Family

Cross season started this past weekend with a flat tire on the second lap. I was in a lead group of five riders. We had pulled away from the pack. My legs felt good and I was just starting to settle into a rhythm when the rider in front of me went down and I ran my front tire into his crank (front chain ring). The tire exploded and was completely flat before I could apologize for stepping on his hand as I tried to untangle my bike. He was not hurt and able to continue, unfortunately my race was over. It was a long windy drive for 10 minutes of racing. Thanks to everyone for their support at the race.

When it comes to family support I feel pretty lucky.

I enjoy truck loads of support from family members that have made enormous sacrifices to allow our family to function as it currently does. The following is a list of sacrifices’ that I DID NOT MAKE to allow this family to work:

- I did not leave a place I had known and loved for 5 decades
- I did not leave my mortgage free housing situation to take on a new mortgage in my 50’s
- I did not leave my close knit French family far a bunch of non-separatist socialists
- I did not move into a house that’s over prices and stretches my finances to their limit
- I did not come out of retirement to pay my new mortgage
- I did not leave all of my well established social networks and start fresh
- I did not leave a good job with a small company I had proven myself with to take on a new job with a huge company that threatens to lay me off monthly
- I did not leave an economy where $60,000/year is enough to raise a family for a place where $60,000/year won’t cover groceries.
- I did not face social ridicule for my decision to move
- I did not give up retirement for a longer work life

I did not make any of these sacrifices but I do appreciate them. Every day I feel lucky to be benefitting from the support of my family and every day I think of the choices that were made so my children can have the support they unknowingly will never fully appreciate.