10:10 Wellness

Possibility Time

I began this piece sitting on a bench under a massive fichus tree in my brother and sister-in-law's front yard in the fabulous enclave/oasis community of Delray Dunes.  I could tell from the double-take of a walking neighbor that she was wondering:    "does that idiot really have a computer on his lap?"  Though she wouldn't have been able to detect, I can add that I was also quite sweaty.  Now I've got you wondering what the idiot was doing.

 

Rye Preserve recon

I finally took a little trip to the Rye Preserve in East Bradenton.  Ever since my small group coaches suggested we start a 10:10 Wellness East group, I've been wanting to check this place out.  Today was a perfect opportunity.  Kellie was away on a road trip with her Young Life girls, and Gracie was looking at me expectantly like she knew we would enjoy some quality time since Mommy was away.

The Rye Preserve is another jewel in the Manatee County Natural Resources department.  Like the Robinson Preserve, it's owned by the county to preserve some of nature's splendor.  We're blessed to have a director like Charlie Hunsicker who is so passionate about these preserves.  From the Manatee County website you can access information and maps of the Rye Preserve.

I feel like such a cheater

This piece in today's Early to Rise reminded me of how unproductive my holiday break was.  But I kinda liked that - guess I'm just a slacker at heart.

Cheating Yourself in Your Spare Time

By Michael Masterson

There’s a young man I know — someone I’m mentoring — who has great potential but no obvious advantages. He doesn’t have an impressive education, has no money to speak of, and has only one beneficial business connection — me.

He has good natural talents, a good mind, a good attitude, the willingness to work hard, and good values.

But he fills up his spare moments by surfing the Internet or engaging in similar amusements. There’s nothing terribly wrong with that, one could argue. He finishes the tasks he’s assigned. He works extra hours when asked. He doesn’t complain.

But for him — and his future — it’s a shame. Because each of those spare moments presents an opportunity for him to move himself forward. Each is a chance for him to learn something new, refine a skill, or make a new contact.

Whether he realizes it or not, he is competing against others who are about his age, have similar skills, and earn similar incomes. From the perspective of his employer and future employers, his value will grow or diminish relative to the rest of these people.

To the degree that he can exceed them, he will become more valuable and his income and his opportunities will expand. If he slips behind — and he surely will if he gives up too many of his spare moments to fooling around — he will gradually be thought of as just ordinary and, eventually, expendable.

We are all busy. We all have multiple responsibilities. But success is a result of your behavior. And the way you act when you have spare time is a crucial part of it.

Every 15 minutes invested in your future is a deposit that will grow and compound over time. It may not seem like a big deal now — whether you spend that time surfing the Internet or updating your Rolodex — but in the long run, it will make all the difference in the world.

Tis Better To Serve Than To Be Served

"You must give some time to your fellow men. Even if it's a little thing, do something for others - something for which you get no pay but the privilege of doing it."

Albert Schweitzer French philosopher & physician (1875 - 1965)

A few of us got together Saturday morning for the Rotten Ralph's ride. It's a 21 miler from my house, over Palma Sola Bay, then over the intracoastal to Anna Maria Island's northern tip where we stop at the dockside restaurant for a potty break.

It's a great ride. Join us sometime - most Saturday's at 8am. On this morning we encountered something completely different than the dolphin, heron, or the other wildlife that usually greets us.

Walking along the side of the road was a crew of 4 or 5 people wearing orange vests and picking up trash. That's awesome. I assumed it was one of those "adopt a road" groups whose organizations get a road sign noting their contribution. We all thanked and encouraged them as we road past them in our sexy, sleek, and colorful cycling clothing (my neighbor calls it my ballerina costume).

Not 2 miles later did we encounter another similar crew out on the causeway - picking up trash. Again, we thanked them and continued on our journey still looking remarkable in the multi colored, tight-fitting attire of a road cyclist. Before we got to the second bridge over the intracoastal, we ride upon yet another crew.

