Beyond setting goals…

Posted sara m

Ah, the New Year, and its barrage of advice on resolutions, self-improvement, and goals… I apologize for jumping on the New Year’s goal-setting bandwagon, but it is as good a time as any to get some things off my chest on this subject, particularly about some the more nuanced concepts of mastery goals versus performance goals (aka ego goals), and a perhaps more important piece about using metacognition (planning, monitoring, and evaluating) to ensure you actually attain your goals. Mastery versus performance goals An example of a performance goal or an ego goal is “I want to be the fastest rider at our club” or “I want to win this race” or “I want to get an A in calculus”. By contrast, mastery goals would be “I want to ride the Rosseau Lake loop 5 minutes faster this week” or […]

Switching to Ski Season

Posted sara m

Despite the Mister’s regular hints that he “needs” a fat bike, we remain devoted skiers in the winter. We usually move indoors to various forms of stationary cycling about mid-November, and hit the slopes by Boxing Day at the latest. The first day of cycling in the spring is always a challenge – my bike is usually not yet tuned, and the bike shop has a several day wait since I have left it to the week in which every cyclist except the most organized brings in their bike. So I give it a quick onceover on my own – my skills are pretty much limited to air in the tires and lube on the chain, but it is enough to get rolling. I change the cleats on my shoes, as those I use for winter spin class are a […]

Launching Humdinger Bicycle Tours!

Posted sara m

Humdinger Bicycle Tours has been in the works for several years now.  It is the result of a passion for cycling and traveling, and also a deep love for Central Ontario, particularly the ancient, exposed rock we call the Canadian Shield and all the waterways that fill its crevices. I have been fortunate enough to have traveled to many beautiful places around the world, and now I aim to show the world Ontario’s beauty. My travel experiences have been mostly self-guided, but  I have also had the benefit of outstanding guides from time to time.  I dearly love to wander and putter and discover on my own, but nothing beats the depth of knowledge of a passionate local. Who else knows the dives that have amazing food, how to avoid crowds and traffic, the best swimming spots, and, most importantly […]