I know, I know, How many teams can one guy ride for? No it wasn't like that.
This is kyle, he is was the toughest guy on the team. He is not a cyclist. I understand he is an amazing fisherman. Each day kyle, who didn't like riding in a pack would go it alone, at his own pace, slowly clipping off the miles. Totally solo. Figure a 70 mile solo ride everyday. sick kid, super nice too. Kyle was my tent mate, sorry if my night time flattle was too much.
Shannon is a SLC native. Total child of nature and an incredible person. Okay, she is a total dirty hippie, but I won't hold that against her. Never an angry moment, always a smile on her face, she was really a great teammate, and a lot of fun to be around. At one point, I said something about all the crazy "damn dirty hippies" and her eyes had gotten all big and red, you know this after we just drug each other through 30 miles of headwind, until I responded, " don't worry Shan, you are all aces in my book!" We had a lot of laughs together, and it was great to always see her around the show.
Dan is the filmmaker, and artist that was tasked with documenting our journey, and capturing it on film for the conservation alliance. Dan rode about a third of the trip, all on an old F1000 cannondale mountain bike with slicks. Dan never climbed seated, and always rode without a helmet. I should also note that Dan has ridden this same bike across country previously. Dan is incredibly soulful. He really made me aware of the importance of this journey, as a pilgrimage to learn about myself, as much as it was being an ambassador for the conservation alliance. Dan and I spent many a night huddled away from the group, on our cells phones calling home to make that "moo moo" call to our significant others. Dan has a perspective on life, that I was honored to get to share, and will cherish for the rest of my days.
As a general rule, I never talk about work on this blog. I have to say I love my job, and am so lucky to work for a place like Dansko. The owners of Dansko, my leaders, felt it was important for Dansko to have a representative on this trip, and that it was important for me to have a life experience like this. I can't even begin to say how grateful I am for all of the support and encouragement I was given for work. Very frankly this trip doesn't happen for me if Dansko isn't behind in financially, soulfully, or anything else. People often ask me why I love my job. Really it's not that I have a burning passion for customer service as much as I have a burning passion for doing the right thing. That's what Dansko is all about. Why they chose to send me on this trip, I'll never know, truth is I don't care, but I am incredibly grateful for their generosity.