"Well, why didn't you pretty boys get off your bikes and help?" you ask. That's a fair question. Shoes. Huh? Yes, shoes. We were wearing our cycling shoes. And everyone knows you can't pick up trash wearing cycling shoes. Trust me on this one.

So off we ride onto Anna Maria Island (AMI), to Rotten Ralph's, and finally back to my hood. But before we make it home, we encounter another trash crew. This time it's two women and what I'd guess is a 6th grade girl. Again, we encourage them and ride past, but this time I had to know what was going on. So I pull a u-y, unclip from those shoes that prevent one from picking up trash, and ask what's up.

"It's Coastal Clean-up Day" one of the women informs me. Turns out they're part of a sorority that raises money for cancer. And they obviously pick up trash too! From the "Keep Manatee Beautiful" website, I learn that this effort is part of "The Great American Cleanup" which is the largest grassroots beautification, litter prevention, and community improvement program sponsored by Keep America Beautiful.

I could do that. You could do that. Just about anyone not wearing cycling shoes could do that. These folks inspired me to write a plea to my fit friends on volunteering. And yes I know - most of you volunteer plenty already. I'll give you that. And just the next morning, I had the opportunity to volunteer for the Heritage Harbor 10K as a traffic director. So writing about volunteering is not volunteering. Let me also suggest that there's a type of service we can do that even trumps volunteering.

John Maxwell says this in his book Life@Work: "The straight-shooting apostle James bluntly put it this way: if you see someone cold and hungry and only say to them, 'Be warm. Be filled' but yet do nothing, you are only fooling yourself. 'Isn't it obvious', he wrote, 'that God-talk without God-acts is outrageous nonsense?' (James 2:15-16, THE MESSAGE). Action requires intentionality."

Maxwell uses this quote in the context of the story of the good Samaritan where Jesus gave an example of who our neighbor is:

"There was once a man traveling from Jerusalem to Jericho. On the way he was attacked by robbers. They took his clothes, beat him up, and went off leaving him half-dead. Luckily, a priest was on his way down the same road, but when he saw him he angled across to the other side. Then a Levite religious leader man showed up; he also avoided the injured man.

A Samaritan traveling the road came on him. When he saw the man's condition, his heart went out to him. He gave him first aid, disinfecting and bandaging his wounds. Then he lifted him onto his donkey, led him to an inn, and made him comfortable. In the morning he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, 'Take good care of him. If it costs any more, put it on my bill—I'll pay you on my way back.' "What do you think? Which of the three became a neighbor to the man attacked by robbers?"

"The one who treated him kindly," the religion scholar responded.

Jesus said, "Go and do the same." (Luke 10:30-37, THE MESSAGE)

The type of service described in the story demonstrates a heart for taking care of our neighbors - even when it's not convenient and on our calendars. That's way more of a sacrifice than signing up for an activity. And that's just the kind of service with which I struggle most.

Maxwell points out that we can have blind spots to seeing like a Samaritan such that we don't even see the needs in our world. He cites busyness and self-centeredness as the two primary causes. Those observations just ran over me like a Greyhound bus. The solution would appear to be simple: get less busy and focus on others. The problem, I have to confess, is that I like being busy and self-centered.

I believe God will spend the rest of my life chiseling away at those faults. As long as I follow those blue blazes in my life.

"Whoa, you got a little serious on us Hughes" you say. I did, didn't I? Well back to my weekend. Sunday morning I helped a bit at a local 10K race. In case runners were wanting to jump over cones to miss a u-turn, I was there to keep them on track. Not more than a 9 iron away from me was the 4 mile mark where a volunteer dad and his boys would be offering a cool drink to thirsty runners.

After the race, I went to church at Bayside, an amazing place that raises more volunteers than I could count. Before I get into the church (it's actually an elementary school) I encounter a guy who's prepped and will ultimately serve 500 plates of spaghetti between Saturday and Sunday services. He's helping raise funds for a missionary group called 24/7 that Bayside will be sending to Columbia.

