lake Telluride New Mexico (Taos), New Mexico (Santa Fe) South Fork To Creede

January 23 - (31 miles) My first ride of the year. I biked round trip from my apartment in Manitou Springs to Jayson and Susan's house in Colorado Springs.

March 8 - (18 miles) I biked round trip from Manitou Springs to my old workplace in Green Mountain Falls. I recorded my top speed at 43.64 mph as I whizzed on Highway 24 going down Ute Pass.

March 12 - (43 miles) A one-way ride from Manitou Springs straight out east to Ellicott. Thankfully, my buddy Ron picked me up and drove me back home.

April 4 - (14 miles) I biked in Manitou Springs and Colorado Springs, but the highlight of the day was before the ride when Ben Paulson coached me on the phone on how to change a tube in a road bike tire. What a friend he is!

April 19 - (45 miles) Round trip ride from Manitou Springs to Sky Sox Stadium on the east side of Colorado Springs.

April 23 - (70 miles) I met up with Dave Ortiz in Salida, and we biked to Buena Vista and the "mouth" of Cottonwood Pass before riding downhill to Poncha Springs and Salida.

May 5 - (36 miles) My round trip ride from Cascade to Manitou Lake earned a pictorial. ;)

May 7 - (31 miles) Round trip ride from the Homestead Restaurant in Florence to Skyline Drive in Canon City.

May 21-22 - (80 miles, 75 miles) Dave Ortiz and I bicycled from Manitou Springs to Denver on Saturday, my longest ride for the year. We stayed in a Denver hotel on Saturday night and biked back to Manitou Springs on Sunday. Palmer Divide kicked our butts on Sunday, and the strong wind blowing straight into us throughout much of our travels on State Highway 83 didn't help either. I also fell off my bike for the only time of the year during the Sunday ride in northern Colorado Springs. Regretably, I did not bring the camera with me on this trip.

June 20 - (21 miles) Round trip ride from Cascade to Woodland Park. This would be the only ride of the year where I "lost it" with an obnoxious driver on Highway 24. She unnecessarily slammed her horn really loudly at me and seemed quite obnoxious and unapologetic when I turned around towards her. Long story made short, I gave a verbal tirade to the driver and while I am not proud of the words or tone of voice I used, I have peace that this driver will never mess with a road biker again.

August 7 - (37 miles) Round trip ride from Poncha Springs to the Monarch Pass summit. (Great pictorial!)

September 15 - (16 miles) My bike ride throughout Breckenridge and Blue River earned itself a pictorial.

October 16 - (27 miles) Ride throughout Buena Vista including Johnson Village. It was a really nice ride and confirmed my decision to live in Buena Vista, for I signed my rental lease that day.

October 23 - (11 miles) I met up with Dave Ortiz in Telluride and peddled lazily throughout town. (Another good pictorial!)

November 17 - (17 miles) I reached the 3,000 milestone outside of Buena Vista. I took a few photos that you can see above! ;)

November 19 - (38 miles) Round trip ride from South Fork to Creek With Dave Ortiz. (Nice pictures!) I smoked a "victory cigar" at the beginning of our ride.

NOTE: I am still bicycling on a regular basis and I'm currently at 3,052 bicycling miles. I'll update this highlight section if I have any noteworthy rides before the year is up! -sg :)