This past Thursday afternoon (sometime around 4PM) . . .

I lay in the woods, legs tangled around my bike, I felt some stinging, some throbbing, but nothing too awful. I wiped the pouring sweat from my eyes. With clearer vision, I looked up at the trees and sky. Then I looked down at my situation. On my chest crawled a fairly large spider. The Josh of the past would have smashed the arachnid. However, today I thought, man this little guy must be wondering what just fell into his world. I gently brushed myself off, moved the spider onto a leaf, and un-clipped my feet from my pedals. Standing now, I looked around. Even in the 93 degree heat, just a mile off a highway, I was surrounded by natural beauty.

Saturday - 6:15 AM - I have the television on in the background, as I sit here checking email and sipping coffee . . . there is an infomercial for a new abdominal workout, promising you can still eat your favorite fast foods and lose inches off your waist! Sign me up - yeah right. Apparently changing your body doesn't have to correlate with your behavior?

In my self-transformation process, the changes in my own behavior have allowed me to see things much differently. For example, when I now "look around", I see more. In the past, if I had been in a situation similar to the one described above . . . I would have been immediately looking at my bike-hoping it wasn't damaged, been checking my wounds and likely using some foul language in the process. But not on Thursday.

One of the things I like most about cycling is the time I have to reflect. When I get going on the road, I get into a rhythm and I think. However, riding off road, like this past Thursday, the only time I had to think was spent on what's next after this hill, don't wipe out on this turn, I really hope I am nearing the end of the trail . . .

When I was finally off the bike, I could see and think about more than the next 100 yards in front of me. I felt exhilarated as I looked around. My adrenaline was pumping. I knew that what I was planning to do was right. This thing I have mentioned, this initiative I elude to, the plan I have yet to share . . . it will involve making the world a better place. It will involve helping others. And, it will take the collective effort of many looking at the "whole" I spoke about it my previous post.

As far as my new quest in concerned, I have begun planning. In the past 2 weeks, I have sold my Bowflex and joined the new Gold's Gym in my area (by the way, I used craigslist.com , sold it in one day), I am increasing my focus on training and nutrition, and starting to involve some partners I will need to do it all.

The increased focus on my training is forcing me to re-evaluate what I am fueling my body with. To date, my eating has been based on balanced nutrition, calories and taste. I am beginning to see that I need to start focusing more specifically on fueling myself to effectively maximize my training. Who would have ever thought those words would come out of my mouth!

Next step, I need to get a road bike. For that, I will return to my trusted shop, Nebo Ridge , which is where I purchased my Cannondale Rush (mountain bike). Although, I do ride my Rush on the road a whole lot, if I am going to start adding on the miles, I need a bike made just for the road.

By the way, thanks to my friend Brad who came to my rescue on the trail and helped me with a flat Thursday.