Another 24/7 volunteer with whom I'm acquainted approached me and asked if I would like to buy a t-shirt to support their mission. One of the sore spots that I create with the hot brunette has to do with t-shirts. I accumulate a lot of them. Don't all guys do this? I ask if I can send a check instead.

Now approaching the entrance, I'm welcomed by 2 greeters. Inside I encounter another greeter (who I know) posted in the lobby area. In addition to welcoming folks, she can direct newbies to the nursery, info table, etc. After a quick chat I proceed to the "sanctuary" aka the cafeteria where I'm welcomed again by a greeter and given a program. Without having to say a word about its incredible pastor and worship team, it's easy to see why this church has grown into the largest congregation in our area. They love to serve.

Oprah had it mostly right in a quote from her magazine in 2002: "I've come to believe that each of us has a personal calling that's as unique as a fingerprint - and that the best way to succeed is to discover what you love and then find a way to offer it to others in the form of service, working hard, and also allowing the energy of the universe to lead you." I'm sure you know why I say mostly right.

Our greatest joy will come in the selfless, heartfelt serving of others. So what about us? Do we love to serve? If everyone in the world served others as equally as we do, would the world be a better place? Thanks for reading.

The Ruling Passion of the Noblest Minds

Alexander Green, one of my favorite new writers, contributes a talk on honor. Or was it self-esteem? You decide.

Spiritual Wealth

Changing Habits in Key West

I had the opportunity this week to travel to the southern confines of my territory. That'd be Key West. It's a beautiful place to be this time of year especially when compared to the cold grey that many of my northern friends are experiencing. I suppose that's why people always roll their eyes when I tell them I'm "working in the Keys".

As you'd expect my running shoes and BOA running apparel made the trip and called me to go out one morning to enjoy one of my Key West habits. Like every one of you, I'm a creature of habit. We have habits, good and bad, that dictate our behavior. We have so many habits that we're not even aware of many of them. Allow me to use my Key West morning to demonstrate.

First of all I stayed at the luxurious Spanish Gardens motel. The same place I always do. Most of my fit friends would turn their nose up at such humble accommodations. The hot brunette stayed here. Once and never again. I, on the other hand, love the place because it's clean, has a great location, and it's cheap. Did I mention it's across the street from "The Southernmost Deli and Market" where I get a great cup of coffee every morning I'm in town. Sure, I could seek a better joint, but I'm totally content here so why waste the energy?

At any rate from this familiar place, I have my standard run route. Most of you would guess that I run along Duval Street, Key West's historic main street with the bars, restaurants, and shops. Hogs Breath Saloon, Sloppy Joe's, Fast Buck Freddy's, Shades of Key West, The Wyland Gallery, etc. Well you're wrong. That's where the tourists go. I'm a regular. No, from the Spanish Gardens, I head in the opposite direction. In fact some of my well read fit friends would recall me writing about my course. I titled that piece "Take the Soft Road" as I preached the benefits of running on a softer surface, a shell rock access road across from the beach in this example.

On the way to the access road I pass an outdoor roller hockey rink with some people playing soccer. I could get into this. Upon closer inspection I see two things: they all look 18 and there's a bunch of subs waiting to get in. So instead of creating material on how to heal from massive trauma when you don't act your age, I continue on my familiar course. And that's when my habit changed.

As I run the road that takes me to Higgs Beach I notice down a side street that I can see the ocean at the end of that block. Never noticed that before. Since one of the reasons we run outdoors is the scenery, I decide to turn down this street to investigate. And sure enough I arrive at the ocean and discover a little park there. Interesting. So I go into the little park and find a big storyboard sign that describes this little park and several others that are "connected" to make up the Key West Marine Park.

