The struggle is real. I’ve written a lot about how hard it is to pursue cycling goals and still maintain the rest of my life. I’m forever in conflict, feeling out of balance between knowing I need to mow my lawn and paint my house and needing to put more hours in on the bike, and go to my son’s baseball games, and concerts, and awards ceremonies.

Spring is here and we always need to hone our skills and basic safety. There are things you can do when riding solo or with one or two riders that are not smart or safe with larger groups. The Ripper mantra – always – is an emphasis on safety. And a desire to improve whenever possible.