Random thoughts

This week I've kinda been at a loss for words. Nothing exciting to talk about lately, just work and doing odds and ends around the house while mother nature plays catch up. I'm trying not to complain about the rain we're getting but I'm itching to ride and the trails I'm sure are a swamp. I'm going to do something outside tomorrow come hell or high water and with the weather we've had it's sure to be interesting.
I've seen a few bloggers out there writing about their year and what they've accomplished or what's coming up for next year and this to has been on my mind but I'm not too sure what I'm going to say. I'd like to list out a page of races I plan to attend and the mileage I plan to get under by belt but I'm kinda afraid to and plus that gets kind of boring. Last year I came up with a list of races I wanted to attend and the list was pretty long but I only managed 2 of them. Being on the injured list sucked and it kinda got me depressed but I'm over that and I'm sure people are tired of hearing me cry about it so I won't bore you with any of that crap.
My prediction this year is going to be simple, have fun. Ride as much as possible but only if I'm having fun doing it. I'm going to try to not think about it as training because what am I really training for? I'm not a sponsored rider and nor do I want to be. I can wear whatever jersey I want, attend whatever races I want and I don't have to worry about keeping anyone happy. Sure it would be cool to get alot of free stuff or even get paid to ride but I'm not sure I've got it in me. Not that I really have to worry about all this I'm not that talented anyway. I don't foresee anyone knocking on my door in the near future. Not really sure where I'm going with this. I think I've gotten off on a random tangent.
Back to what I want to do next year. I'd like to ride some new places and get my dogs out on the trail more and not just the same old trails we ride in our backyard every week. I feel like we kinda got stuck in a rut this year and stayed close to home. Don't get me wrong we have some awesome trails right here in Kingsport but I need to see something new. Maybe it was the high gas prices that kept us put this last year.
I want to commute more next year as well. Riding my bike to work has been a losing battle with Melinda. She does not like the idea of me riding to and from work on busy highways in the dark. I do have a new plan of attack but I've yet to work out all the details. The Holston River runs right past my neighborhood just one street down from mine. It twists and turns for about a mile or so before running right through the middle of the plant I work at. In fact the gate I enter through is on the river's bank. I would like to buy a kayak this year and paddle to work, sounds really cool huh. There are a few details I need to work out before I sink my money into a boat though. The bank of the river is not that easy to reach in my neighborhood so I need to scope out a good place to put a boat in. Another is there is a TVA dam just a few hundred yards upstream that generates on a weekly basis. No problem going to work but I would never make it back trying to fight the current going upstream. I'm not even sure I can fight the current going up stream when they aren't generating but I plan to borrow Scooby's kayak for a couple of test runs before I throw down any dough. Luckily TVA does post their generating times online. Another factor is going to be darkness. Even in the summer I will be paddling in the dark at least one way. It may or may not work but I plan to give it a shot.
I wish I had some cool pics to share but nothing good in the camera right now. I try not to be one of those boring wordy bloggers who ramble on and on about the boring details of their workout or a trip to Dollywood. I'm afraid I've already gone too far with this one, sorry.