The storyboard describes how about 6 different public access points were designated along the ocean side of the island to create and protect a marine sanctuary. These areas of no boat traffic are open to swimmers and snorkelers who can explore the rocky bottom to see live sponges, sea urchins, and living coral. Well I'll be darned. I didn't know this. I'll have to bring my goggles next time and enjoy a good swim here.

"I've read this far to learn that you like to snorkel?" some of my impatient fit friends are thinking. OK, I'll get to the point. Did my world get bigger as a result of a two block detour? It absolutely did. Was this change of habit difficult or costly? Of course not. My point in all of this is that our habits, even the good ones, can become walls that prevent us from seeing all of life's majesty.

You've heard the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. While you and I may encounter new situations or passers-by on our familiar runs (or commutes, or walks, or bike rides, or road trips, etc.) the scenery will be mostly the same. It's in trying something new that our world and thus our minds can expand. People with rigid, structured routines are certainly predictable. Aren't they a little boring too? The hot brunette, if she ever read these things, would declare that I'm becoming predictable. Thankfully, she's too kind to tell me I'm boring.

The challenge for me and my challenge for you is to mix things up. Today. Scientists have proven that we can prolong the onset of Alzheimers and mental decline by trying new things. New connections in our brains are the result of new stimuli. That's why the most interesting senior citizens are the ones with the most engaged, diverse lives. That's why I don't anticipate or relish the traditional concept of retirement.

If you've read this far. then you better act on this. Do something different today. Do 10 things differently. I started this message at a Starbucks. Starbucks is a franchise. Franchises are habits. Sometimes good. Sometimes a wall. Look behind the walls in your life. There's a lot of stuff going on out there. Expand your world. Expand your mind. Today.

10 Tips for Starting a Wellness Program Today

From Spark People, Carrie Meyers Smith offers a good list with some action steps that can help you get on track. Bring a friend along as you tackle the list.

Travel Well!

One of the biggest potholes we encounter on our road to wellness is travel. Two factors conspire against us when we're away: crap food and inaccessible exercise. Too often we forfeit the fight and return home with the guilt that backsliding creates. It doesn't have to be this way. Here's some simple but outrageously effective advice (but you gotta do it) from Craig Ballantyne, an expert consultant for Men's Health magazine. Follow it, and the the next time you travel, you'll return with your program intact!

From the Early To Rise newsletter:

4 Ways to Stay Fit While Traveling

Last year, I flew more than 20,000 miles and visited more than two dozen airports around the world. Along the way, I learned - the hard way - how difficult it is to eat on the road. Especially when you're stuck in an airport for hours and hours at a time (as I was in Washington one night).

Today, I want to share the lessons I've learned about keeping fit while traveling.

The way to keep yourself healthy while on the road is to plan ahead. That goes for everything you do in your fat-loss program, especially eating properly.

You see, nutrition is where people fail big-time when traveling. After all, there isn't much good food for sale in airports. Not to mention all the restaurants you inevitably visit while vacationing or on a business trip. The good news is that it's possible to find nutritious food... if you know where to look. For instance, you can almost always get fresh fruit, nuts, and even grilled chicken in most airports.

After nutrition, simple laziness is the next hurdle you have to overcome while traveling. It's easy to talk yourself into skipping a workout if the hotel gym doesn't have the equipment you're used to. But the truth is, you don't need fancy equipment to get a fat-burning workout. You can do dozens of great bodyweight exercises practically anywhere.

Here are four strategies that can help you stay fit and stave off the fat while traveling.

1. Pack nutritious food for the road.

Yes, you can usually find healthy options in airports and restaurants. But you increase your chances of eating healthfully by packing your own snacks. Some healthy, road-worthy choices include water, green tea, almonds, apples, bananas, and jerky.

There's a saying in the fitness industry: "You can't out-exercise a bad diet." So no matter how often you hit the hotel gym (and not many travelers do at all), you won't be able to fight off weight gain if you continue to down processed foods and sugary beverages.

