Looking Forward: 2024

 Well, the Rear View is in the rear view and 2023 is over. Time to take a quick look at what might be happening in the year to come. Of course, I don't really know anything, but that never stopped me before! 

So, take the following with a huge grain of salt. Except for this one thing: I have been, I am now, and forever will be indebted to you, my dear readers, for making this blog a joy to write every day, 365 days a year. 

Thank you!

Now, on with the view to next year, which will be a different year for me in at least one way for certain. That is that, as I previously mentioned, I won't be writing for any other sites for the first time since 2006. All I have on my plate now is this here blog, and that's it! At least for the foreseeable future. Honestly, I do not see that changing.

 Then there are rides. You know, I wasn't happy with 2022 as I look back on last year's "looking forward" post. I didn't get any long rides in at all. But as I looked further back, that was not an outlier for me. Most years lately I have been missing out on riding a century. Then it dawned on me that the last one I rode was in 2021 at Gravel Worlds, and before that? Sheesh! Maybe something back in 2017, or 2018's GTDRI. 

And yes- that bothers me yet. Just like it did last year. But as I said last year, I wanted to get at least one long ride in, and I did. So, I set the bar low and I made the goal. Maybe this year I can ask and hope for a true century. Let's go! 

 I'll be back in Emporia, Kansas for the Gravel Cycling Hall of Fame induction ceremony again in 2024.

And until my job status changes, riding in organized events is out of the question. I have some very personal and professional reasons for that which are tied to what is going on with my job at the Cedar Valley Bicycle Collective which I cannot divulge here. Good things, by the way, and if I could talk about that here, I know most of you would be supportive. So, no negative issues tied to that. But it means I just cannot be taking time off for riding in an event. 

I will only be taking time away to go do something for the next Gravel Cycling Hall of Fame induction and the Gents Race, (it looks like our team is back!). What that GCHoF thing is, well.....you'll see! Those are the only times I am taking time off my job that I know of for 2024. 

I do plan on a Guitar Ted Death Ride sometime in the Summer. I'm going to try for earlier in the year rather than later. This year I waited until August and it almost did not happen. 

And that two-day tour is still hanging out there and I've been scheming for almost two years to get out there and do that. Gotta get that out of my system. 

Other rides will happen as they can happen. Gravel travel, of course, and maybe a dirt ribbon or two thrown in for good measure. Local more so than not. We'll see..... 

From a blogging perspective I have been blown away by what happened this year. The numbers were often times doubled from 2022. Crazy numbers! I wrote about the same amount of posts without really trying as I did in 2022. So, I suspect that - barring any major life-changing things happening to me - that 2024 will look much like 2023. At least here on this page.  

The GTDRI Stories are wrapping up. I may start another series for Sunday, or I may give it a rest and just post whatever strikes my fancy. But I do not have anything solid planned in terms of a series. Review work will be posted here, but again, I don't know how that will look or if it is a sustainable thing here due to the perception of this being a "blog". So, again - we will see.... I will do reviews as long as people want that from me. 

In May of next year this blog will start its 20th year in existence. That's a pretty big deal! I have a few things cooking to mark the occasion with. Stay tuned.....

The podcast will also continue. N.Y. Roll has been gracious enough to be my partner in that and he provides the Topo Chico and the venue, so look for more episodes to drop in the year to come. We've both heard good things from many of you who listen to the "Guitar Ted Podcast", and we are encouraged and it will propel us forward.

Myself and N.Y. Roll recording a podcast. Image by Morgan Osgood.

So, yeah.... I guess that about covers everything. Nothing "earth-shattering", but staying the course, for the most part. Listen, I am just fine with that, as the last four years have been tumultuous and there were a lot of changes going on in my life throughout that time period. 

A little stability, for now, is a welcomed thing. Maybe something will happen in 2024 that will alter the course of things here, and you know, that is entirely possible. I'll roll with the punches and do whatever I feel is necessary if something like that happens. But for now I think about those of you reading this blog every morning. maybe with a cup of coffee, and firing up that computer or device, waiting to see what I've written for you to read. That motivates me. It keeps me poking at this keyboard every day for you.

And the funny thing is, I don't know how to type! I really don't. I use two fingers, I make mistakes on every sentence which slows me down even more, and I write most of my stuff in a stream of consciousness. So, making things make sense is tougher, and I re-write several sections every day. This is a difficult thing for me to do. I say these things not to make you sympathetic towards me. I write that because I want you to know that your motivation elevates my desire to write so that I overcome my hindrances to writing. So when I say "thank you for reading", I mean it from my heart, because if I didn't feel your energy and read your encouraging words from time to time, this blog wouldn't be happening. 

Happy New Year! 

Peace and Love!

Guitar Ted