0 Thank you for ripping my legs off, can I have them back now?

Last Thursday, Barkernews and The Hizzle went to Colorado for four days, leaving me completely, gloriously alone. For the first time in YEARS, I slept alone in my house, ate my dinner alone, woke up alone, and set my own schedule. While I would like to say that I desperately missed them (Barkernews, if you're reading this, really, I really, truly missed you, I swear), I had the most amazing time by myself.

The thing is, I quite enjoy my own company. I also quite enjoy having no responsibility outside of walking the dog twice a day. I can leave dirty dishes in the sink, throw my clothes all over the floor, have chips and salsa for dinner and sleep 11 hours, all of which I did.

What did I do with my time all to myself? Well, since I am not allowed to ski or climb, I hopped on my bike. I did that three times in four days and each time, I rode without regard to what time I would return home nor what I would need to do when I got there.

I just rode. In the process? I fell in love with my bike all over again.

There is something to be said for "just riding" without regard to a return time or your pace or mileage. I suffered up some very steep hills, where I gawked at rich people mansions. I glided along the Columbia River at sunset with a friend.

And then I tore my legs off at the Banana Belt #2 race yesterday, after which I hit up the spa with Ky for a couple hours of pampering.

I am not lying when I say that Banana Belt tore my legs off. Something about riding around Hagg Lake in a counter-clockwise direction is very troublesome to an un-trained bike racer. Instead of popping off the pack at lap 2.5, I lost it at lap 1.5. Oops. Thus began 4 miles of tough self-talk where I had to convince myself to finish, because a DNF is always worse than a DFL.

Finish I did, but only with the aid of three other chicas whose legs were also torn to shreds and the sweet promise of a spa visit at the end.

And that's how I ended my four days of alone-ness: with Ky, at the spa, relaxing and sharing dessert.

Do you have a young child and husband? I highly recommend that you send them away to Colorado for four days (in fact, I am sure my in-laws would love to have you in Estes Park. I'll send along their address.) so that you can re-connect with, well, yourself. When you do see your peeps at 9pm on Sunday night, you will want to smother them in hugs and kisses, but you will also be completely satisfied with your self-indulgence. Also, your legs will hurt. A lot.