On a recent flight from Nashville to Toronto, I sat beside an overweight women who was (ironically) reading Dr. Phil's book on how to lose weight while she drank a glass of orange juice.

Now she clearly did not need the orange juice. She could have had water or a club soda (like I did) or even a coffee. Instead, she chose just about the worst drink possible. Within minutes of drinking orange juice, blood sugar levels spike, increasing levels of the fat-storing hormone insulin. To make matters worse, those spiked blood sugar levels eventually crash - making you hungry again.

Bad food choices doom travelers to stay overweight forever. But if you pack your own snacks - and ask for healthy substitutions in restaurants (replacing potatoes with extra veggies, for example) - you can control what you eat. Kelley Herring has written extensively about healthy food options.

2. Schedule your workouts with as much dedication as you schedule your business meetings.

When you book your hotel, make sure you have access to an adequate hotel gym or nearby fitness establishment. That way, you can continue with your regular exercise routine.

You might want to purchase a day pass at a local gym and work out with a personal trainer. If there is no time to schedule a session with a personal trainer, and your hotel gym doesn't have weights, try a body-weight only workout.

Here, for example, is how to do the Off-Set Push-Up:

Start in a regular push-up position, with one exception. You move one hand a hand's-length forward. (So it will be at forehead level, not shoulder level.) Do half as many push-ups as you normally do. Then, without resting, switch your hand position so the other hand is now a hand's-length forward. Do an equal number of repetitions.

This push-up works your upper body just as hard as (or harder than) regular push-ups. But it also works your abdominals a lot harder, because your torso muscles are working harder to stabilize your upper body.

Take advantage of whatever time slot is available for exercise during your travels. And don't miss it. An added bonus: Your exercise appointment can be the perfect excuse to skip unnecessary post-meeting cocktails and calories. Which brings me to my next tip...

3. Stay away from alcohol.

Whether you're on vacation or traveling for business, cocktails and wine are usually bountiful. But boozing it up adds hundreds of unnecessary calories. Plus, a few drinks can lead you to indulge in high-fat, high-glycemic foods you would ordinarily avoid. As a group of Canadian researchers reported in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, just one alcoholic drink can have that effect on your diet.

4. Spend waiting time walking.

If you have a layover between flights or are killing time between meetings, take a brisk walk. Some people think that walking is so low-intensity it doesn't do anything to help keep you fit. But that's just plain wrong. Researchers from Duke University found that walking the equivalent of 11 miles per week helped prevent the accumulation of deadly visceral fat, no matter the intensity of the exercise. So take a pedometer with you when you travel, and walk as often as possible.

Travel with a "maintenance mindset." Stick to your plan, and you'll return home without gaining any fat or losing any fitness.

This article appears courtesy of Early To Rise, the Internet's most popular health, wealth, and success e-zine. For a complimentary subscription, visit http://www.earlytorise.com.

I Got Schooled, Part 2

If you read part 1, you recall that I had the opportunity to join a few mountain biking aficionados last weekend in the Santos state park near Ocala, Fla.  We rode through some enormous oak tree canopies, over some fun "whoopie-dee-doos" (a succession of man-made dirt hills), and along some very challenging, rocky, bumpy, nasty, knarly red trails.  The ones that made me squeal.  I learned a lot about the sport of MTB (mountain biking) from a gracious group of talented and encouraging enthusiasts.  What I really enjoyed were the unspoken lessons I learned when not in the woods.                                                          

I pointed out that 3 of my mates on this trip were about 10 years older than me.  Not a big thing physically for those that are into some sort of healthy lifestyle and activity.  Endurance sports reward your time invested.  So a well-trained fifty-something year old dude will spank a barely-trained twenty-something if the ride or race is long enough.  I've told you before of being passed in triathlons by sixty year olds whose age was marked on their calves.  But training is only half the story.  While at the Vortex, we observed a diversity of fit riders, but not all were in that previously mentioned "15 or less" club.  So there's more than just riding involved here.                                                                                                                         

