I’ve scratched from an Arizona Trail attempt twice this year, making it no more than 70 miles on either attempt. Deciding to quit is hard, and the ensuing days can be even worse, left pondering so many “shouldas” and “couldas.”

After this last attempt as part of the @azt300_800, I still managed a 400 mile tour from my house down into the borderlands of Southern Arizona. It felt good to be on my bicycle riding in a way that feels most comfortable to me - the touring pace punctuated by cafes and snoozes under mesquite trees. Surely there are lessons to be learned from my year of quitting, but at the moment, I simply feel impressed and inspired by all the ways people use their bikes to explore themselves and enjoy the outdoors, whether it be racing, touring, or a casual weekend ride.

I’ll be writing more in the coming weeks, but here’s a short visual recap from my borderlands redemption ride.

- Henley Phillips