Obstacles
Last week was my annual Camp Bike Think week. As the name implies, I go camping by myself with our family’s pop up camper, go biking on some Wisconsin state trails, and spend some time working on projects, improving processes, and reading.
This year I successfully biked the Sugar River State Trail from Brodhead to Monticello and the Badger State Trail from Fitchburg to the Illinois state line (and a few shorter trails in the area), racking up 175 miles in perfect weather. Truly a blessing!
However, not everything went as planned. As in life, I encountered both surmountable and insurmountable obstacles along the way where my perceptions, concerns, and confidence were misplaced.
In the week prior to my arrival, the area in which I camped was on the receiving end of some intense rainfall. My main concern was the trail warning that the state posted for the Badger State Trail noting that a portion of the trail was a quagmire due to runoff from a field.
I dutifully made plans for my detour to bypass this obstacle, but it turned out these plans were completely unnecessary. By the time I reached this portion of the trail, the trail maintenance folks had removed most of the mud and the trail was passable. The phantom obstacle.
The Sugar River State Trail was beautiful. It included a covered bridge and traversed some isolated areas along the Sugar River. However, I encountered an unexpected obstacle:
Previously vertical timber had assumed an unfriendly horizontal position across the trail. Going left or right to get around the obstacle would have taken me into a swampy area, so my only options were to find a way through or turn around.
Thankfully, I was able to pick up my bike and carefully contort my way through the branches by entering on the far left, walking parallel to the branches, and exiting on the far right. The surmountable obstacle.
The biggest disappointment for the week met me at the Pecatonica State Trail. On Google maps, this 10-mile trail looked like a beautiful meandering along the Pecatonica River. Here is the picture that set my expectations:
Unfortunately, reality did not come close to the picture. Instead of the relatively smooth crushed limestone trail I was expecting, it was roadbed gravel with ruts from ATV usage. I made it less than half a mile from the trailhead and projected the pain in my backside would be absolutely excruciating by the time I finished the remaining 19.5 miles I had planned that day.
Reluctantly, I gave up on my goal, turned around, and headed down a different and less painful path. The insurmountable obstacle.
Despite all the thoughtful planning we do to help our clients define and work toward their long-term goals, life is completely unpredictable. We may encounter obstacles around every corner.
Some are phantom obstacles (political theater, bear markets, if properly prepared), some take additional planning (job changes, family challenges, small businesses), and others require us to change course (health challenges, insufficient resources, overly optimistic expectations).
Whatever obstacles our clients face – whether phantom, surmountable, or insurmountable, we exist to help them make the best decisions for themselves and their families.
If someone you care about is facing some obstacles or needs help identifying them as phantom, surmountable, or insurmountable, please share us with them.
Quote of the week:
Aimee Mullins: “Adversity isn’t an obstacle that we need to get around in order to resume living our life. It’s part of our life.”