The first thing our group did after we arrived at Santos was head out for a quick lunch.  No fast food here.  Instead the crew found the nearest Publix and ordered subs.  In addition, they bought a bushel of assorted fruits and some yogurts to snack on.  While I'm a huge fan of this kind of eating, somehow a bag of chips ended up in my lunch menu.  Not a big thing you might think.  Small differences like this, a couple times a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year, add up to an enormous difference.                                              

After riding on day 1 we went out for Thai food for dinner.  I should also point out that before hitting the showers and going to dinner, a couple of us enjoyed a good cold Bud.  At the restaurant, though none of the group were tea-totallers, no one ordered alcohol.  Now don't get me wrong, I enjoy an adult beverage among friends.  However, I'll be the first to admit that it's not the best supplement to take on a weekend like this.  Our dinner orders could be described as sensible and one of us even had a tofu dish.  Tofu?  It wasn't me, but I guarantee you that a meal like that doesn't leave you with a food coma.  What's even more exciting (to a wellness geek like me) was to witness that their dinner selections weren't sacrifices.  I didn't hear the usual "I'd really like the fried whatever, but instead I'll have something that tastes like yard waste".

                                                                                                                                                 

It was the same for breakfast the next morning.  Knowing we had a full day of riding ahead of us is truly a license to kill on a menu.  Hash browns, biscuits, jelly, omelettes, etc. would all go up in smoke in a few hours, right?  Nope, not for this crew.  Again, sensible healthy choices were what these "freaks" desired.  More fruit and Publix subs for lunch and snacks were the menu for the rest of the day.                                       

These guys have "evolved" to a place where making good food choices comes naturally and is desired.  That's why they can still wear the same pants size they did when they were 18.  We could also mention that eating this way gives them more energy throughout their day.  More energy to ride.  More energy to work.  More energy to live.                                                                                                                                     

So how do we get to a place like this?  I think one of the things I'm discovering is to recognize and remember how I feel after I eat.  Nutrition is such a huge part of our being.  I think it's the Zone Diet guy that says "food should be administered like a drug".  Our food should fuel us not weigh us down.  After eating a monkey (that's my shake, not a pet), I'm energized.  If we felt that way after every meal, it would only be a matter of time before we could pull those Levi cords (I still have a pair from college) down from the shelf and embarrass our kids by wearing them.

I Got Schooled

Maybe you've gone into an endeavor with a hint of unearned confidence or an aroma of pride.  It's in those situations that we're ripest for a humbling.  This past weekend one of my fit friends, Keith Kern, invited me to join him and three of his buds for a "mountain biking" trip near Ocala, Fla.  "Mountain biking in Florida?  How tough could that be?" you ask.  That's exactly what I thought as I brought my road cycling fitness to Santos, an off-road riding park in the Marjorie Harris Florida Greenway.                                                                                                                                                                     

First of all let me point out that off-road riding, aka mountain biking, is about as different from road cycling as snow skiing is from water skiing.  Because I spend a decent amount of time pedaling on the road, I expected my fitness would mostly translate onto the trails - and it did for part of our adventure.  Our first ride was on a yellow trail.  If you've ever snow skied, the yellow trail is like a green ski slope, great for beginners and warming up.  It took us deep into the woods, it was flat, it twisted and turned and hugged the trees, and I was really diggin' this.                                                                                             

Next were the blue trails.  Like a blue ski trail, it's more of an intermediate proposition.  These trails had some elevation changes, quick turns, and obstacles like rocks and roots in the path.  Challenging but doable.  My rented, front suspension Specialized bike did just fine.  My off-road comrades provided a little coaching at this point to help me along and keep me safe.  Move your weight back going down a steep hill, keep your pedals cranking going uphill, etc.  I should also point out that 3 of these 4 guys were about 10 years senior to me.  And I was already struggling to keep up with them.                                                                                                   

Then came the reds.  Think black ski slopes.  I never really liked those things.  Especially after doing a bouncing rag doll imitation when I reluctantly went down a double black diamond a few years back.  In the Santos recreation area, the red trails had significant elevation changes, ledges, drops (I think part of this place was a phosphate mine), rocks, big rocks, knarly rocks, big knarly rocks.  Get the picture?  This was gonna be no Sunday cruise.  While my more experienced brethren were being challenged, I was being "pummeled" by these paths that I'm convinced were designed to make me cry uncle.  We would ride along in single file, yours truly at the rear, such that the other guys didn't have to witness my trials.  Being the testosterone-enabled, pride-filled male that I am, I couldn't allow myself to fall too far behind, and it took about everything I had to hang on.                                                                                                                            

I should point out that you can really get hurt here.  Fortunately my teammates were more cautionary than aggressive in their encouragement so that I didn't feel so much like a little school girl each time I dismounted the bike to walk it down a steep drop.  The ones with knarly rocks.  But rather than falling too far behind, I rushed along (on foot) through these impediments and would catch up with guys at the next crossroad.  As with any sport when fatigue sets in your chance of injury increases.  So it was in Santos.  On one of our last reds on day one, I took a minor fall with a major rock - to the lower back.  Strike one.                                                                                                                                                   

Day two brought us back to an area called the Vortex and more reds.  And rocks.  In one of my attempts to avoid a crash, I unclipped (we ride with clip-in shoes) to plant my foot.  This action somehow brought my lower back, the part that'd been treated to a love rock the day before, into some kind of movement it wasn't designed for.  I was screaming like a school girl now, and I truly wasn't sure how much more of this I could take.  Strike two.  Thankfully this occurred just before the lunch whistle sounded so I was able to cruise the yellows back to camp where we went into triage.                                                                        

A very useful asset on a trip like this is a chiropractor, and we happened to have one - Pat.  Pat, a mountain biker from Asheville, NC who drives one of those chick magnet Sienna mini-vans, was eager to assist.  Once on the trails he did some minor fix it work for one of the guys, and back at camp he cleared the picnic table for a more thorough adjustment to my aching back.  If you've ever gone to a chiropractor, you know the relief that can come from a little "bone cracking".  He was also able to detect, and I never asked how, that I was significantly dehydrated.  While everyone else had a big Camel Back (hydration back packs), I went out with only a single water bottle.  This apparently taxed my kidneys which contributed to my lower back pain.  "How 'bout a little cheese with that whine?" I can hear some of you thinking.                                                                                                                                     

The afternoon ride was all yellow - yes!  We cruised through some thick live oak forests with lots of hanging moss.  We passed alongside a couple of horse farms, one particularly aromatic one, to our destination - the "land bridge".  If you've ever driven on I-75 near Ocala, you may have noticed a bridge that has a wall, black iron fencing, and lots of trees and bushes - not your typical bridge.  I always assumed that it was a private crossing for a country club or a rich horse farmer.  Turns out it's part of the Greenway.  The bridge has a dirt road with vegetation and walls on either side.  While we were able to cross on bikes (hikers and horseback riders cross here too), it was designed to connect the Greenway and encourage wildlife migration.  The ride back from the land bridge felt like it would never end, and every one of us was leakin' oil at this point.  Great way to end a trip - spent but not broken.                                 

I was in awe of these guys' commitment to their sport.  They train often, they've travelled all across the country in pursuit of happy trails, and they were all clearly members of the "15 or less club" (think healthy body fat percentage for men.  It's 22 for the girls).  That they taught me a lot about their chosen passion came with little surprise.  I'm willing to take a little tutelage from others who have an expertise in a skill I clearly don't possess (read Proverbs 9:9).   It's a whole 'nother ball game to be schooled in an area where I claim to be "the man".  In this case, wellness.  What I observed on this trip when we weren't riding demonstrated I got lots to learn.  And we'll save that story for Part 2.  Stay tuned!